Strings riding up (was Tuning stability)

Richard Brekne Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no
Mon, 05 Apr 2004 10:44:48 +0200


Hi David

I agree... and these observables are exactly why I am forced to reject 
the idea that string seating is usless (or nearly so), and the whole 
<<theory>> that lies behind it. Ok.. certainly one can run into the 
situation where negative bearing (however its is compoundly caused)... 
can make this proceedure usless... but by that time you probably have 
more to worry about anyways.

The whole anti tapping school seems to rely on the premise that we 
<<know>> that strings being not fully in contact with the bridge surface 
at the bridge pins is exclusively due to the bridge surface being  
compressed beyond supporting positive bearing by the strings being so 
strongly clamped to the bridge surface the brigde pins.  We simply do 
not know this, nor do we have any real clear idea as to what other 
possible factors and processees could be involved.  There are just some 
thoughts out there, some of them pretty good actually but still.... 
these are rather loose theorizing in the end. Where anyone got the idea 
that it was justified to conclude this particular <<theory>> anywhere 
near completly describes whats going on I am sure I dont know... :)

Anyways.... we are off now to continue the rest of our Easter Holiday. 
Copenhagen lies in front of us, and the Voss Jazz festival which I tune 
for each year is now a thing of the past. No big international piano 
names this year, but lots of great norwegian music...

Cheers and Happy Easter one and all !!
RicB

David Ilvedson wrote:

>Jumping in...
>
>I don't routinely tap strings at the bridge unless I have some tonal or tuning difficulty.   For me, a light tap, 
>can do wonders for the unfocused tone I have heard in, for instance, Japanese pianos.   What is happening?  I wish I knew.   Surely others have seated strings and watched the string visibly move down and the pitch drop, sometimes 4 cents?   And once seated the string won't visibly move down again.   For me, this is another test to see if seating is warranted.  Does the string move down when tapped.   I can hear the difference and that's all I need to know but I don't routinely seat strings before every tuning.   For some reason Asian pianos seem more prone to needing this...?
>
>David I.
>
>
>  
>


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