pianotech-digest V1997 #733

[Dmsaerts]

I would like to say one thing about the phenomenon "pounding". Ever since I
came to this country 4 years ago I hear tuners talk and wine about pounding
the keys, in order to get the ultimate stable and forever lasting tuning. Some
even invented special protheses, tools, band-aids to accomplish this. For all
those that are sure or have doubts about pounding try this: Tune a string in
the middle section of a grand piano with a rear duplex scale such as Steinway,
Yamaha, Fazioli, Mason, Falcone, Ibach, Kawai,etc,etc one whole tone too high
or until the duplex goes out of tune. !!Pluck the duplex!! Do not break the
string! Now your duplex is clearly out of tune, you tune back the unison to
where it was in the beginning. Now start pounding the key and tune again and
again and again until you are satisfied with the tuning stability as you would
normally do. ( Pretend you don't know that the duplex is out of tune.) Go back
to the duplex string and pluck it again. Surprise yourself and note that even
severe pounding does not have any effect on the rear duplex, the string is
still out of tune. To bring the situation back to normal you will have to tune
the string down until the rear duplex is back in tune and then tune the
unison. Pounding does not have the effect some of our colleagues want us to
believe. What pounding can do for us is not clear. It does hurt your finger
tips, it can break a treble string just before that important concert. That
hurts your image. On some older uprights or spinets it can break keys, shanks
and it hurts your ears. Extreme pounding has sometimes even a negative effect
on the tuning stabillity. My conclusion is that pounding is not worth the
risks. Tuning stability comes mainly from: Skillful handling of the tuning
lever, proper setting of the tuning pin, regular tuning, constant environment,
the same tuner, experience and probably more. This does NOT mean that a stiff
touch or a hard blow is not part of the tuning process but pounding is just
too much. My last word about this is, if your hard blows hurt your fingers, it
might hurt the piano!

Cyrillus Aerts
University of North Texas