Partial Hearing

[Lance Lafargue]

I just got my set from Bill Spurlock and they're brass tipped so you can do
string voicing and
tap strings down on the bridge as well. The 2 1/4" telescopes so you can
use it for hammer height
adjustment.  The 1 1/4" has a compartment to hold voicing needs or teflon
powder.  He has a separate set for Betsy Ross spinets with a new jig for
leveling waterfall keys.  

I first learned from a 78 year old tuner and he often opened his mouth/jaw
to hear.  I occasionally find myself
opening my mouth to hear better, but quickly shut it and look around.  



LANCE LAFARGUE, RPT
LAFARGUE PIANO SERVICES
New Orleans Chapter
Mandeville, LA.
_______________________________
II III II III II III II III II III II III II III II III II III II
-------------------------------------------------------
lafargue@iamerica.net

----------
> From: David ilvedson <ilvey@jps.net>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Partial Hearing
> Date: Wednesday, March 31, 1999 11:44 PM
> 
> Ken,
> 
> I think Bill Spurlock is making them now.  As I understand he 
> has opted for the nylon material he uses in his many of his 
> other tools.  The milling work is much more accurate.  His 
> invovation (did he get this idea from you or you from him?) has 
> each, he calls them oral/aural overtone generators, with a 
> brass insert which apparently amplifys the tone.  I have my 
> order in!
> 
> David Ilvedson, RPT
> 
> 
> 
> \
> 
> Date sent:      	Thu, 01 Apr 1999 00:02:17 -0500
> To:             	pianotech@ptg.org
> From:           	Ken Jankura <kenrpt@mail.cvn.net>
> Subject:        	Partial Hearing
> Send reply to:  	pianotech@ptg.org
> 
> > 
> > List, 
> > I think I may have hit on something to help us all do our work better
and
> > more efficiently. Recently I was tuning and having a little trouble
hearing
> > the partials I wanted to hear. Though I use an Accu-tuner now, I
learned to
> > tune aurally and I always check as I tune to try to improve on the
machine.
> > Well, I was tuning the high treble and noticed that I could hear the
2nd
> > partial, the 2:1 octave, better when I opened my mouth. Try it, you'll
> > definitely notice a difference. If you open your mouth just a little it
> > seems like the second partial just gets isolated a little more than
normal.
> > There must be something of a synergistic effect in using your
eustachian
> > tube as a resonator chamber. So I then went the next step, and opened
my
> > mouth as wide as I could and I noticed that the 6th partial just rang
out
> > as clear as a bell. It was really simple to hear and tune the bass this
> > way, except that my jaw got tired. So what I've come up with is a
series of
> > "Partial Props" that I carry in my toolcase, four of them, to help me
hear
> > what I want to hear. They range in size from 3/4 inch to 2-1/4 inches,
> > pieces of dowel rod, turned from beautiful tropical hardwoods, with
teeth
> > protecting rubber caps, for different ranges of the piano. Thank
goodness I
> > don't have to use that 2-1/4 inch one very often, that's for an 8:4
octave,
> > but the 1-7/8 inch works great for a 6:3, the 1-5/32 inch for a 4:2,
and
> > the 3/4 inch for the 2:1. Customers do look at me a little funny, but I
> > just take the prop out of my mouth and explain that it's for the good
of
> > the piano. I was hoping to go into business manufacturing these, until
I
> > realized that each person is going to have to find their own best
> > dimensions, their own 'sweet spot', if you will, to get the best
effect. So
> > don't let your eustachian tube just sit there, make it work for you! My
> > tunings have never gone so smoothly or so quickly.
> > Ken Jankura
> >  
> >  
> > 
> 
> 
> David Ilvedson, RPT
> Pacifica, CA
> ilvey@jps.net