too much "pounding!"

[Leslie W Bartlett]

Of course, one can always build a "bonker", or Jim Bryant, is it a
"boinker".  Can't remember which term got me into so much hot water, or
was it hot grease.   I use mine less now than used to, but it has several
uses, which merits keeping it handy, IMHO>
les bartlett

On Tue, 28 Mar 2000 22:36:56 -0600 "John M. Formsma"
<jformsma@dixie-net.com> writes:
> Terry,
> 
> <<Any suggestions as to how to lessen the stress on our "pounding" 
> fingers?
> I
> use my left index & thumb for loud striking, and I am losing the 
> feeling in
> the tips as they are becoming continually numb!>>
> 
> My suggestion is so simple--don't pound so hard. :-) Really, it is 
> not that
> necessary for the majority of the work we do. As long as you strike 
> the key
> harder than it will be played, it will be fine. I suspect that 
> having the
> piano at pitch before fine tuning and having a good lever technique 
> is
> superior to pounding. What do I know, though? I'm just an 
> intermediate. ;-)
> 
> <<There is a Steinway tech on the floor where I work, who came over 
> and
> demonstrated how a perfect unison will not stand unless you BANG the 
> key
> HARD, many times, almost to the point of breaking the hammer shank! 
> What's
> up with that? Is that what we want to do?>>
> 
> If you do this too much, your ears will be worn out by the time you 
> get
> really good. The way I look at it--why put that kind of stress on 
> your ears
> and all the piano parts? The key is to have good lever technique. I 
> usually
> do a moderately hard test blow--maybe two depending on the 
> instrument. It
> varies according to the piano. You live in CA, right? I think there 
> is a
> Norm Neblett who lives in CA that gave a mini technical on unison 
> tuning at
> the 1999 convention. His lever technique is what I use. You may 
> already be
> using that, though. It is very good. If you are successful with this
> technique, there is less need to pound.
> 
> John Formsma
> Blue Mountain, MS
> 
> 
> 

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