Test blows

[Kristinn Leifsson]

Hi Clyde

You know, test blows don´t necessarily have to be hard on your body.

If you stand while tuning, for example in the treble, you can get quite a 
good blow just with the momentum of the arm.  Use the 2nd, 3rd and 4th 
fingers on the notes to lessen the impact on them and keep the shoulder and 
wrist relaxed.
Don´t lift the shoulder or anything, just give the arm the ol' hinge movement.

I sometimes realize that my muscles are straining in mid tuning and this 
helps, but then again, I´m young and healthy! :)

Kristinn





At 07:01 20.6.2000 -0400, you wrote:
>Friends,
>
>Taking this conversation in a slightly different direction, I have noticed 
>that
>we seem to have two schools of thought when it comes to test blows -- 
>those who
>believe hard test blows are a necessary part of tuning and those who do not.
>
>I believe that in addition to our concern for stable tunings should be a 
>concern
>for our own health.  Which is better, to use heavy test blows and have
>hand-arm-shoulder problems in a short time, or to go lighter and preserve the
>length of time you can provide piano tuning to your clients?
>
>I rarely use heavy test blows because my tunings are stable without them.  I
>believe good hammer technique is a more important part of the equation, 
>although,
>not having done research as such, I may be wrong.  It has happened 
>before!  :-)
>
>Clyde