Muting Techniques

[Roger C Hayden]

Hi Dan,

I strip mute the whole piano, leaving one string singing under each key. 
One strip on the center section triple unisons, between every unison, one
strip in the upper treble, generally I can slide the strip felts behind
the upper treble dampers, (yes, I've wounded a couple damper felts over
the years, not many.)  A third strip on the doubles starting in the mid
section and into the bass doubles.  I use a rubber mute at the treble
break.

Tune all the single strings.  Test a little.  (How sweet it is!!)

Pull out the bass, tune whole step - straight line pins down,  and the
other set on the way back up

Test the bass harmonies.

Pull out the treble felts, and poke them back in, this time every other
unison.  Slide the upper trebles under the dampers.  Then its tuning
straight line pins in whole steps to the top.  Back to the tenor, and
straight line pins on the lower set of pins.   

Test a little, especially double octaves.  

Pull out the felts and finish the last sets of pins, again straight line
up.  Back to tenor and straight line up the other set.

(I tried turning around and coming down, but it wasn't faster.)

You will need to use the rubber mute a little more on uprights.  And some
bass pin patterns will blow your mind until you catch on to their
pattern, and where the singing strings are to be found.

This works for me.  Other folks I have taught have their own variations. 
Or have abandoned it for other pastures.

Hope it's a help.

Roger Hayden, RPT

On Mon, 2 Oct 2000 08:50:41 -0400 "Dan Hallett Jr." <dhalle@toolcity.net>
writes:
> Roger:
> 
> Interesting. And what might your muting techniques be for consoles?
> 
> Dan Hallett
> 
> Roger C Hayden <rchayden2@juno.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 10:50 AM
> Subject: Re: Aural? (self-starters) muting techniques, etc.
> 
> 
> Muting techniques.
> 
> Early in my career I got a job at a college doing a rank of similar 
> pianos
> in similar rooms of similar age with similar problems on similar 
> days.   For
> Grands I use four felt strip mutes.
> 

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