Flag-poling: a way of life, or...?

[Richard Moody]

I wonder how many of you on the list manipulate the pin vertically (on a
| vertical piano, that is...).


Manipulate the pin every way you can but listen to what happens for each
manipulation.  There is at least 170 pounds pulling down on the pin after
you release it.  The idea is to leave the pin in a position so that it
won't be moved by such a tension especially when it is excited by a FFFFF
from a performer trying to "project" in a large auditorium over a large
orchestra.   This requires practice and results in your own particular way
of "setting the pin".
The way I learned and then was glad to see it in Reblitz and Braid White is
to "draw (which I took to mean actually turning the pin) it above pitch
then manipulate the pin down". (vertically)   I think after that, you find
that  you go under and over once or twice (very little and quickly) and
leave the pin so that the 170 lb tension actually pulls the pin to its
position and  the string then is then magically in tune.  If this sounds
like guess work, it is, and I think represents advanced experience if you
find you are getting it right with increasing frequency.  If after this you
can then bang the string out of tune I would suggest the terminations have
too much friction or you have altered the pitch so much that the bends of
the wire need to "settle"----or you may still need to refine your
techinque.   How can you tell?  Work as much as you can with other
tuners. ---ric


----- Original Message -----
From: <Tvak@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2001 9:19 AM
Subject: Flag-poling: a way of life, or...?


| I wonder how many of you on the list manipulate the pin vertically (on a
| vertical piano, that is...).