Tuning techniques

antares@euronet.nl antares@euronet.nl
Sun, 26 Jan 2003 15:34:00 +0100


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On zaterdag, jan 25, 2003, at 21:17 Europe/Amsterdam, Bigeartb@aol.com=20=

wrote:

> Antares:
> =A0=A0=A0=A0 Please elaborate on the 'Yamaha Method' of tuning. I =
would=20
> appreciate it
>
> Tommy Black
> Decatur, Ala.
>
>
At the Yamaha academy the teachers will teach the students to really=20
turn the lever up to a point.
This happens with controlled force.
When one tunes an upright, the elbow will be placed on top of the piano=20=

and this gives a firm and stable basis to apply force. It also includes=20=

standing in an upright position.
I myself do not use this elbow method, nor do I use the Yamaha method=20
for grands.
I have learned to focus to tune in minuscule steps, to really turn the=20=

pin and thereby set it.
I notice for instance instability when a former tuner was/is insecure=20
in his method. The tuning pin will not be steadfast in regard to the=20
string parts and vice versa.
As I stated before, I bang, but I forgot to say that I bang like a=20
karate chop and not with just one finger which indeed will be damaged=20
after a number of years. It has already happened to me, including=20
various other parts of my arm, back and shoulders.
Tuning always needs a certain force to make sure that the tension in=20
various string parts equalizes, but that we knew.
The difficulty lies in finding a balance between banging and tuning pin=20=

technique as Ed Foot pointed out.
In the end, all depends on the tunability of the instrument. When the=20
pins are incredibly tight like with Samicks and new Bechsteins (I mean,=20=

basically these instruments are un-tunable and I have told them already=20=

a number of times but they don't seem to care) we must use the Yamaha=20
technique, which means a controlled applying of force, and then a lot=20
of that. Steinways are another matter and everybody has to find its own=20=

happy way.
Every piano asks for a different tuning pin approach, depending on age,=20=

wear and tear and the way the factory built them. Bechstein and Samicks=20=

are awful tuning instruments, Yamaha's and Schimmels a piece of cake,=20
Petrofs and the like are in the middle...sometime a little like this,=20
sometimes a little like that and so on.
However, if you work for a major concert hall and you still don't know=20=

about this, you'll be out on the streets sooner than later, generally=20
speaking, so we really are forced to come out and prove ourselves at=20
that moment.
Nobody's technique is better or worse, the concert hall will test every=20=

tuner to his/her limits.


friendly greetings from

Antares,
The netherlands

Where Music is no harm can be.......

see my website at : www.concertpianoservice.nl

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