The Art & Science, was RE: Setting tuning pins

[John Formsma]

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Alan,

 

You should feel the pin move, then work with the lever to remove any "twist"
in the pin. You get the feel of things pretty soon. On some Steinways, just
flexing the pin a little will make a big pitch change. But, that change
won't be permanent unless the pin moves in the block. This always works well
for me. But, there may be other methods that work equally well. It's easy
enough to check with an ETD (which I've done many times - just to be sure -
'cause it can be rather tricky).

 

John Formsma

 

P.S. (Buffalo is tastier than cow.)

 

 

  _____  

From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Alan Barnard
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 9:56 PM
To: Pianotech
Subject: Re: The Art & Science, was RE: Setting tuning pins

 

Horace (didn't he send everyone west?) was kind enough to send this only to
me, thinking to spare my feelings. But, heck, WHAT feelings? <G> More to the
point, let's get some comment on it; else how shall we learn ...

 

It does seem to be stable for me and I have assumed it is because I whack
the note good so it settles while I'm there, not after I leave. I always run
through and clean up/double check unisons as a last step anyway, maybe that
helps.

 

Other voices, please.

 

Alan Barnard

Salem, Missouri

 

P.S. Besides, there has been far too little controversy on the list lately.
It can get kind of stale after awhile ... cows taste good! ...reverse crown
is okay! ...CA doesn't work! ...false beats are caused by aliens! ...APSCO
people were nicer than Schaff people!  EBT tuning is best!        See? Now,
THIS is fun, wheeee ...

 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Horace <mailto:hgreeley@stanford.edu>  Greeley 

To: Alan Barnard <mailto:tune4u@earthlink.net> 

Sent: 12/19/2005 7:24:43 PM 

Subject: Re: The Art & Science, was RE: Setting tuning pins

 


Hi, Alan,

I won't post on the list on this, but do feel the need to point out that
this style of tuning is inherently unstable, leaving the various lengths of
the string at varying tensions.  It is very reminiscent of how I originally
learned to tune in the 60's; and, while it certainly made me a good deal of
money with home/end user work, I had to very quickly abandon it when I
started doing concert and studio work.  In these latter settings, I really
don't care what people say publicly...the strings really do have to have the
tension as equalized as possible, or some "artist" or other will bang things
right out of tune...often in the opening chords of a recital.  The old
buzz-phrase was to "set the pin" as the original thread title notes...that
shorthand really cannot be accomplished (on an S&S anyway), without taking
the string above pitch and then working it back down.

I know that this is a minority view, n! ow days...I have tuned for over 40
years now, spending most of those years tuning more Steinways than I
presently care to remember.  Ultimately, all the ones that I have seen that
have been tuned as you describe have been problematic until the basic tuning
is straightened out.  If it is working for you and for your clientele, then
I doff my hat...that is quite an achievement!

Very best regards.

Horace

At 05:03 PM 12/19/2005, you wrote:



To use the slow pull on the S&S--especially if the pin is jumpy--it seems to
work well to first lower pitch a few cents then gently, slowly, steadily
(while whacking) raise it to slightly, I say again, slightly over pitch.
Then just let it settle (while whacking) without pushing the pin back, i.e.,
without using the hammer to "set" the pin.
 
If your first pull is not high enough or, especially, if you pulled too high
and end up sharp, then you need to push down a few cents and start over. You
get pretty good at hitting it on the mark, after a bit.
 
Have fun.
 
Alan Barnard
Salem, MO


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