Impact Tuning Lever

John Ross jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca
Sat, 19 Mar 2005 18:38:03 -0400


I have heard that in the 'old' days, the teachers would not let lefties 
write with their left hand. They would force them, to write with their 
right.
I have spoken to guys that said it happened to them.
One had gone to a Convent school, and said the Nuns smacked your hand with a 
ruler, if you were caught writing left-handed.
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Avery Todd" <avery1@houston.rr.com>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 6:30 PM
Subject: Re: Impact Tuning Lever


> Well, William,
>
> I guess that means that you can write as well with your left hand as you 
> can
> with your right. Assuming that you're right handed, of course. I'm so glad 
> you
> can. I can't!
>
> Avery
>
> At 03:32 PM 3/19/05, you wrote:
>>Alan,
>>
>>I do think ambidextrous tuning is a good practice, for many reasons.  That
>>said, however, I must respectfully say that I think all any technician 
>>needs
>>is properly developed technique.  Tuning right or left handed should make 
>>no
>>difference so long as the technician compensates for the physics of the
>>hammer position, movement, etc.
>>
>>Sometimes, this is a conscious process; e.g. while tuning right handed on 
>>a
>>vertical, we understand that pulling the pin down a bit will result in a
>>(relatively) higher pitch when released - all other things being equal - 
>>so
>>we compensate by not pulling above pitch as much prior to setting.  This 
>>is
>>a bit oversimplified, but I think you get the idea.  I would expect that
>>mostly it is subconscious.  Whichever hand anyone uses to tune is
>>irrelevant.  It is my position that knowing how the piano responds to your
>>particular tuning technique IS relevant and is what makes for a good 
>>tuning.
>>An ambidextrous technician should be equally capable of tuning grands or
>>uprights with either hand, in my opinion.
>>
>>William R. Monroe
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Alan Forsyth" <alanforsyth@fortune4.fsnet.co.uk>
>>To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
>>Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 1:35 PM
>>Subject: Re: Impact Tuning Lever
>>
>>
>>" I also like your idea of using pitch raises to get used to left-handed
>>work. I don't really have the time to try and fine-tune with my left just
>>yet.
>>Good news!
>>-holly" >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>
>>
>>Don't know about you guys but we were taught to be ambidextrous from day
>>one. Left handed for uprights and right handed for grands. The main idea 
>>is
>>that it automatically compensates for tuning pin setting. When using your
>>left arm to tune an upright, the pin would tend to move upwards (because 
>>you
>>would be pushing up from underneath) and then settle back down. If you 
>>used
>>your right arm, you would tend to pull down on the pin. Visa versa with
>>grands.
>>
>>AF
>>   ----- Original Message -----
>>   From: ilex cameron ross
>>   To: Pianotech
>>   Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 2:44 PM
>>   Subject: RE: Impact Tuning Lever
>>
>>
>>   Thanks for sharing, Terry - this is really good to hear. I'm only in my
>>early 30s and due to a combination of tuning and a really really stupid 
>>fall
>>a couple of years ago, I have pretty consistent problems with my tuning
>>wrist. Not to mention the weekly chiro visits for just general back and
>>shoulder crap. Anymore I absolutely have to wear a wrist brace when 
>>tuning,
>>and I have been pondering the investment of an impact lever. I also like
>>your idea of using pitch raises to get used to left-handed work. I don't
>>really have the time to try and fine-tune with my left just yet.
>>   Good news!
>>   -holly
>>     -----Original Message-----
>>     From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]On
>>Behalf Of Terry
>>     Sent: Saturday, March 19, 2005 5:54 AM
>>     To: pianotech@ptg.org
>>     Subject: Impact Tuning Lever
>>
>>
>>     A while ago I posted questions regarding purchase of an impact tuning
>>lever. I've been using it for a few months now and just thought I would
>>report in.
>>
>>     For a couple years now I have been rastling with some kind of
>>torn/strained muscle/tendon in my shoulder (thanks to a Boston studio & a
>>1098 on the same day) and tendonitis in the elbow - both in my tuning arm.
>>It had gotten to the point where I had walked away from several service
>>appointments because I knew tuning that piano would put me out of work for
>>some weeks.
>>
>>     I've been using the impact lever for pitch raises on all vertical 
>> pianos
>>unless they have very low-torque tuning pins. I use my trusty 
>>Renner/Bowman
>>lever for tuning verticals and everything on grands. I pitch-raised 
>>Kimball
>>and Baldwin consoles yesterday - both were raised more than 100 cents - 
>>they
>>both got two pitch-raise passes and then a tuning pass. Both these pianos
>>had excessively tight tuning pins - easily around 200+ in-lbs. I used the
>>impact lever for these four pitch-raise passes and I have no arm pain 
>>today
>>at all. The impact lever seems to have saved me!
>>
>>     I impact the bass with my left hand and the rest of the scale with my
>>right - I'm trying to train myself to become ambidextrous with the impact
>>lever - again, in case I wreck an arm at some point I could keep tuning. I
>>can see that it will take quite a bit of practice to become good at fine
>>tuning with the impact lever, but I think using it for all vertical pitch
>>raises will eventually get me to the point where I can start attempting
>>using the impact lever for fine tuning - I would like to get to the point
>>where I can use it for all vertical tuning.
>>
>>     Bottom line: the impact lever has saved my arm, avoided interruptions 
>> in
>>income, and will likely extend my tuning career (unless soundboard
>>manufacturing can save me from the spinet devils!). I am very happy I have
>>started using this great tool!
>>
>>     Terry Farrell
>>
>>
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>
>
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