This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/mixed attachment ------=_NextPart_84815C5ABAF209EF376268C8 Some thoughts. If pins don't hold, Stop. You cannot tune that piano unless and until you deal with that problem. As to muting strings, I strongly recommend that you order a Treble Mute (Schaff p33 item 204). It is misnamed: You can use it on all trichord unisons. Place it as shown in the attached photo and tune the center string. Then move it one unison to the right and tune the left string of the unison you just worked on and the center string of the new one. Then shift it again, tune the right string of the first unison, the left string of the second, and the center of the newest one. Etcetera. Works like a charm in many situations. I like to use it in all uprights for the trebles that still have dampers, for example, because I don't like stripping behind dampers. If you are tuning aurally (the hard road to making money but a great road to really learn tuning--if you persevere) then you can use the mute instead of stripping and tune the whole unison of each note as you go. This will FORCE you to develop good hammer technique, good unison tuning, and an accurate ear for intervals. You should be able to strip mute all or most of that spinet but you will have to place the strip then carefully slide it down on the strings until it is well below the strike point. If the block is weak, as you seem to have found, it is likely that the instrument is rather old or ill-used and the dull thuddiness of the bass strings is due to dirt, corrosion, and general aging. You can try tuning each bass single or bichord unison, one at a time, down until it is pretty floppy than wanging HARD on the key to break up the crud. Then carefully bring them back to pitch Sometimes it does no discernible good, but sometimes it makes a dramatic difference. Some old spinets (a P.A. Stark I knew all-too-well comes to mind) will sound pukey no matter how well tuned it is. BUT at this stage, you shouldn't just assume that an instrument you are facing is one of those. You must work hard and long to make it sound the best it can. Set a temperament that has three things for sure: Clean octaves, almost-pure but narrow fifths with acceptable fourths, and evenly progressing major thirds. Then, going down, you should tune by octaves--gradually changing from 4:2 to 6:3 by C3 or so--but tweak those octaves based on the same criteria as the temperament. In other words, extend the temperament across the bass/tenor break. Going up out of the temperament, clean octaves, clean (almost pure) fifths, and evenly progressing 3rds (or tenths, seventeenths, etc.) still rule but your octaves should begin to narrow slightly in the fifth octave, tending toward slightly stretched 2:1 octaves and nearly pure 4:1 double octaves. You must learn the M10-M17 and M3-M17 tests. Also, you can usually hear the 4:1 by holding down the lower note, say D4, without sounding it, then strike and hold the double octave, D6 in this case, and listen for any beats in the ghost. In a similar vain: As a new tuner you must not quickly assume that every hard-to-tune unison is a result of false beats (wild strings). Almost any unison can be made acceptable, if not good, with careful tweaking and solid pin/string settling. In other words, don't give up too easily here, either. All this makes early tuning a laborious, time-consuming, and sometimes frustrating experience. But if you will read articles and books and list-posts on what you are doing, and concentrate, study, and THINK about what you are feeling and hearing, you will learn and will be a better tuner--and ultimately faster and better able to handle the ugliest pianos--than the guy who starts out just getting by and never really gets past that stage. Join PTG, attend meetings, go to conferences and conventions. Alan Barnard Salem, Missouri ----- Original Message ----- From: Anson Kao To: pianotech@ptg.org Sent: 02/23/2006 11:46:43 AM Subject: Spinet Hello everyone; I am just starting out with tuning. I did my first Spinet last night and it was terrible! I see why they say expensive grands are easier to tune. The bass was in drastic condition and some of the strings had a dull sound that I couldn't identify. Some of the notes couldn't hold the tuning, once I tuned it the pin would just slip back on its own. Another problem I had was I couldn't figure out how to mute the outside strings for the treble--there was no space for a temperament strip and I couldn't figure out a good way to do it. Thankfully it was just a friend's piano I was doing as a favour, and I got away with a rough tuning. Anyhow, for any of you who have dealt with these problems before, any advice? Thanks Anson ------=_NextPart_84815C5ABAF209EF376268C8 An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/b3/a8/b2/cb/attachment.htm ------=_NextPart_84815C5ABAF209EF376268C8-- ---------------------- multipart/mixed attachment A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Split Mute.JPG Type: image/jpeg Size: 29665 bytes Desc: Split Mute.JPG Url : https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/65/ca/94/71/SplitMute.JPG ---------------------- multipart/mixed attachment--
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