Harpsichord "dabbling"

[Anne Acker]

>>>>>From:		Richard Brekne <ricb at pianostemmer.no>  [ Save Address ]
Reply-to:		Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
To:		pianotech at ptg.org
Subject:		Harpsichord Tuning Info.
Date:		Thu, 18 Oct 2007 23:42:39 +0100

I'm curious.

How many of you who dabble a bit in Harpsichord / Cembalo work do any 
voicing or regulation work  on them ?

RicB
>>>>>>>

Dear Ric,

How would you like the idea of harpsichord builders "dabbling" in piano work?  Harpsichord voicing and regulation are earned skills, just as hammer voicing or piano regulation are.  I'm hoping that "dabbling" was a playful and not serious choice of words there.  Perhaps the plumber would like to dabble at piano tuning while he's in the house anyway with wrenches?

Some of us are seriously employed at both, but I only know of a handful of people who are truly skilled in both fields.   I'm hoping that any pianotechs who work on harpsichords will have the sense to get help, and even better, recommend or sub-contract to an expert.    Tuning is not complicated, but voicing and regulation require study and experience. On top of that, there is a huge breadth of harpsichord types out there, so there is a an equally broad breadth of experience required to do quality work.  

As for Tuner's Supply wire, it's probably plenty rusty by now, and is only useful on harpsichords that originally used that nasty stuff and are scaled too long for something decent.  It is critical to match wire types in harpsichords or that note will stand right out.

AA