Schaff Tuning Levers - slap tuning

[Susan Kline]

At 10:15 PM 11/6/2003 +0100, you wrote:
>What I've find when getting used to the slap, is that I often dose
>right so one is enough, for all the medium part of the piano (I avoid
>it in the bass).


Hello, Isaac

I seldom do just one slap, unless the note is very close. What I
do is a series of small slaps, so the note jumps up in small amounts
each time. Once the note is moving in a series of uniform and rhythmical
steps, all I need to do is to stop when it arrives. This is for
pianos which need a pitch raise, so there is some distance to
come. Of course, I make the blows heavier if it has a long
way to go, and I ease up on the force as it arrives.

I usually work the pins a little on the second pass, and don't
slap as much, unless the pins are very tight or jumpy.

You and Phil talked about using the left hand, with the hammer
at 10 o'clock. I can't quite picture this. You'd be hitting it
upwards and toward the block? It seems to me that hitting
downwards is easier. Of course, sometimes I find myself
having to hit from left to right, with my right hand.
That's not very convenient.

I'm not sure that I see the difference between "push" and
"pull" when it comes to slapping.

Best,

Susan