Tuning stability

[Richard Brekne]

Jeff...

There are basically two kinds of false beats. The kind that are fairly 
precisely defined soundwise, resembling greatly clean beating between 
two slightly out of tune unisons, and the dirty noisely kind of 
falsness.  Its been my experience that the former can be very 
successfully delt with nearly 100 % of the time by tightening the fit of 
the bridge pin to the bridge pin hole. Either by replacing pins, 
applying CA glue, removing pins and filling with epoxy and replacing 
pins, or other such method. The later kind of falsness is nearly always 
due to some kind of termination problem like worn capo bar or aggraffes, 
nicks in the bridge pins, bad string contact with the bridge, or 
sometimes the string itself is just plain dirty sounding. 

Tapping down the bridge pins can only help the later of these two, and 
only in the case of poor contact between the string and bridge, or to a 
lesser degree tapping can sometimes help get around a nicked bridge 
pin.  Tapping may end up being a pretty temporary condition if there is 
marginal or negative bearing. Ron Nossaman has a lot to say on that 
point.  And, as most of us have discussed from time to time... tapping 
in any case can easily worsen a problem if its not done very very 
carefully.

If restringing is an option, then you have the possibility to clean up 
the sound quite a bit by addressing several issues while the strings are 
off.  First, new strings generally improve the sound by themselves. 
Secondly you can use the opportunity to clean up the capo bar 
termination. For Steinways I urge you to check with Ed McMorrows 
proceedures for this. He stipulates a clearly define "V" profile with a 
0.5 mm wide leading edge. I've used this for years and had great results 
that last a long time.  Thirdly, you can address a few bridge related 
issues.  New bridge pins in the case of rust / corrosion / bad nicks 
from string wear, cleaning up the notching in the case that is needed, 
and dealing with loose... even very slightly loose bridge pins.  You can 
get even get into down-bearing  to some limited degree if you know what 
you are doing and if its appropriate.

I see restringing jobs done a lot where absolutely nothing is done 
outside of replacing strings and tuning pins. Always struck me as a sad 
waste of time.  Why go to all that trouble and not bother cleaning up 
termination problems ?

Cheers
RicB




Jeff Stickney wrote:

> List, 
>      Thanks to all who have replied with ideas.  The piano has lived 
> in this same space for the whole time, so changes in environment is 
> not an issue.  However, the RH does get down to the high teens in the 
> winter - as low as 17%.  I suspect this may be part of the problem 
> with bridge pins and false beats.  I have tapped both strings to 
> bridge and the bridge pins themselves to no avail.  The piano has a 
> lot of extraneous noise - both in the action (teflon bushings that 
> were pinned with size 24 pins *before* I got the job 12 years ago) and 
> noise related to front duplex/capo/agraffe buzzing and zinging.  Other 
> than a few notes around the B4-Eb5 area that have been chronically 
> hard to tune/stabilize, the instability seems to move around.   
>       I hesitate to do the "quick and easy" things - e.g. super glue 
> in the bridge pins - thinking I would hold out for the money to do a 
> more complete job.  In the mean time, it's starting to make me look 
> bad.  I was ready and able to walk away from the contract, but instead 
> have proposed a half-time position.  The Dept. chair is all for it, 
> but the reality of funding the position doesn't look too hopeful.  The 
> condition of this piano is indicative of the general state of 
> affairs.     
>     In the short term, I will need to make some decisions about doing 
> some of the quick fixes, maybe even restring just the mid-range to the 
> top.  If the restringing solves some of the problems that are 
> generating complaints, they may begin to understand the necessity of 
> piano maintenance - and that I am not making excuses for myself but 
> rather trying to deal with inadequately maintained pianos.   
>       When you mention using protek on the bearing points of felt, are 
> you referring to CPL, or Prolube?  I think CPL is what would be 
> preferred, but I thought I would double check.  Thanks again for your 
> ideas and questions. 
>  
> Jeff Stickney, RPT
> University of Montana
> jpstickney@montanadsl.net
>