leftie vs. rightie

[David ilvedson]

> From:          "Rob Stuart-Vail" <rob_sv@email.msn.com>
> To:            <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Subject:       Re: leftie vs. rightie
> Date:          Mon, 1 Dec 1997 12:07:57 -0500
> Reply-to:      pianotech@ptg.org


I believe you have to tune a few notes with the opposite hand 
every tuning to start to develop the technique.  I have to admit 
that I haven't got there yet...

David ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA


> Hi Tom.,
> 
> >> Except I know one person who tunes right-handed until he gets up
> somewhere in the top octave here interference with the rim and lid stick
> causes him to change to tuning left-handed. <<
> 
> There are a lot of us out there.  Sure, we have to use thumb and fingers to
> 'walk' along the plate struts and pin web or whatever, but it sure beats
> trying to hold the hammer as if one were tuning a vertical or standing off
> to the side of the instrument for the top octave.
> 
> >>  I thought I'd try this once, thinking that I'm >somewhat ambidexterous.
> It would be a neat way to tune when the right side of a piano is against a
> wall, I thought. But, no way, it was like starting over. I just didn't have
> near enough control to achieve even a reasonable tuning. And control is what
> you need on those short strings! <<
> 
> Tried it once and didn't like it?  Try again!  There's a very well-known
> member of the PTG who told me he also tunes this way - I won't drop his name
> here, but you'd be amazed!
> 
> Rob Stuart-Vail
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tom Cole <tcole@cruzio.com>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: Saturday, November 29, 1997 2:48 AM
> Subject: Re: leftie vs. rightie
> 
> 
> >Owen J Greyling, RPT wrote:
> >>
> >> DOES WORKING WITH THE
> >> RIGHT HAND ON THE TUNING HAMMER DEMAND THAT THERE MUST ALWAYS BE MORE
> >> FLAGPOLLING OF THE PIN IN A GRAND PIANO THEN WORKING WITH THE LEFT HAND
> ON A
> >> VERTICAL PIANO?
> >
> >Owen,
> >
> >Tuning a grand piano right-handed does seem to be the dominant method,
> >not ever having witnessed a leftie approach. Except I know one person
> >who tunes right-handed until he gets up somewhere in the top octave
> >where interference with the rim and lid stick causes him to change to
> >tuning left-handed. I thought I'd try this once, thinking that I'm
> >somewhat ambidexterous. It would be a neat way to tune when the right
> >side of a piano is against a wall, I thought. But, no way, it was like
> >starting over. I just didn't have near enough control to achieve even a
> >reasonable tuning. And control is what you need on those short strings!
> >
> >I tune grand pianos with a long tip because I end up changing to one in
> >the top octave. With the tuning hammer pointing at approx 1:00, I can
> >minimize the flagpolling if I want (side-to-side flagpolling I don't
> >consider a significant factor in tuning or stability). I've also tuned
> >with a long tip and the hammer pointing at 2:00 or 3:00 with good
> >results (more overshoot and undershoot to achieve stability, though, and
> >therefore a problem where strings are brittle). This latter position is
> >a technique I use more for pitch raises than concert tunings but it's a
> >little easier on the anatomy. I can sit facing the keyboard whereas,
> >with the hammer pointing toward the tail, I need to face toward the bass
> >end to minimize strain.
> >
> >So, I wouldn't worry about your technique. If the method you use gets
> >the job done well and doesn't cause back problems or repetitive stress
> >injuries, that's the right (or left) method. If I had my druthers, I
> >would tune both ways on any given piano so that stresses would be
> >somewhat equalized. Whenever I have my body worked on, people notice
> >that I'm more tense on one side than the other - more tense on the
> >_left_ side.
> >
> >Also, I wouldn't worry about flagpolling so much. Beginners are told to
> >not do it, that they should only _turn_ the pin. But, in fact, we can't
> >help but bend it. It is important, however, to feel the differences
> >between, and experiment with, pin bending, turning and twisting when in
> >the process of setting the pin. All three factors can play a part in a
> >stable tuning.
> >
> >Tom
> >--
> >Thomas A. Cole RPT
> >Santa Cruz, CA
> >
> >
> >
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>