<<the strings were very close to the plate, it was nearly impossible to get a strip to stay between the strings. Suggestions?>> Idea #1 - I know of one fellow who carries 1/4" latex surgical tubing to use as a strip mute. It works rather well in limited space areas, like above the dampers below the hammers in an upright Idea #2 - I also carry an assortment of different thickness and density strips, like strips of hammer but felt, but occasionally struggle to find a good one that works. Idea #3 - There used to be a rubber strip mute, they called it a temperament mute, looked like 12 mutes on a strip, lined up, attached by the base of the thick end to a strip of rubber. (Actually the whole thing was molded that way.) It did work, but it worked better when the thin end of the wedges were struck between the strings of a unison, not between unisons. Idea #4 - There was also another type of rubber strip mute that old timers made with thick inner tube rubber. ---- Take a strip of 5/8" to 3/4" wide rubber, perhaps 1/8" thick, and hold it against the strings. Mark a dot with a pencil where the center string hits the edge. Then remove and cut 1/4" to 3/8" equilateral triangles of rubber out of the strip at every point marked withthe pencil, with just the point of the triangle where the dot was. This leaves a strip of rubber with a bunch of triangles cut from it (with an exacto knife) with each trianglar hole having just one point touching the edge at unison spacing. Then reinstall the rubber strip, putting the trapezoids of rubber (between the triangular holes) between the unisons. It is quite effective, and as long as you like. A strip will fit most pianos, unless the unison spacing is very wide, and then you could make one for that type. If you are having trouble envisioning this type, give me a fax number and I will draw one and fax you a picture. Idea #5 - Actually, what is wrong with 15 rubber mutes? - I carry 10 or 12 rubber mutes, most without handles, so that I can strip mute an grand piano and mute the end unison in each section without moving mutes around. Just use those over the temperament octave and then some. IMHO - Two rubber mutes just cannot cut it. I have always felt that the people who use this technique either tune perfectly, or that they just do not do the numerous cross checks that a strip muting tuner does. I find that I must check and change things all over the place until I am satisfied with the result. I would love to be able to tune every string only once. Bill Simon Phoenix
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