speed tuning

[Jim]

Hi Eliot:

The best way to develop speed is to lots of quick and dirty pitch
raises. This develops your speed of reflex in hearing and moving.
Don't worry about the accuracy at first.  You'll fix that on the
fine tuning.  Use a strip thoughout the piano, set the scale and
then speed tune the unisons by ear. You'll be amazed at how much
your speed picks up.  You should be able to do the pitch raise in
20 minutes. Don't fuss around with it, you have to do it over
again anyway.  On fine tuning, be very fussy.  I made it a point
to tune every piano twice several years ago, just for the practice
of speed. On pitch raising, I seldom hit the same key more than
twice.  Think of getting the pin turned to the proper place in the
pinblock, You'll trim it up later.  Set your spinner speed to 4
for less jumping around of the tuning display. The more sensitive
jumping of the spinner just slows you down. For pitch raising you
don't need the accuracy. Your machine will keep you in a good
tight ballpark area so that you can then do a careful fine tuning.

Many new technicians in striving for good solid tunings, tune very
carefully, then bang the key sharply to see if it is going to
stay. That is backwards in my humble opinion. Why not bang it in
tune and then leave it? The other methods makes you go over
and over and over the same process. Kinda dumb don't you think?

Steve Fairchild set the world record for a finished tuning in a
little over 7 minutes.  He trained for this for several years
every night when he came home he did a half step pitch lowering
and then a half step pitch raising before dinner.  He worked out
at the Gymnasium often to stay in good shape.  He used a
temperament strip and a special weighted tuning hammer of his own
design.  Incidentally he very well may become the first one to do
the world's most perfect tuning using his Aural Tuning Emulator.

The hammer angle should be whatever is comfortable to you. Just
keep in mind that in fine tuning the pin needs to be set solidly
in the cradle of the tuning pin hole and the string must be wee
equalized in its various lengths. I believe Stev used about a 2:00
O'clock angle.

Jim Coleman, Sr.

On Wed, 12 Feb 1997, Eliot Lee wrote:

> Dear List,
>
>         Do you know of any techniques to develop speed tuning?
>
>         I have read Steve Fairchild  gives a course in tuning and since he
> was the world record holder, maybe some of you know his technique.
>
>         Does he use a temperament strip or just mutes.
>
>         Does he use an SAT or fork?
>
>         I am plagued with slow tuning, going over and over a note probably
> making it worse, banging it, so that it will hold.
>
>         I have yet to master that art.  Does Steve have email?
>
>         What is the best angle of holding the hammer, are there torque
> advantages of being right or left handed?
>
>         Some people press the hammer so they can feel notch tuning.  I've
> been there done that but still would like to improve my technique and
> speed.
>
>         What is the best way to Pitch Raise?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Eliot
>
> G. Eliot Lee
> Phoenix, AZ
> elee@amug.org
> (602) 957-1711
> "You are never alone or helpless, the force that guides the stars guides
> you too."  - P.R. Sarkar
>
>
>
>
>