Pounders... why?

[Michael Jorgensen]

List,
     I use a fast double strike, about 1/8 second apart.  I stand using one
motion of the arm and the three middle fingers creating a  bounced second blow
which is faster than the first.  The word pounding implies abuse, so I prefer the
word fast or high speed and I avoid bottoming out the key with my fingers to save
my joints.    I've experimented by making little socks to wear on finger tips and
reduce cracking or callouses of my skin.  University work has made it easy to try
various techniques and see how gracefully each tuning ages and find what provides
the most gain for the least stress.  IMHO the fast test blows insure more stable
unisons, and I could not feel secure without them except in very light use
situations.   Furthermore, if anything is  amiss, i.e. cheating jack, dragging
hammer tail, half broken part etc.-- I find it before anyone else.  However, Too
much of a good thing can be bad. No one should ever use fast blows where there
are brass flanges, actions with questionable parts, highly flared keys etc.
-Mike Jorgensen

BDeTar@AOL.COM wrote:

> List,
>
> With all this talk about "pounders," I'm wondering where the rationale of
> "pounding" comes from.  After almost 25 years of using a quick "double
> strike," that is, the first time the note is struck sharply, then 1/2 a
> second or so after, the note is played softer and held so as to hear the note
> to tune.  I have never pounded the notes to achieve stability.  In fact, if
> the notes are pounded too hard, you actually CREATE instability in the string.
>
> Rather, let's have a discussion of hammer technique combined with "judicious"
> test blows and retained, controlled, tuning pin torque, which have dramatic
> effects on tuning stability or lack thereof.
>
> For example, let's suppose you are going to tune for, let's say, Paul Smith
> at, say, the National PTG Convention which was held in Portland, Oregon.  And
> let's say that the piano was moved on its own casters from one building to
> the next, in the sun about 2 hours before the PTG banquet starts.  Now, I
> guarantee you Mr. Smith is, shall we say "exuberant" when he plays.  Here's
> the question:
> Which has more effect on maintaining tuning stability: Hammer technique;
> residual, controlled pin torque, or string rendering?  Further, what effect
> do you think "pounding" would have on this tuning?
>
> I'll spare you the details of what I did to encourage discussion!
>
> Brian De Tar, RPT
> Positively DeFined
> BDeTar@aol.com
>                                 NO OBSTACLES... ONLY OPPORTUNITIES!
> -
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