too much "pounding!"

[Doug Mahard]

Hi Terry,

I recently started having arm pain from years of pounding the keys with my
fingers.  I switched to a key pounder and away went the pain after two weeks
and several chiro. visits.

Mine is a 4" long 1 1/4" diameter solid brass rod with the tail of a bass
hammer epoxied into one end.  I'm striking the keys with the hammer.  I have
bicycle handle bar tape wrapped around it for comfort and control.
Basically I let the weight of the pounder fall on the key.  My grip on the
pounder is very light

Mitch Keil posted his description of his pounder awhile back.  That is were
I got the idea.

Pain free.

Doug Mahard

----- Original Message -----
From: Charly Tuner <charly_tuner@hotmail.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 28, 2000 7:12 PM
Subject: too much "pounding!"


> Hi all,
>
> Any suggestions as to how to lessen the stress on our "pounding" fingers?
I
> use my left index & thumb for loud striking, and I am losing the feeling
in
> the tips as they are becoming continually numb!
> Also, just how HARD should we have to strike, and how many strikes are
> generally needed? And I am referring basically to those pianos where there
> is no serious rendering problems. There is a Steinway tech on the floor
> where I work, who came over and demonstrated how a perfect unison will not
> stand unless you BANG the key HARD, many times, almost to the point of
> breaking the hammer shank! What's up with that? Is that what we want to
do?
> I strike pretty sharply on average a couple or more times, and then move
on
> once the unison stays put. An expertly & beautifully tuned piano, ANY
piano,
> will go out/flat by continuous playing, especially forte playing, alomg
with
> other factors of course.
>
> So, once we get our unisons perfect, after normal striking and pin
setting,
> why the heck would you want to continue to POUND,POUND,POUND, AS HARD AS
YOU
> CAN, when you will just throw it out again? Doesn't make sense to me.
> Afterall, humidity changes and other climatic and structural factors will
> probably make the piano go out of tune first; NOT the fact that you
nearly
> BROKE the hammer shanks in an effort to make it stand in tune longer. Just
> my thoughts...what are yours?
>
>
> Terry
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