too much "pounding!"

[Jon Page]

My approach is that if you pound so hard as to cause distortion in the sound
you are hitting too hard.  Save your ears  !!!! ! ! ! !

I use two fingers to set a unison. Alternating between fingers 2 & 3 and 3 & 4.
It is unconscious, whatever works at the time.

I have found some pianos respond better to a more gentle approach,
especially if the player has a light touch.

I suppose you should mimic the players tactile approach while tuning. Not
every piano is on the concert stage and needs to be threatened into submission.

Case in point: One player had a job for years needing, pleading, with the 
manager to
get the piano tuned every two weeks.  Hard-hitter.
Next guy, smooth as silk. now once/year. I like this guy. Eddie Higgins.
Of course it's a summer job, on a bluff overlooking Pleasant Bay.
(Best view on the Cape).

Summer's-comin'

Jon Page



At 04:12 PM 03/28/2000 -0800, you wrote:
>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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Jon Page,   piano technician
Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass.
mailto:jonpage@mediaone.net
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