Flag-poling: a way of life, or...?

[Joe & Penny Goss]

Hi Tom,
Thanks for the plug but you do not need to use your teeth with the Grand T
<G> And except for the occasional piano with very tight pins, one hand will
do.
Joe Goss
imatunr@srvinet.com
www.mothergoosetools.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "thepianoarts" <thepianoarts@home.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2001 9:00 AM
Subject: Re: Flag-poling: a way of life, or...?


>
>
> Tom,
>
>     Turning  a tuning pin with lever will always result in 'Unintentional'
> flag-polling. The only way to avoid what I  call 'flexing', is to use a
> 'T-handle lever' (with two hands), and turn the pin with one's teeth.
>
> Dan
>
>
>
>
> on 11/25/01 10:19 AM, Tvak@AOL.COM at Tvak@AOL.COM wrote:
>
> > I wonder how many of you on the list manipulate the pin vertically (on a
> > vertical piano, that is...).   Having started out with the Randy Potter
> > course, it specifically states that the tuning hammer is not a slot
machine,
> > and no vertical movement should be used, and then tells you that the
last
> > motion to set the pin is DOWNWARD and to the left.  At my recent
tutoring
> > session in Reno I was tuning A4 to match the tuning fork and began to
> > flagpole it to zero it in, and my tutor took the tuning hammer away from
me
> > and adamantly informed me I should NEVER move the pin vertically like
that.
> > Then, of course, I watched him do the same thing!
> >
> > Is this something we all do, but no one will admit to it or is unaware
that
> > they are doing it?
> >
> > I remember back when I started with that Randy Potter course going to
the
> > Cultural Arts Center in Chicago and coming across a tuner working on a
piano.
> > It seemed all of his motions were vertical!  This was taboo according to
> > Potter!  Yet here he was, tuning a piano for the Cultural Arts
Center---he
> > must be good, I figured!
> >
> > The only man I know who not only admits to flagpoling, but teaches it is
Nick
> > Kircher, a local RPT, who taught me that vertical manipulation of the
pin
> > helps to render the string and also helps to find a good "resting point"
for
> > the pin.  Since using this tecnique I have found my tunings to be very
> > stable.
> >
> > I also find it easier to make subtle changes of pitch as I zero in on a
good
> > unison with this technique than actually turning the pin.  I generally
get
> > the pitch slightly sharp (by turning the pin) and then flagpole it even
> > sharper, then relaxing it downward to its resting point.  To be stable
the
> > pin must rest not high nor low, but comfortably in the middle of that
> > vertical range.
> >
> > I do use it less on grands than verticals, but it still works well in
the
> > upper register.  (The only piano I have come across that this technique
will
> > not work at all is the Steinway upright.)
> >
> > Flame me if you will, but I confess: I flagpole and I believe it helps
me
> > achieve a more stable tuning.
> >
> > Any comments?
> >
> > Tom Sivak
> >
> >
> >