tuning speed WOW

[pianolover 88]

Bill,

Nice hearing from you. Let me know whenever you're down this way next time.

Terry


>From: Billbrpt@AOL.COM
>Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
>To: pianotech@ptg.org
>Subject: Re: tuning speed WOW
>Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 20:13:12 EST
>
>In a message dated 1/11/02 6:23:46 PM Central Standard Time,
>pianolover88@hotmail.com (pianolover 88) writes:
>
>
> > Amazing. That would imply that a single tune would take as little as 15
> > minutes? That would include strip muting, setting the temp., tuning the
> > bass
> > & treble (and of course all the usual tests and checks) and tuning the
> > unisons ALL in 15 minutes? WOW! Sounds like Fairchild territory!
> >
> > Terry
> >
>Not really, Terry, Steve Fairchild can get through the whole piano in under 
>5
>minutes.  Actually, 15 minutes is not an extraordinary time.  Some have 
>asked
>where I learned how to tune so fast.  It goes back to the lectures that the
>late George Defebaugh RPT and Jim Coleman Sr RPT (both Golden Hammer Award
>winners) used to give.  George had a presentation called "Speed & 
>Accuracy".
>
>You don't do "all the checks" when you do your first Rough Tuning.  You
>simply pop the string into approximate tune with one or two quick strokes.  
>I
>appreciate Conrad's contribution but it really doesn't matter much whether 
>I
>use the ETD or not.  There are cases when I really am in a hurry so I don't
>have time for the ETD, I just get down to business as quickly as possible.
>
>In his demonstration, I recall George getting through the whole piano in
>about 9 minutes (although in the class description a claim of 7 minutes was
>made).  I can get through the whole piano in 10 minutes, maybe a little 
>less
>under ideal circumstances and if I am at the height of concentration.
>
>The key to doing this is to tell yourself that you will not try to fight 
>with
>the piano once but to tune it twice, both times far more easily and with 
>far
>less stress than a one pass attempt.  George used to say, "You can tune a
>piano twice a lot easier and quicker than you can fight with it once".
>
>The 1st pass or Rough Tuning puts the piano basically well in tune and 
>leaves
>the unsettled strings for the second pass.  This does allow you to do aural
>checks and a really fine tuning on the second pass and still be very quick
>about it.
>
>My final job today was a Walter Console which was fairly new but which had
>not been tuned enough and was nearly 1/2 step low.  There were also a few
>hammers which needed spacing, a few keys which needed leveling, several 
>keys
>which needed easing and all the pedals needed several cranks of the thumb
>screws too.  I did 3 complete passes plus all of the other work and was
>leaving in just a couple of minutes under 90.
>
>  I took the time to say that it is a great choice of piano, I have one 
>myself
>and to comment on the beautiful rugs they had.  No rush, just the usual 
>pace.
>  One reader asked if I thought I was doing too much.  I began to develop
>tendinitis at age 40 from working very hard but not taking the time to
>stretch first.  I do special stretching exercises to keep myself limber.  I
>visit the Chiropractor monthly for *wellness* maintenance.
>
>On New Year's Eve I had an unusual acute attack of low back pain that may
>have had something to do with working extra hard during the holiday season
>but probably more with having slept in an awkward position the night 
>before.
>I had the back pain after having *rested* 8 hours, not working.   It took 2
>days of good rest to settle down.
>
>The suggestion that I not do what I enjoy doing and earn good money at just
>so I might not have a few aches and pains does not even occur to me.  If 
>you
>ask me which would I rather have, thousands more dollars in my bank account
>each month or slightly fewer aches and pains, I'll take the money and go 
>get
>a good massage and have a steak dinner out to boot and still have money to
>save and invest.  I'll be enjoying the fruits of my hard labor now when I
>really am too old to work.
>
>By the way, I wanted to show you my technique and explain how you could
>increase your speed but maintain your accuracy when I was out your way
>visiting but you didn't quite have time for it.  Maybe next time you will?
>(George Defaubaugh was also a Los Angeles area resident and tuned at my 
>high
>school).
>
>Bill Bremmer RPT
>Madison, Wisconsin
>  <A HREF="http://www.billbremmer.com/">Click here: -=w w w . b i l l b r e 
>m m e r . c o m =-</A>


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