Hello Alan Forsyth That's a good wheeze - to include the first note of the bass section in the bearings. I used to tune only using a tuning fork, setting the bearings over a scale of the four quadrants i.e. starting at "A" 440 - "A" 220, then the major 1/3ds in between. Then the "C#" from the first quadrant make a narrow 1/5th with the "G#", 8ve that "G#", then fill in the major 1/3rds. etc. etc. You can see how it ends up at "F#" in the tenor clef. I got that pretty fine. But since the advent of the TLA I use it to pitch the first 12 notes of a descending chromatic scale but, using my hard earned knowledge from the "Quadrant System", correct accordingly. There's absolutely nothing, but nothing, that can replace experience....I don't rely on the TLA, I USE it! Overdampers: Having first extracted the celeste (moderator to you US guys) I then proceed, as with an Underdamper, using ONE Papps wedge chromatically as above. You can feel the strings with the end of the wedge and the rubbing of the strings with the wedge tells you if you're into the correct tri-cord/bi-cord or not. I have never ever used a muting strip. They're diabolical. Something mis-taught by the Furniture College in Commercial Road. :-) Regards Michael G (Sussex UK)
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