[pianotech] strip muting

[John Formsma]

When the subject of aural pitch raises was being discussed recently, I tried
to explain using a rather crude diagram how the strip mute was inserted. A
picture is worth a thousand words, so here it is.
It was made from one strip of 1" action cloth, which was then cut in half to
make two 1/2" wide strips. Each is about the right length to cover a
complete treble section (except in some pianos). It is inserted as pictured
and the middle strings are tuned.  Then the "top" half of the strip only is
removed to tune unisons. One can then tune down the same row of pins, moving
in whole steps. Then the rest of the strip is removed, and the other strings
are tuned in the same fashion -- moving up and down by whole steps.

The benefit is mainly time savings.  Normally, one would insert a strip mute
at least twice per section ... once to tune the middle strings, and once
again to tune the outside strings to the middle.  It takes no more time to
insert a strip the pictured way as it would to insert it the "traditional"
way.

In verticals, both strips are used across the entire section, one on top of
the other, with the bottom strip pushed behind the dampers. After the middle
strings are tuned, the top one is pulled out, etc.

One can also make a different sort of single strip for the middle section.
 I'd have a picture of that also, but I haven't made up a new one yet. Maybe
next week?

-- 
JF
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