Piano Pedagogy Classes

[Roger Jolly]

At 04:19 PM 9/5/97 +0100, you wrote:
>Hello, all!
>
>I have been asked by the head of the keyboard department to speak at two
>Piano Pedagogy classes -- one graduate and one undergrad.  Also said he
>would like to assign the classes some reading material ahead of time, and
>wants to cover funtion, tuning and regulation in these classes.
>
>Does anybody have any specific enlightenment to offer me as far as what
>materials would be best to use -- Reblitz?  Fine?  and what to cover in
>these classes?  Have any of you done this before and have anything to offer
>me?
>
>Any inspiration and information is more than welcomed!
>
>Thank you.
>
>
>Dianne R. Salem, RPT
>California State University, Fullerton
>
>
>Greetings Dianne,
                  As for alternate reading material I might suggest
Helmholtz works On the Sensation of tone, It covers a great deal of
wavelength theory, node points and harmonic series of vibrating strings
that should be of interest to music students???????  The node points can
also be demonstrated by plucking strings in a grand at its exact centre
point and then moving to and past the strike point. 
   Besides the usual action model regulation, demonstation, and general
tolerance imformation, I give a dummies check list of grand piano
parameters, and stress the importance of consistancy in the following order.
   1)  Examine the keyboard for level and even spacing.
   2)  $1.50 Canadian dip check. Pile 6 quarters and check 3 bass notes 3
centre      notes and 3 treble notes. Carefully explain dip and after touch
again and       have a student feel the difference between no dip correct
dip and exessive 
     dip, stress the importance of eveness. At this point I pass 4
different         sizes of dip blocks and ensure they understand that there
is a large
     variance in the industry.
   3)  Since we have a lot of Yamaha C3's I pass around samples of heavily
         grooved worn out hammers, I also pre install some of these worn
out hammers      on the class room piano to demonstrate hammer reshaping
and voicing. At         this point it is good to show the difference at ppp
 mf   fff.
     The purpose of this approach is to educate the class on what is
posible,      and to develop the idea of a planned maintenance programme,
it is suprising 
     how many major regulations and hammer reshape jobs are sold from this
    scource.
   4)  Let off drop and back checking can be shown with an action model,
but it
     is important to show the how to peer into the piano and again observe for
     consistantcy.
   5)  Unicorda. I always demonstrate half pedalling. It is suprising how
little 
     is understood about the full use of this pedal and how it works, re tone
     color.
   6)  Ensure the lectures have credits attached, if not the students will
treat
     as a basket weaving course.
Hope this helps.
Have fun.