covers

[McNeilTom@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/15/00 8:09:32 AM Eastern Daylight Time, A440A@aol.com 
writes:

<<  Even the two padded covers for the concert 
 instruments are usually found piled in the corner.   >>

When I was at the university we had that problem, too.  One time I came into 
the recital hall and found one of the piano majors -- a petite young woman 
and one of my favorite students -- struggling for literally several minutes 
to get the cover to stay on the piano while she tried to figure out which way 
it fit.  It occurred to me that it's no wonder they don't put it back on:  
What a hassle!  Especially so with the concert grand covers with their half 
hectare of fabric.

We who deal with these things daily have developed our own favorite way to 
remove and fold the cover, same way every time, so we can practically toss it 
back on again.  Not so for the novice cover handlers, who are generally music 
majors or former music majors now professors.  [Why can't I say "music major" 
and "mechanical aptitude" in the same sentence?]

The very next concert grand cover I had made by Jennifer Reiter, 
253-584-8174.  I asked her to sew on a stripe of contrasting tape (school 
colors in this case) across the front top edge.  Instantly the problem was 
solved and people put the cover back on -- most of the time at least.

Another idea I came up with and Jennifer executed beautifully for me: A 
window pocket made of heavy flexible plastic (like the rear windows in 
automobile convertible tops).  She sewed them on with black edge-binding tape 
as used around the edges of the cover.  Made 'em just the right size for 8.5 
x 11 inch paper.  They were located on the top where difficult to ignore from 
the keyboard position.  I put a computer-printed sign in the pocket with a 
few care hints and use policies.  I refined the message several times until I 
had just the right tone, and lots of cooperation from students and faculty.

Yet another idea that proved helpful: Different colored covers for the 
instruments in our two-piano halls.  This was especially good in the big 
concert hall where the pianos were usually moved up from storage by stage 
hands.  It pretty much put an end to mistakes in setting the stage with the 
wrong piano.

       -     Tom McNeil     -
Vermont Piano Restorations