[CAUT] "phing....pck.....pluug"

[Fred Sturm]

On 7/21/06 8:43 PM, "william ballard" <wbps at vermontel.net> wrote:

>> That said, I can usually get a pretty fine level on a piano in an
>> hour, and then have very little touch up unless I am doing
>> extraordinarily persnickety work.
> 
> Roughly my same time, plus the work has been done on the basis of
> sorting out where the out-of-level is, and the fitting in the U.C.
> position has also been directly verified instead of assumed.
> 
>> Just like tuning precise unisons, setting precise rep string
>> strength, or setting a precise hammer line. Or bending grand damper
>> wires. Minute, controlled movements.
> 
> We work the same way, and I think we would enjoy watching each other
> work.
> 
> mrbl
> wbps at vermontel.net
Hi Bill,
    It really just boils down to "how do I get from here to there in the
most efficient manner?" I do pretty much what you describe in what I call
the string mating phase of voicing, which recurs anywhere during the voicing
procedure that it is needed. Since needling and touch up filing are going to
mess with whatever precision I have attained previously, the mating process
is constantly revisited, and refinement often involves both string pulling
and pushing and a bit of hammer filing. The only point I was trying to make
was that I find an initial pass with a string level gets me to a great
taking off point, where I am not going to need to revisit the string level
issue in more than a touch up manner. (It's also very helpful as a starting
point for damper work).
    Similarly, a good starting point comes from being very fussy with hammer
felt level, which is checked first with a straight edge after filing, then
refined as I do such operations as adjusting capstans and drop. I'm looking
in a more refined manner at the tops of those hammers, and so I touch up any
perceived tilt - keep a strip of sandpaper handy for the purpose. (And I'm
assuming a refined travel and square procedure before filing).
    I'm sure we all are on the same page (you, Chris S, a couple others who
have been joining the conversation), and just have slightly different
approaches to what works most efficiently for each of us.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico