Adding credibility to our work by taking the piano for a test drive is only one reason for doing that. Playing some chords is going to set the soundboard into motion, so that if anything is going to move, now is a good chance for it to do so. A test run to me means that I play in as many keys as possible, to make sure that all notes and all intervals are heard. It is amazing how adept we can become at picking out things that we do not hear with our regular interval checks. Also, we get to experience the voicing (that I hope we have just finished doing) and try the notes at different volumes. I do not have the dexterity of a concert pianist, but if there is a regulation problem, I want to give myself the best possible chance of detecting it. At the same time it is possible to play something that is appropriate. I have a number of different routines depending on the type of instrument, location, taste of the customer and my mood. The pianos that I cannot stop playing are usually the the ones that have been the most satisfying to work on. My test drive is not so much to entertain the customer or to show off my prowess at a pianist, but it is for me to see if I can improve on the work that I have done. I had the transmission in my car repaired a while ago. The mechanic took it for a test drive. I went with him. He did not say much. He just listened to the changes and tried a variety of driving techniques. If something was going to show up, now was the time for it to do so. Yes I do think there is value in playing the instrument after we have worked on it. Chris Gregg RPT
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