String breakage

[KUANG]

On Thu, 10 Apr 1997, Avery Todd wrote:

> Kuang,
>
>    This is something you should *seriously* consider changing. I don't know
> for a fact about that practice causing more broken strings, but it isn't
> necessary at all. You introduce a lot of tuning stability problems (which I
> believe you mentioned having in one of your earlier posts) and you add a
> lot of excessive wear on the tuning pin hole, which will eventually
> contribute to loose pin problems.

I think loose pin problems could be avoided.  I believe pin holes wear out
because of unnecessary forces excerted by the pin holes (don't they only
wear as result of years of tunings?).  This is kinda hard to explain
though.  If you only apply force ( _not_ torque), then the pin hole wall
must apply an opposite force unless your pin is not stationary (here comes
Newton's law of mechanics).  However, if you apply a _torque_, then the
pin hole wall wouldn't have to oppose any force at all (well, except some
friction).  If you constantly apply forces only on a pin, then the
diameter of the hole at the top is going to increase (the diameter at the
bottom probably won't change at all).  If you want to veryfy this,
measure the diameters of a worn pin hole.  How do you know if you are
excerting a torque and not force?  Well, hold a tuning pin in the air,
and turn it using a hammer.  If the pin stays stationary, then you're
excerting a torque.  If not, then you're excerting a force.
In reality, this can mean alot of stress for your thumb though :<


>    The tuning flat thread was primarily referring to a very slight "bump"
> on the pin to break loose any strings that were rusted at the pressure
> points. I can see no advantage at all of going a half step flat before
> pulling the string back up. But I can see a *lot* of disadvantages of doing
> so.
>    Just my opinion. Thanks.

That's a good point!  Now I can see that it's really not necessary to
pull down a half step.

>
> Avery
>
> >Ever since I began to tune flat before going up in pitch, more and more
> >strings break from tuning, _not_ playing.
>
> >I broke at least 3 strings while I was tuning last month.
> >The reason why so many string broke is because I always tune at least a
> >half note flat (100 cents) before going up in pitch (almost always).
>
> SNIP
> >
> >Kuang Wang
>
> _____________________________________
> Avery Todd, RPT
> Moores School of Music
> University of Houston
> 713-743-3226
> atodd@uh.edu
> http://www.uh.edu/music/
> _____________________________________
>
>
>

Kuang Wang