String breakage (was Re: I Raise the pitch...) <Pine.PMDF.3.91.970410111314.543898898A-100000@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu>

[Jim]

Hi again Kuang:

Please excuse me for addressing you as Mr. Kuang in a previous post.

It is possible to break strings by turning the pin backward.
Especially is this true when removing a string because the string has
taken a set where it bends around the pin.  If one does not use his other
hand to keep a good measure of tension on the string while loosening the
pin, the string may split and then break.  The main reason for loosening
a string this much is if it is necessary to remove to add another twist to
to the string or to roll it to remove corrosion from the wrap and core.

For those of you who want to tune the string flat before raising pitch, do
not turn it back very far for this same reason.  Just break the corrosion
at the Agraffe or V-Bar.

In normal pitch raises, I do not lower the pitch, It adds to instability.

Jim Coleman, Sr.

On Thu, 10 Apr 1997, KUANG wrote:

>
>
> On Wed, 9 Apr 1997, Jim wrote:
>
> > To Mr. Kuang and List:
> >
> > It has been my considerable experience that strings break more often in
> > raising the pitch than in lowering,
>
> This makes sense.  Do you tune flat before going up in pitch?
>
> >But much more often from hard playing.
>
> Ever since I began to tune flat before going up in pitch, more and more
> strings break from tuning, _not_ playing.
>
> > While working at ASU for 15 years,  I believe there were only 3 strings
> > that broke while I was tuning, but every week on Monday, I would repair
>
> 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).
>
> > or replace from 3 to 7 strings broken by extreme heavy playing over the
> > weekend.  Some students would practice all day long on Saturday or Sunday
>
> Once I broke two strings in an hours when I was practicing on a Model L,
> it was very frustrating though.  One thing I noticed was that the broken
> string was warmer (especially right above the hammer where it usually
> break under heavy playing) than my hand.
>
> > to make up for lack of practice earlier in the week, and they seemed to
> > hope that playing louder would make up for missed hours during the week.
>
> Believe or not, alot of teachers recommand practicing loud and slow,
> especially in europe.  But it was supposed to be done daily, not just the
> day before lesson :) .  Sometimes you can make up for missed hours during
> the week.
>
> >
> > Jim Coleman, Sr.
> >
>
> Kuang Wang
>