Pounders... why?

[Mark Story]

I was taught to tune with a "firm" blow, incorperating both the tuning blow
and test blow together.  The assumtion here is that you need to strike the
string at least as sharply as the artist will.  The firm tuning blow has
worked for me for many years of concert tuning, as it has for my father.
This doesn't mean that an alternate method wouldn't work - I'm intrigued by
the "double blow" technique.

 I also wonder if we are all talking about the same thing.  My tuning blow
is applied with a device in my hand similar to others referred to here.
This was at first a necessary adjustment that I needed to make as a result
of some sort of inflamation (arthuritic, I think) in my keyboard hand, but I
think the change gave other benefits at the same time, including installing
my SAT switch in my "bonker".  I don't use a lot of effort on the keys when
tuning, but the effect on the string is more than a player could apply.  As
noted, this has it's costs as well.  I find that strings in my concert
instruments will break some treble strings in the sixth octave after  four
or five years of concert and recital use.  But at the same time, the closest
we have come to breaking a string during performance was on the final chord
of a rehersal, so maybe I am weeding out some shaky strings. ;^)

Mark Story, RPT
Eastern Washington University
Mail Stop 100, Cheney WA 99004
mstory@ewu.edu

----- Original Message -----
From: David M. Porritt <dporritt@swbell.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, June 07, 1999 11:07 AM
Subject: RE: Pounders... why?


> Brian:
>
> I agree with you that "pounding" might be an unfortunate term to use for a
> test blow.  Beating the piano into submission isn't the name of the game.
> I've heard tuners say that you tune sharp, and pound until it comes in
tune.
> Obviously if you tune that way, the player can pound it right out of tune.
>
> I think pounders have gotten popular, particularly with guys my age who's
> fingers and joints are less tolerant of even "appropriate test blows."
> Actually, so far I have been able to get by just changing "test blow
> fingers" as I go.  Thumb for a while, fingers 2 & 3 for a while etc.  I
tend
> to have more trouble with the hand wrapped around the tuning hammer all
day
> than the "pounding fingers."  I can see a day coming, however, when a
> "finger saver" might feel really good.
>
> dave
>
> _______________________________
> David M. Porritt, RPT
> mailto:dporritt@swbell.net
> Meadows School of the Arts
> Southern Methodist University
> Dallas, TX 75275
> _______________________________
>