Roger Sorry for the delayed response, and maybe I've replied to this. I'm trying to catch up after a few days vacation. Let me know if you did not get a reply. Paul Chick ----- Original Message ----- From: Roger C Hayden <rchayden2@juno.com> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2000 6:43 AM Subject: Re: Aural? (self-starters) muting techniques, etc. > Paul, > > Did I understand you pitch raise with the mutes in? Could you elaborate? > > Tanks, Roge > > On Sun, 1 Oct 2000 23:40:23 -0500 "Paul" <tunenbww@clear.lakes.com> > writes: > > Roger > > Your technique sounds like mine. I've been working on eliminating a > > lot of > > the repetitive motion of mute changing, to increase my time on the > > tuning > > lever and keyboard. I've worked out systems for grands, verticals, > > birdcage > > actions, oversize capo bars, etc., in most of the pianos I > > encounter. Floor > > tunings were the incentive to pick up speed but hold the accuracy. > > Have you > > tried pitch raising with all your mutes in? You can do it under 10 > > minutes > > and come out with surprising accuracy, all done aurally. It goes for > > pitch > > lowering too! > > > > Paul Chick > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Roger C Hayden <rchayden2@juno.com> > > To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > > Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 10:50 AM > > Subject: Re: Aural? (self-starters) muting techniques, etc. > > > > > > > Muting techniques. > > > > > > Early in my career I got a job at a college doing a rank of > > similar > > > pianos in similar rooms of similar age with similar problems on > > similar > > > days. Grueling boredom!!! So I bought a stop watch and timed my > > > operations, trying lots of variations, looking for high > > efficiency, > > > without sacrificing quality. Competition against myself!! And > > > everything got interesting. > > > A couple of work principles here: > > > > > > 1. I learned quickly that the motion connected with rubber mutes > > was a > > > great user of time. > > > 2. A long job divided into several short ones keeps the psych > > much > > > happier. > > > 3. Having more opportunity for feedback during the earlier parts > > of > > > tuning saves work later. > > > 4. Deuteronomy 25:4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he > > treadeth out > > > the corn. > > > Translation: I can play this tuning and test it at three > > different > > > points, enjoying my work, and checking my progress. Owners like > > that > > > too!! > > > > > > I doubt if these techniques are new, and it's a bit hard to put > > into > > > words, but here goes. > > > > > > For Grands I use four felt strip mutes. Starting with the triple > > unisons > > > I mute between every other note, (every six strings), from left to > > right > > > all the way to the top. When I get next to struts I mute before > > the last > > > unison, even if it's out of sequence. This will use two strips on > > most > > > grands. > > > > > > Next I start with the double unisons in the bass, calculating > > quickly > > > whether there are even or odd number of unisons. If even, mute > > between > > > the first two and every other from the bass up. If an odd number, > > mute > > > between the last single unison and the first double, then between > > every > > > other. > > > > > > When I've muted the doubles there will be felt left over, so I > > start > > > muting between the triple unisons that were not yet muted. (Every > > six > > > strings again) All the way to the top. With the unison on each > > side of > > > struts I stuff the mute between the strings in the unison itself, > > leaving > > > the single string next to the strut singing by itself. > > > > > > The whole idea is to strip mute so there remains only one string > > singing > > > for each note. (Except perhaps one note in the bass, the last > > single > > > string, and maybe one double in the tenor.) There are slight > > variations > > > in this from piano to piano. > > > > > > Then I set my A-440, lay the temperament either from A to A, or F > > to F, > > > tune down the single strings to the end of the tenor. Check my > > > intervals, especially Major Thirds, check my harmonies, all major > > chords > > > inverted where necessary. Then I improvise and harmonize a little > > to see > > > if it 'talks back'. > > > > > > Next, its off to the treble, tuning only single strings for each > > unison, > > > checking some as I go, but not to the extreme. (I set the octave, > > check > > > it with the fifth and fourth, and move on.) > > > > > > Then single strings through the bass. Again, fifths and fourths > > as long > > > as its not muddy, then only fifths, then checking with fifths and > > tenths, > > > and at the last, checking with octaves, next fifth and tenth. > > > > > > Now its 'performance time'. I can play this piano, modulate > > through all > > > the keys, and if it's good it is soooo clear, these single > > strings!! And > > > far less probability for fighting false beats from lower octaves. > > > > > > Next, rip out the felt from the bass doubles, and tune their > > unisons. > > > Note this: > > > > > > TUNING PIN SEQUENCE. . . very important !! I start on the first > > bass pin > > > that needs tuning, the second string from the tenor strut to the > > left. I > > > tune that unison, THEN, noting the pattern of tuning pins before > > me, I > > > take the next pin that matches the first pin in the next pattern > > of pins. > > > In other words, NOT the next string to be tuned chromatically, > > but the > > > next pin to be tuned by WHOLE step. It will be in a STRAIGHT LINE > > for > > > the most part going down the bass. When I reach the last pin in > > that > > > straight line I drop to the reverse of the pattern and work back > > up. YOU > > > HAVE TO KEEP YOUR HEAD ABOUT YOU in this little trick, but it is > > more > > > efficient. > > > > > > Play again and check a little. > > > > > > Then rip out ONE set of strip mutes to the top, leaving the first > > set in > > > place. > > > > > > This frees two strings to sing in each unison. TUNING PIN > > SEQUENCE: > > > Starting at the first pin of the first triple unison available for > > > tuning, it should be the left string. Tune it. Then by whole > > step again > > > to the NEXT PIN IN A STRAIGHT LINE, tune that pin and string. All > > the > > > way to the strut. You will be playing a whole tone scale on the > > piano. > > > At the strut, remember you had tuned the string next to the strut. > > So > > > don't detune it. tune the middle string here. > > > > > > Then it's back to the tenor, and tune the other set of whole steps > > to the > > > top. > > > > > > Play again and check a little. > > > > > > Checking: I like playing double octaves, starting on C in a major > > > thirds, that is C, E, G#, C E G#, etc. then come back, start on > > C#, > > > major thirds up, then D, then D#. That hits all the notes, > > and > > > seems to keep the ear fresh for hearing bad octaves, and bad > > unisons. > > > > > > Rip out the last set of felts and again tune sequentially in whole > > steps > > > the unisons. > > > > > > When tuning the unisons your hammer will move in a straight line, > > not > > > back and forth. You will know the pins needing tuning by watching > > the > > > tuning pin pattern, not the hammers and strings. > > > > > > I find listening to the whole tone scale as I tune much more > > tolerable > > > than crawling interminably to the top in half steps. Also, I have > > > divided the job more reachable parts. > > > > > > which are as follows: > > > > > > A-440 > > > Temperament: > > > Octaves to top: > > > Octaves to bottom: > > > Bass unisons, down by whole steps and back up by whole steps: > > > First Treble unison, to top by whole steps > > > Second Treble unison . . to top > > > Third treble unison > > > Fourth Treble unison. > > > > > > The efficiency comes from: > > > Rubber mutes get used in checking only. Decrease hand motion. > > > Strip muting is done in 2 - 2 1/2 minutes, maybe less > > > The hammer moves in a straight line > > > The Psyche is messaged, not as strained > > > The ear stays fresher by less chromatic scaling. . . > > > You get to enjoy the results sooner and more frequently > > > Errors are found before the whole job is done > > > > > > > > > On Sat, 30 Sep 2000 00:1 > > > > > > > > > 1:29 -0400 "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com> writes: > > > > Would you care to enlighten us on your muting techniques? I am > > always > > > > looking for ways to be more efficient, save time, and leave more > > > > solid > > > > tunings! > > > > > > > > Terry Farrell > > > > Piano Tuning & Service > > > > Tampa, Florida > > > > mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________ > > > YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! > > > Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! > > > Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: > > > http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. > > > > > > > ________________________________________________________________ > YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! > Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! > Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: > http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. >
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