Harpsichord

[Roger C Hayden]

I own one, and care for a few others.  And am about to maybe buy another.
. . .

There are two pin types, flat and square.  I do not like tuning with a
goose neck because the instrument is so light in comparison to a piano,
that the whole thing wiggles on its flimsy legs, plus flag poling with a
goose neck and the pins and strings being so thin, that it will drive you
crazy.  Get a T handle, grab it in the middle.  The pins are not too
tight for your wrist to turn, and you'll see that flag-poling is
minimized.  (If a pin is loose, slide some paper down the pin hole and
push the pin back in.  Fixed.)

Some tuning pins have holes in them and some do not.  You'll have to
learn how to get the string to stay on the pin without a hole in it.  

You will have to repair strings.  Have a good Micrometer, and learn how
to tie long tailed loops for the hitch pin. The tails often are what keep
the string from unwinding.  Tieing knots, (possible with piano wire)
seldom works on harpsichord wire.  Unlike piano wire, there are different
kinds of harpsichord wire for different qualities of sound, Brass,  Red
brass, steel, alloys, etc.  

Working with jacks, and their varying adjustments is all new.  But you
can figure it out.  

Harpsichords are far simpler than pianos.  But also far more sensitive. 
If you've gotten into the complexities of pianos, than these will be a
treat and an interesting challenge.  

Most voicing is done at the plectra.  You'll need to wear two pair of
reading glasses to see the tips and an exacto knife to work with them. 
Lots to learn.

Tuning is quicker than pianos.  Not so many strings.

Tuning is far more frequent.  At least weekly, maybe more.   They can
move a step and a half from season to season, thus, you must stay on top
of it during the summer so the swelling case and board don't break
strings when you're not looking.  (I speak from experience.)  Owners of
harpsichords must learn how to do it themselves, or they can't enjoy the
instrument very much.

I tune with ET, and enjoy it just fine.  It will suffice for 90% of
needs.  I would like to experiment with some Historics, but haven't had
time yet.

I believe Apsco advertises a harpsichord maintainance manual.  And there
are several websites, and a harpsichord 'list'  to help you.

Enjoy.

Roger C. Hayden, RPT

On Wed, 25 Oct 2000 07:36:19 -0700 "David Ilvedson" <ilvey@jps.net>
writes:
> Ed,
> 
> You idiot...you use your fingers of course, unless of course it has 
> one
> stuck in a hole somewhere on the instrument.  I can't tell you where 
> at this
> time...I'll get back to you...;-]
> 
> D.I.
> 
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On 
> Behalf
> > Of Ed Carwithen
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2000 9:26 PM
> > To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > Subject: Harpsichord
> >
> >
> > OK guys and gals:
> >
> >   Please don't laugh, or remind me of how incompetent I am for
> > asking but....
> >
> >   How do I tune a harpsichord?  I just got asked to tune for a 
> university
> > chamber series.  Would love to worm my way into the music 
> department as
> > their piano technician, especially because they have just replaced 
> all the
> > old beaters with new pianos.
> >
> >   I don't have the proper tool (isn't it called a key?), so will 
> have to
> > get one.  What will go wrong?  Do I use ET or one of the HT's?  
> A=440???
> > What happens when a string breaks (I understand that is a concern 
> with
> > harpsichords)?
> >
> >   Am I an idiot for thinking that tuning pianos prepares me for 
> tuning a
> > harpsichord?
> >
> >
> > Ed Carwithen
> > John Day, OR
> >
> >
> 

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