> Has anyone switched arms berfore? Any tips? I certainly haven't! I've enough trouble with the two I have.................. I tune uprights left handed and grands right handed. Why? I certainly can't make a case for it. Just works for me. les bartlett houston I also tune uprights left handed and grands right handed (it's just the way I learned). For most of the tuning, my hammer is between noon and 2 o'clock on a grand, and between 10 and 1 on an upright. When I get up to the highest octave of a grand, I usually sit "around the corner" so I can still have the hammer between about 11 and 1 o'clock -- any farther to the right and it hits the case. But if the treble end of the piano is against the wall, I can't sit around the corner. So I'll tune the last few unisons left handed, with an underhanded grip, essentially the same grip I use when tuning verticals, but as though the vertical were lying on its back. I have finer control this way because I'm used to using that grip on verticals. I need to practice doing it with my hand on top of the lever, however. Not easy -- like trying to brush your teeth or write with the hand you never use for those tasks. I almost never have to tune anything right handed on a vertical. Maybe once in a great while when the bass end of the piano is against the wall, I might have to switch hands for the lowest few notes, but rarely. Then I tune those using my "grand grip", reaching up and over, as though a grand were standing up on end with the key fronts facing the floor. I find this extremely awkward, as the right shoulder, upper arm and elbow are raised up high. I realize many tuners tune verticals this way all the time. I can do it, but not with as much accuracy, and it feels totally unnatural. Tuning left handed, the left shoulder can be more relaxed and the elbow at your side, rather than up in the air. I tune quite a few more verticals than grands, but at least there are enough grands to offer some variation. I don't see much need to be able to tune either type of piano with either hand unless you never tune uprights or never tune grands -- then it might help to switch off now and then. But even switching hands or positions won't necessarily prevent repetitive motion stress/injury unless you're doing other things to avoid it, such as good posture, relaxed shoulders, wrist brace, key pounder, slow, natural breathing, stretching/relaxation exercises, etc. Sincerely, David Nereson, RPT
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