Teaching.

[thepianoarts]

on 1/8/01 5:29 PM, Richard Brekne at Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no wrote:

(I sniped & cut...)

teaching... tuning skills... what skill / area of knowledge
 one should concentrate on getting the student to get a good
 handle on first?


Here are my thoughts...

 I would suggest having the 'new' tun-ee finish off tuning a piano that has
been strip muted, (each single wire unison set by the experienced tech)
...The result being that the new technician would concentrate on  matching
pitches (unison setting) and tuning pin movement.
     A freshly strung piano, set up this way,  would also be a good
experience. Temperment setting could come after a feel of the pins has been
experienced.
     As we all know, it takes many pianos to build up the necessary muscle
control and understanding that is necessary to 'set a string'.


and then...not necessarily in this order...

Get an understanding of the "Big Picture"...



"Little picture #1"

1- Transfering the 'fork' to the piano

2- Setting (determining the width of) the two notes outlining the temperment
octave

3- Setting the temperment octave

4- Transfering this octave into the remainder of the piano


"Little picture #2"

What happens when a tuning pins is turned...(intro to Hammer technique)
1- Pin flexing and twisting
2- Capo bar, aggraffe, string deflection friction...
3 -Soundboard and bridge movement during tuning / pitch raising

"Little picture #3"

#1- Common tests used in setting intervals in various parts of the piano


"Little picture #4"

Problems influencing tuning results
1- Open wire (hammers fitted to strings)
2- Hammer spacing
3- Voicing
4- Bridge termination
5- Poor tuning pin torque (Too loose / tight)

"Little picture #5"

The harmonic series

"Little picture #6"

The related arts of voicing / regulation / rebuilding /  Individual
manufactures differences (relating to pin-block construction / scale design,
etc.) that cause pianos to tune up, and sound different from each other.


Dan Reed

Dallas Texas Chapter