Terry; I get more respect for you every day. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2001 6:00 PM Subject: Re: tuning timing > I find my speed increases incrementally, but steadily. I have now tuned > about 800 pianos. I find that I commonly spend about 70 to 90 minutes tuning > a piano that is within 4 cents of pitch. But it varies. Last night I tuned a > awful S&S B at a church and a 15 cent pitch raise and a tuning took me 2-1/2 > hours. Every string was like pulling a tooth. It was a bad piano. Lots of > noise. Then this morning I set two new records for me. A newish Kawai > console, 20 cent pitch raise in 29 minutes and a 51 minute tuning that I was > real happy with. > > So just when you think that you will never be able to tune faster/better, > progress occurs, albeit in tiny steps! > > Terry Farrell > Piano Tuning & Service > Tampa, Florida > mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Paul" <tunenbww@clear.lakes.com> > To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2001 8:45 AM > Subject: Re: tuning timing > > > > Charles > > I don't know what muting technique you or the others who responded to you > > use, but I discovered that I can tune better-more efficiently and > > proficiently when I mute the whole piano, tune the center strings, pull > the > > mute and tune the rest of the unison(s). I've developed this process into > > using two strip mutes for treble unisons, but that gets into another area. > > What I learned was that the piano "quieted down." Fewer strings speaking > > made fewer sounds. This makes it easier for me to hear the string(s) I am > > tuning. What I've also learned is that the piano must be close to the > > desired/required pitch BEFORE any tuning can be done. So, if any pitch > > raising of any amount needs to be done, DO IT! And while pitch raising, As > > Jim Coleman SR. has stated, don't tune; you want the tension right. It's > > down and dirty. Then tune. The whole process has speeded up my tuning > > considerably. Several passes ARE faster than one slow, methodical > run.Three > > passes is very common for my tunings; and it usually takes me less than an > > hour to produce a quality tuning. Keep practicing hammer technique. Listen > > carefully how far your pitch changes (if any) after you've removed your > > tuning lever. Compensate that drift with over or under pull. Several > steady > > forte blows should give you a set string and tuning pin. Hang in there. It > > will come eventually! > > > > Paul Chick > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Charles Neuman <cneuman@phy.duke.edu> > > To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > > Sent: Monday, January 22, 2001 9:42 AM > > Subject: tuning timing > > > > > > > I'm curious how long it takes you all to complete each part of the > tuning > > > process. I'm not as concerned with the overal time as with the > proportion > > > of time spent on each section. For example, setting the temperament, > > > midrange, high treble, and bass. > > > > > > The high treble seems to eat up a lot of time. The unisons are harder > for > > > me there since the beats are more sensitive to hammer movement. By the > > > time I get to the last octave, I'm ready to scream, and the notes start > to > > > sound like a metal spoon hitting a frypan. Perhaps a nice grand would > have > > > nicer sounding notes up there. It seems like a drag to spend so much > time > > > on notes that will rarely be played. > > > > > > Charles Neuman > > > Plainview, NY > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
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