touching the strings and other damage

[LHudicek@AOL.COM]

Hi everyone,

I appreciate all of the responses I've received on this subject so far.  I 
would like to know your opinion on touching the strings.  I know that most of 
you are against it because of the oils on the hands. However, what if the 
performer/musician/artist (yes, we do like to call ourselves this rather than 
moronic vehicles of destruction! :)! )
puts talc on their hands to prevent sweating or the oils from getting on the 
strings?  Does this help?  Can it hurt the strings or any other mechanism?

Also, can you share in detail any of the damage you've seen from these 
techniques?  How much time and $$ was the result?  Please feel free to 
contact me off the list.

Thanks,
Laurie Hudicek, pianist