Beginner Student and String Breakage

[Van Der Rhoer]

I am a beginner student with the Randy Potter School of Piano Technology
Home Study Course.  I am embarrassed to say that after only three days of
practice I already broke a string.  This is my own piano, but discourages me
quite a bit, and I wonder if experienced tuners/technicians could comment on
how common string breakage is at the outset of one's training -- and will I
be likely to have it happen several times while I am learning?

I was aware of the danger of breaking strings and therefore followed the
course recommendations scrupulously, i.e., dropping pitch first and only
nudging the hammer.  I couldn't place my arm on the top of the piano as it
is a baby grand, but tried not to apply too much pressure and always went
back down (turning the hammer counterclockwise) when I was unsure, before
again trying to tighten it.  Does anyone know of additional or better safety
tips and measures to avoid string breakage?  (If I do it too many times, I'm
afraid, my family's patience will wear out.  The piano company who will come
to replace the string may begin to wonder if I have to keep calling them!)

In conclusion, I should say that I have a 1956 baby grand Baldwin that was
damaged by flooding some twenty years ago, but has been fine since the
German piano firm repaired it.

I do wonder though about the string I broke -- the left string of Middle C.
When I dropped pitch a little and then raised the pitch it just continued
unlike the others to warble out of tune and never sounded even close to
pure, no matter which direction I was turning.  I then noticed that it
continued to "sound" as if the sustain pedal were on -- which was not the
case.  It had also seemed extremely hard to tune the day before and I
thought maybe Middle C is harder to tune because it gets more use.  Can
anything be told from these "symptoms"?

Any advice would be welcome as this incident has me rather discouraged.

Thanks,

Laura