Test Blows

[David Love]

I think the general way stability is taught is backwards:  i.e., tune soft
and test with a few hard blow.  For the best stability I think you should
tune with hard blows and then test soft where you can hear (or read) small
deviations.

David Love


----- Original Message -----
From: <SimsPiano@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: February 25, 2002 10:48 AM
Subject: Test Blows


> Hi,
> I've been taught to do a hard test blow on each string as I tune.   I've
been
> wondering if the following might be a more efficient way to tune using a
test
> blow.
> 1) Tune the entire piano using no hard test blows, but working the hammer
> back and forth to try to take all torque out of the pin once the pitch is
> right.
> 2) After the whole thing is tuned, go back and give each key a few hard
test
> blows.
> 3) Now touch up whatever went out.
> What I figured was that on trichords and bichords, you're only hitting one
> test blow per 2 or 3 strings instead of 1 per string, which means either 2
or
> 3 times fewer test blows.
> By the way, I use a SAT and start A0 and go up the keyboard.
> Comments??
> Thanks,
> Corey
>