Bluthner Tuning

[Michael Gamble]

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The "Aliquot" string is not struck and is therefore not at the fore of =
the sound you hear when playing a note. It is damped - by a little =
damper felt stuck on the side of the damper head. It is above (in =
height) its companion strings. It does not share the bridge but has its =
own indivual "bridge" of a slender upright with a hole through which the =
Aliquot string passes. It starts in the middle and goes right to the top =
- BUT the top break is the only area where they are "tuned" at the same =
pitch as their partner strings. he main body of Aliquot strings are =
tuned an octave high. I only use one rubber wedge and, so long as the =
Aliquots are not wildly out, leave them alone. I do, however, check them =
using a guitar plectrum and correct as required.
Regards from a pouring wet rainy dark night in Sussex.
Michael G.(UK)
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Susan Kline=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: Saturday, July 30, 2005 9:26 PM
  Subject: Re: Bluthner Tuning


  At 01:05 PM 7/30/2005 -0400, you wrote:

    I just booked a first-time tuning for a Bluthner grand (first time =
for me to tune it). It is said to be about 55 years old. Is this piano =
likely to have the 4th string aliquot system up in the high treble? If =
so, is there any special tuning techniques for it? I've never tuned one =
of these. Just pluck it and tune it beatless with the other three =
strings of each note?
    =20
    Terry Farrell

  Hi, Terry.=20

  Not sure how much of the piano would have the fourth string, but =
probably a lot of the treble. I've only tuned newer ones, which don't =
start the fourth string till the high treble. After a pretty short time, =
tuning the fourth string feels natural enough.=20

  It takes two wedges. Keep the fourth string muted, and tune the other =
three to as clear a unison as you can, like usual. I found that the =
three-string unisons on Bl=FCthners are very, very clear, almost =
colorless-clear. Then, remove the last mute, and you'll probably hear =
the unison get angry, more in timbre than in beats. I tune the fourth =
string without plucking it, but barely moving the wire, and try to calm =
the unison again. It usually will get better, but with a more complex =
tone than the three main strings alone. Then I pluck the fourth string =
to be sure it isn't some screwy place, like on a different note. If I =
can't get the unison to clear after I've added in the fourth string, =
I'll pluck the fourth string to find out which way to move it, and then =
tinker a little when it's very close to the other three, tuning for tone =
quality.=20

  I found that once you get the section settled down, and the unisons =
tuned for timbre like this, that the fourth string actually seems to add =
some tuning stability.=20

  Have fun -- it's kind of a neat system, really. I don't think that the =
fourth string is for volume. I think that the more complex, less =
crystalline sound sustains better. =20

  Susan Kline 
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