[pianotech] Hammer Technique: was Q & A Roundtable

[David Love]

Yes, I understand the confusion now and tried to correct that in another
post.  The best way to describe this technique is to suggest you try it
yourself.  Turn on an etd and see if you can tune up to the pitch without
going beyond it and settling it back down.  The ETD will tell you very
quickly if you are or are not.  Then analyze for yourself what you have to
do in order to accomplish that.  

Look, personally I don't really care if people want to tune pianos standing
on their heads using a crescent wrench and a golden retriever to hear the
high notes.  I'm just attempting to convey some thoughts on things I've
observed in my own practice that have helped me develop this difficult skill
to a higher level.  Trying to explain those things precisely is not always
as easy as it appears when you start putting pen to paper, so forgive my
awkward attempt.  There are several ways to approach this process and I have
nothing invested in anyone's personal choice.  I'm just attempting to share
what I know.  

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Mike Spalding
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 9:58 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Hammer Technique: was Q & A Roundtable

On 2/2/2011 11:34 AM, David Love wrote:
> I'll address both of these separate questions.
>
> First, (Mike) let's be clear, I didn't say that the first segment didn't
> increase while the speaking length did, I said the first segment didn't
> increase *above* the level where the speaking segment ends up.
Quite right, I did misquote you.  I apologize.  So let me restate my 
question.  You can demonstrate that the speaking length tension doesn't 
exceed it's final tension by listening to its pitch as it rises just to 
the target pitch.  How do you know what the tension in the first segment 
is doing?  Since you're increasing the speaking length tension by 
pulling the string across a v-bar and counterbearing, deductive 
reasoning would tell us that the tension in the first segment is equal 
to the speaking length tension PLUS the friction at the v-bar and 
counterbearing.  Either the friction is zero, or the first segment 
tension is greater than the speaking length tension during a pitch increase.

I've no doubt that you have found a technique which allows you to tune 
fast, accurate, and stable.  And I applaud your willingness to share and 
teach. I'm only nit-picking because when your explanation appears to 
contradict the laws of physics, we're not getting an accurate picture of 
what your technique actually is.

Mike