<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE>@page Section1 {size: 8.5in 11.0in; margin: 1.0in 1.25in 1.0in = 1.25in; } P.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman" } LI.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman" } DIV.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman" } A:link { COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline } SPAN.MsoHyperlink { COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline } A:visited { COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline } SPAN.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline } SPAN.EmailStyle17 { COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-style-type: personal-compose } DIV.Section1 { page: Section1 } </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY lang=EN-US vLink=purple link=blue bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Ed,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I'm an infrequent poster, but a very loyal reader. So, here = goes,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I've had a lot if success in eliminating or at least reducing the = kinds of false beats you describe by using one or both of these techniques:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>1) Tapping the bridge pins moderately. I use the Schaff = handy-hammer (world's "cutest" tool) in the combo handle. I strike each bridge pin, = and listen to the sound that results. A solidly seated pin has a clearly = evident finality to the sound, very similar to that which one hears when driving = a nail into a board. When a nail has been driven to its complete length, the = impact sound changes, and one knows from listening that the nail is firmly and completely and correctly driven in. Bridge pins have similar sound = properties when firmly seated. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I strike the pin with a 1/8" piece of brass rod, about 6 inches = long. I am careful to angle the rod so that it follows the angle of the bridge pin, = so when I position the rod on top of the pin before striking it, the rod and the = pin form a straight line. It is always at an angle from a line that would be = parallel to the soundboard or bridge cap. I "calibrate" the force needed = by listening to the sound of the impact. I start with a very light blow, = sometimes, the weight of the handy-hammer is sufficient, other times, a little more = force is needed. The impact sound will tell me.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Related to the impact sound, is the feel of the impact. A solidly = bottomed out pin feels solid, also as does a solidly driven nail. Were I = practicing to learn the impact sounds with nails and a piece of scrap lumber, I'd try = it by starting the nail with a conventional hammer, so that it's going in perpendicular to the lumber. Get the nail into the wood so that there's = enough of it in so that it won't bend on subsequent blows. Finally, drive the = nail home into the wood, using consistent force, and be sensitive to the change in = sound and feel of the impact as the nail bottoms out. Experiment with brads, = and with smooth, headed nails - not too thick or long. Drywall nail screws don't = provide the same feel or sound because of the thread on the shaft.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Then, after doing enough of the nail calibration exercise, I'd = switch over to the piano, and proceed in a similar fashion as described above. Start = gently - just letting the handy-hammer drop of its own weight onto the top of = the brass rod. Listen to the impact sound. If it has a hint of thinness to it, = strike the bridge pin again with the hammer/rod combo, but this time, a wee bit = more forcefully. If the pin was not seated firmly, this second blow will tell = you that by how it sounds. Then, give it the drop only blow again. If the = sound is the same as of the 2nd blow, then the bridge pin is most likely seated. = It might even move visibly, just as a string does when tapped down.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Do all the pins in the offending section, not just the pins for the = offending strings. There just seems to be a better result when I do = that; I often find the pins for non-beating strings needing a more solid = seating. The overall result of doing all the bridge pins in a section so that they're = uniform in impact sound, is that the entire section is improved. I rarely find = that extensive revoicing is necessary, maybe 3 or 4 hammers need a little = touch-up with a Hart chopstick or similar tool. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>2) Tap every point of string contact with any bridge, or = termination point. For string tapping, I always tap before the 1st bridge pin, and after it = - just enough to be sure that it's firmly against the bridge. I angle the rod = as described above, so that the wire is being drive closely into the acute = angle formed by the wire, the bridge pin, and the bridge itself. I judge by = the sound of impact, as well as by looking at the wire. Above all, I want to avoid = crushing the leading edge of the bridge wood. I then tap the string at = the contact point immediately to the rear of the 1st bridge pin. Then, I = mentally divide the length of wire going across the bridge and give a light tap = at the 1/3 and 2/3 length. Then, tapping both sides of the rear bridge pin as = before. If there's a duplex bridge, lightly tap the wire at the apex, so that = the wire is firmly seated on it. To wrap it up, tap each side of the wire at the = hitch pin, so that the wire is firmly seated, and that false beats that might = be coming from the wire segment between the duplex bridge and the hitch pin = are reduced, if not completely eliminated. Be careful with this tap; it's = easy to crack the bronzing around the bottom of the hitch pin. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Remove the action, and tap the string lightly into the capo bar, = not enough to create or deepen a groove, but only enough to insure that the = capo/wire interface is solid. Tap the wire where it crosses the front duplex = bridge (if there is one). Replace the action, and retune the piano. All that = tapping will detune a piano, because of the string movement that's induced by the tapping.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>There are other issues involved that tapping won't solve. The most = crucial point here is that the center of the bridge pin must be aligned with the = bridge cap notch. I.e., the notch must drop downward following the line of the diameters of the bridge pins (both front and rear). I don't do = rebuilding, but there are many of our generous colleagues that can (a) correct any error = that I've made in describing the procedures above, and (b) are expert in = bridge recapping, drilling, notching, etc.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Hope I wasn't too redundant; thanks for wading through this rather long-winded reply (I probably need a good editor!)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Best regards,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Tom Sheehan, RPT</DIV> <DIV>NYC Chapter</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Tuner of many Grammy winning albums, including "Best Jazz Album of = the Year" for about the last 3 or 4 years in a row, and also many other = category Grammys - Jazz Solo of the Year, Best Jazz Composition, etc., back to = 1979. Began tuning in 1973. Largely self taught, assisted by the magnificent = members of the Boston Chapter - Doc Sanderson among them. Finest people and the = most skilled, talented and generous technicians one could every wish to meet! = </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Director of Piano Maintenance at Berklee College of Music, Boston, = MA 1975 - 1984 (200 pianos, and 2,000 critics at the end. Inventory value of = about $1,000,000. Trained quite a few technicians, some of whom have gone on = to establish businesses much more successful than mine! </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Established independent one-person micro business in NYC 1993, = after ending a vice-president job with Yamaha, when the company closed the showroom = and R&D studio next to Carnegie Hall on W. 57th St., across the street = and up the block from Steinway Hall. I've worked with many of the world's = greatest pianists and ensembles  - primarily jazz; as eventually happened in = Boston, I'm now one of the preferred tuners for a number of the more prominent = recording studios and concert halls in the City. It takes time, perseverance, = constant upgrading of skills, being assertive but not arrogant, able to tune very = quickly and accurately with noise problems a frequent challenge. There are a = number of outstanding tuners in NYC, in our Chapter as well as others. It is a = privilege to work with all of them, and to learn from each other constantly. = </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Please post again and let us know what method worked. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Ah, yes, sorry but I forgot to mention that there are times when = it's necessary to change strings that are offensive; they might have lost = their pliability. Also, if the hammer is badly grooved, it's always a good = idea to file it down and revoice as needed. Another point to consider is to = chopstick voice right in the groove that is activating the offending string. Sugar = coat it (shallow needle - 1/2 mm or so), right in the groove, and over the crown = - striking point. Can do wonders for emergency situations in a studio or = prior to a concert. Tune forcefully at all times. Get that string to move over = all contact points, and to have a good balance of tension among the various = string segments. Of course, don't strike a note so hard that something breaks = (although that can happen through no fault of the technician). But double forte is = the minimum, for all strings of all notes. Check octaves periodically to be = sure that reference string (usually the center string) didn't drift out of = tune while pounding in the unisons. It can be annoying, but retune. Use test = liberally - Baldassin's "On Pitch" is the best reference I found - but I played the = book, over and over again at the piano while doing real tunings. Slowed me = down at first, but really provided excellent organization and reasoning for = extending one's tuning beyond the temperament. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=edwithen@oregontrail.net = href="mailto:edwithen@oregontrail.net">Ed Carwithen</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, June 20, 2004 = 5:41 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> New Baldwin</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV class=Section1> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">A client of mine has a = new Mason and Hamlin BB, 7� grand.  He has a particularly keen ear, and = any tonal problems give him grief.  The piano was bought new in 2003.  = I have worked on it a couple of times, and the tech from the store has been = there once.  The problem is C7 through F#7 notes.  On each of = these notes there is at least one string that has wildly false beats.  The G7 = on up to C8 sound beautiful and clear.  Below the C7 is likewise = clear.  The C7 and the D# 7 are particularly bad.  In each case it is the = treble (right) string that is the problem.  I made sure that the string = is tight to the bridge.  There doesn�t seem to be any impediment at the = v bar.   I �delicately� voiced with a needle, all to no = avail.  Any suggestions as to cause or cure????<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Ed Carwithen<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">John Day, OR<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>