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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Geoff,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I just learned a new thing to allow one to
tune a piano at pianissimo levels. *(Courtesy of Leonard Gustafson, RPT, of the
Memphis PTG chapter, who picked it up from a Steinway tech doing a technical at
one of our chapter meetings.)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Anyway, you use a vertical hammer shank
(or something similar) to slightly deflect the string after it’s tuned.
The idea is that a hard test blow will show any string movement (from deflection
by the hammer). A deflection by a hammer shank will also do this, but at a
greater level than the severest test blow ever could. I used this yesterday on the
four pianos I tuned (2 verts & 2 grands), and it worked very well, although
it’s slow at first b/c it’s a new skill. I gave one string ten whacks
as hard as I could, and nothing moved in the slightest. I also did a few hard
blows in various sections to ensure that it works everywhere. I’m very
glad to know of this as my playing/test blow elbow has been sore lately.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>The only downside I can see is that it
might take a bit longer at first. (Leonard tunes in 45min to 1 hour, so it hasn’t
slowed him down.) The positives are that we won’t have hearing loss from
hard test blows, and body damage is also greatly reduced. I’ll gladly
trade test blows for a few more years of hearing and less pain.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>John Formsma<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Geoff Sykes<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Thursday, June 08, 2006 2:00
AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> Pianotech@Ptg. Org<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> More on hearing
protection</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>With the "Noise-Induced Hearing Loss, Part
2" article in the Q&A section of The Journal, I'd like to hear
from some fellow tech's who have tried the Zem earplugs, by Sensgard. They're
ugly, but the technology is such a different approach than just a simple
"plug" that perhaps they could be very useful. I have been using 32db
foam Hearos, but I find that while the foam is comfortable I get a lot of
attenuation variation from one set to the next, and they're not that flat in
response. I also have a pair of </span></font><font size=2 face="MS Sans Serif"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif"'>Etymotic</span></font><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> High
Fidelity Earplugs, (identical to the Hearos High Fidelity Ear Filters), which
work great. My only complaints are that they're not that long term
comfortable and that since the frequency response is much flatter, the
attenuation, (rated at 20db), is perhaps a little too much. Zem claims
32db reduction. </span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>-- Geoff Sykes</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>-- Assoc. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Los
Angeles</st1:place></st1:City></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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