<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1555" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Paul,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The piano is double strip muted and only one string is to be tuned, for most of the test. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and double muted at the breaks with rubber mutes.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>AND NOT TO BE REMOVED!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The unison section, is tuned as I remember, to the middle string and one can use any mute</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>including the mutes available that have been used by those giving the test.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>One needs to know and practice tuning with  the testing muting arrangement. as one develops personal</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>quirks as to how one sees the pins and where they are located.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It really threw me when I took the test. as my habit was to look at the damper head, to see which string </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>was leading to what pin.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The mutes block one from seeing the string, as I was usually able to do.</FONT></DIV> <DIV>Joe Goss RPT<BR>Mother Goose Tools<BR><A href="mailto:imatunr@srvinet.com">imatunr@srvinet.com</A><BR><A href="http://www.mothergoosetools.com">www.mothergoosetools.com</A></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE 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=paul@bruesch.net href="mailto:paul@bruesch.net">paul bruesch</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, March 23, 2008 5:34 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: To mute or not to mute</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV>I seem to recall reading that the exam piano is strip muted. Is it required that the examinee use the strip mute? or is it OK to pull the strip and tune it with a single mute??<BR><BR>Paul Bruesch<BR>Stillwater, MN<BR><BR> <DIV class=gmail_quote>On Sat, Mar 22, 2008 at 1:41 PM, Steve Blasyak <<A href="mailto:atuneforyou@hotmail.com">atuneforyou@hotmail.com</A>> wrote:<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE class=gmail_quote style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(204,204,204) 1px solid"> <DIV>Hey Now,<BR> <BR>Thanks Dale and others for comments related to strip muting. I use action cloth too, I think I got it from Piano tech. I pretty much agree with everything David Ilvedson posted on 3/21. I can see using the mute method tuning unisons as described on this thread on grand's. To me its just not practical on most upright/console/spinets. The string spacing is often inconsistent. Lighting and angles are often an issue. Also the mutes flop around and fall out. I have cut down the wire to at least minimize this last problem. Its just too frustrating to be enjoyable. In the end I tune unisons as I go with the action cloth temperament strip on anything standing up. Yesterday as an experiment I tuned a grand with a felt mute that has a tapered tip. It fits nicely into the unisons and its a method I could get used to. I went left to right though. I'll try the right to left as David Anderson has suggested next time. I already use this method in the sixth and seventh octave anyway.<BR> <BR>Again I agree with the stability statements and think tuning unisons as you go is the hot ticket. following this thread I have discovered there are several different ways to achieve this goal.<BR> <BR>As far as temperament tuning with mutes. I thank John Formsma and I can't remember who else posted comments. But anyway thanks for the encouragement to both of you (who ever you are?). Here's my thoughts on that. The test is given with the piano completely strip muted. I intend to continue my practice with the piano strip muted because it is my goal to pass the test. It seems to me to be logical to practice under same the conditions you will be tested on. My mind is quite feeble, not sure if it would be a good idea changing my whole routine at this particular point in time. I know that I will never achieve the ability of David Anderson and others on the list (no sarcasm intended), I'm just trying to learn and pass the test. After that I will try to hone my skills to a higher level. With the help of my friends on list of course.  <BR> <BR>Thanks again to all for the wealth of information. Have a great holiday weekend.<BR> <BR>Steve Blasyak<BR>Orange County Ca.<BR> <BR>Pura Vida <BR> <DIV class=WgoR0d><BR> <HR> Windows Live Hotmail is giving away Zunes. <A href="http://www.windowslive-hotmail.com/ZuneADay/?locale=en-US&ocid=TXT_TAGLM_Mobile_Zune_V1" target=_blank>Enter for your chance to win.</A></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>