<HEAD> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <DIV>Unfortunately white rubber mutes seem to be no longer available.</DIV> <DIV>Anyone with limited sight should consider painting the edges of mutes with <BR>"White Out."</DIV> <DIV>Also be aware that you can get very thin wedge mutes and add a wire handle.</DIV> <DIV>(Does anyone have unlimited sight?)</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Ed S.<BR><BR><BR>-----Original Message----- <BR>From: pianotune05 <PIANOTUNE05@COMCAST.NET><BR>Sent: Feb 23, 2006 2:51 PM <BR>To: tune4u@earthlink.net, Pianotech List <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG><BR>Subject: Re: Thoughts for Newbies was RE: Spinet <BR><BR></DIV><ZZZHTML><ZZZHEAD><ZZZMETA content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type"><ZZZMETA content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" name="GENERATOR"> <STYLE></STYLE> </ZZZHEAD><ZZZBODY bgColor="#ffffff"> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Hi Alan,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I think I have the Schaff 204 mute that you mentioned, but I have a question about it.  The mute is a split rubber mute, but one part seems a bit thicker than the other.  For whatever reason, perhaps lack of practice and patience with it, I have trouble use it to mute in the trebble.  The handle gets in the way of the hammer typically, but I'm with you. I hate strip muting the trebble. I don't even waste my time with the bass.  I use a stick mute and mute off the right string of one and go down to the next right string, then when Im finished the bass, I go back and do the left strings.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>You mentioned making intervals sound good. I find that when tuning the bass, if I tune the tinny sounds out of fifths and fourths, Im usually right in where the note should be.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I'm new at this too, and I agree, join the PTG.  It's like being part of a family of other tuners.  So, Alan, if you have any ideas for any for anyone who is sight impaired on how to use that blue steeled mute you mentioned, please let us know.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I found that one way to know if the tuning is good on a spinit is when the customer comments that it sounds louder when I'm finished.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Have a good one.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Marshall</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>ps. I'm now an associate member of the PTG. I cannot wait to get my materials in the mail.</FONT></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=tune4u@earthlink.net href="mailto:tune4u@earthlink.net">Alan Barnard</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> Thursday, February 23, 2006 2:20 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Thoughts for Newbies was RE: Spinet</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4>Some thoughts.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4>If pins don't hold, Stop. You cannot tune that piano unless and until you deal with that problem.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4>As to muting strings, I strongly recommend that you order a Treble Mute (Schaff p33 item 204). It is misnamed: You can use it on all trichord unisons. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4>Place it as shown in the attached photo and tune the center string. Then move it one unison to the right and tune the left string of the unison you just worked on and the center string of the new one. Then shift it again, tune the right string of the first unison, the left string of the second, and the center of the newest one. Etcetera. Works like a charm in many situations. I like to use it in all uprights for the trebles that still have dampers, for example, because I don't like stripping behind dampers.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4>If you are tuning aurally (the hard road to making money but a great road to really learn tuning--if you persevere) then you can use the mute instead of stripping and tune the whole unison of each note as you go. This will FORCE you to develop good hammer technique, good unison tuning, and an accurate ear for intervals.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4>You should be able to strip mute all or most of that spinet but you will have to place the strip then carefully slide it down on the strings until it is well below the strike point. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4>If the block is weak, as you seem to have found, it is likely that the instrument is rather old or ill-used and the dull thuddiness of the bass strings is due to dirt, corrosion, and general aging. You can try tuning each bass single or bichord unison, one at a time, down until it is pretty floppy than wanging HARD on the key to break up the crud. Then carefully bring them back to pitch Sometimes it does no discernible good, but sometimes it makes a dramatic difference.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4>Some old spinets (a P.A. Stark I knew all-too-well comes to mind) will sound pukey no matter how well tuned it is. BUT at this stage, you shouldn't just assume that an instrument you are facing is one of those. You must work hard and long to make it sound the best it can. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4>Set a temperament that has three things for sure: Clean octaves, almost-pure but narrow fifths with acceptable fourths, and evenly progressing major thirds. Then, going down, you should tune by octaves--gradually changing from 4:2 to 6:3 by C3 or so--but tweak those octaves based on the same criteria as the temperament. In other words, extend the temperament across the bass/tenor break.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4>Going up out of the temperament, clean octaves, clean (almost pure) fifths, and evenly progressing 3rds (or tenths, seventeenths, etc.) still rule but your octaves should begin to narrow slightly in the fifth octave, tending toward slightly stretched 2:1 octaves and nearly pure 4:1 double octaves. You must learn the M10-M17 and M3-M17 tests. Also, you can usually hear the 4:1 by holding down the lower note, say D4, without sounding it, then strike and hold the double octave, D6 in this case, and listen for any beats in the ghost.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4>In a similar vain: As a new tuner you must not quickly assume that every hard-to-tune unison is a result of false beats (wild strings). Almost any unison can be made acceptable, if not good, with careful tweaking and solid pin/string settling. In other words, don't give up too easily here, either.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4>All this makes early tuning a laborious, time-consuming, and sometimes frustrating experience. But if you will read articles and books and list-posts on what you are doing, and concentrate, study, and THINK about what you are feeling and hearing, you will learn and will be a better tuner--and ultimately faster and better able to handle the ugliest pianos--than the guy who starts out just getting by and never really gets past that stage.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4>Join PTG, attend meetings, go to conferences and conventions.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" size=4></FONT> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>Alan Barnard</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=4>Salem, Missouri</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=anson.kao@gmail.com href="mailto:anson.kao@gmail.com">Anson Kao</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> 02/23/2006 11:46:43 AM </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Spinet</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2> <DIV>Hello everyone;</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I am just starting out with tuning.  I did my first Spinet last night and it was terrible!  I see why they say expensive grands are easier to tune.  The bass was in drastic condition and some of the strings had a dull sound that I couldn't identify.  Some of the notes couldn't hold the tuning, once I tuned it the pin would just slip back on its own.  Another problem I had was I couldn't figure out how to mute the outside strings for the treble--there was no space for a temperament strip and I couldn't figure out a good way to do it.  Thankfully it was just a friend's piano I was doing as a favour, and I got away with a rough tuning.  Anyhow, for any of you who have dealt with these problems before, any advice?  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks</DIV> <DIV>Anson</DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE> <P> <HR> <P></P>_______________________________________________<BR>Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></ZZZBODY></ZZZHTML></BODY>