<html> <body> Geoff. At 12:17 PM 2/8/2006, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Greetings all --   I have been following the conversation on how to tune the fourth string on a Bluthner piano and what I noticed is that everybody appears to be guessing. I'm sure that is not really the case, but most of the responses sure read that way. </blockquote> Not from the post I sent. And I "think" several others sent the the same type of post! Avery <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Anyway, I deci= ded to do a little research and wrote to Bluthner UK directly. Below is my message to them and one R D Wilson's reply.   I recently had the opportunity to look over an older Bluthner concert grand. It had been in storage and was about to be shipped back out to the owner. In investigating the fourth string on this piano I sadly discovered that while the ones in the treble section were fine, all of them in the alto section had been deliberately damped off with stringing braid. So much for seeing how they might have been tuned. Why do you suppose this was done?   -- Geoff Sykes -- Assoc. Los Angeles   ========================== ========================== =======================     ----- Original Message ----- From: <a href="mailto:thetuner@ivories52.com">Geoff Sykes</a> To: <a href="mailto:info@bluthner.co.uk">info@bluthner.co.uk</a> Sent: Friday, February 03, 2006 7:03 AM Subject: Question on fourth string tuning Greetings --   Recently, on the Piano Technicians Guild email discussion group, there has been much talk on the correct way to tune the fourth string on Bluthner pianos. So far everybody admits to be either just guessing, or posting personal experiences that gave pleasing results to them. I thought that the best way to find the real answer would be to go to the source. Therefore I have a couple of questions:   1: Why was this fourth string introduced to the Bluthner piano, and what is it's purpose?   2: What is the correct, or suggested, method of tuning that string and how does the tuning of that string relate to the three unisons below it? In other words, is it tuned beatless to the unisons below it or is it tuned to a different partial altogether?   I look forward to your answers and hope that by adding them into the discussion we might all learn something.   Thanks --   Geoff Sykes Associate Member Los Angeles Chapter Piano Technicians Guild   ========================== ========================== ================   Dear Mr Sykes   Thank you for your recent email.  My apologies for the delay in replying due to my absence from our offices due to illness.   In response to your questions, I should advise as follows:   1.  Most manufacturers have tried to create a unique feature to their instruments.  Bluthner was a pioneer of thinking and development of his pianos and created the Aliquot system as a string which was affixed to certain models of grand pianos, was never struck but intended to vibrate in sympathy to surrounding notes when the damper restricting its movement was lifted.   The new Bluthner catalogue and technical information on the web site give further details and it should be noted that an Aliquot system is fitted to all Bluthner grands above the 5' 1"/154cms model.   The early Aliquot system was very clearly obvious, having its own bridge in the centre of the soundboard covering the alto and ending just beyond the treble bar break.  An individual brass stud was fitted to the slim Aliquot bridge and a string affixed.  This string was damped by a small additional damper on the side of the main damper.   The principle is that as a piano is played, the soundboard is naturally vibrating, therefore the Aliquot bridge would be vibrating, creating vibration on the string which should enhance the sound obtained.   As with any device, there will always be critics, but you and your technical friends in the Piano Technicians Guild will know that the Aliquot is indeed doing something as when trying to tune a Bluthner grand with the Aliquot system, clear tuning of the struck strings cannot be undertaken unless the Aliquot strings are damped.   On new Bluthner grands there is no separate Aliquot bridge and indeed the inexperienced eye may look at a grand and consider no Aliquot is fitted. This, as previously stated, is incorrect and the treble bridge beyond the treble break in the grand has four strings, all using the main bridge, but the fourth string being slightly higher and not actually hit by the hammer.   2.  Tuning.   Where the Aliquot strings have their own individual bridge, the strings should be tuned an octave above the unison.  Where the Aliquot bridge ceases and Aliquot studs are fitted to the main treble bridge, they should be tuned in unison or generally slightly sharp to unison.   As a practicing tuner/technician for some thirty-five/forty years and working extensively on Bluthners, I personally found that the simplest way to tune these was to initially lay a piece of listing felt over the Aliquot strings and tune the piano in the normal way, subsequently returning and playing the note an octave above the Aliquot string that was to be tuned, plucking the Aliquot string and tuning to the note struck an octave above.   Obviously when moving to the treble section where the strings are tuned in unison or just over unison, then the simplest method is to either pluck the trichord and the Aliquot string or play the trichord and pluck the string, tuning to unison or just over.   It is easy to talk about these things, but upon re-reading this email, I wonder if I have been clear or not, but hope this is helpful to you and any of your colleagues.  Could I say that if any of you should be in the West End of London, we would be delighted to see you at the new Bluthner showrooms at the address below.   With best wishes to you all.   Yours sincerely R D Willson     --------------------------------------------- Blüthner Piano Centre Ltd. 1 Davies Street Berkeley Square Mayfair LONDON W1K 3DB Tel. 020 7753 0533 Fax. 020 7753 0535 Email: <a href="mailto:info@bluthners.co.uk">info@bluthners.co.uk</a> Website: <a href="http://www.bluthners.co.uk/">www.bluthners.co.uk</a> </blockquote></body> </html>