<HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content=text/html;charset=iso-8859-1> <STYLE></STYLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=MailContainerBody style="PADDING-LEFT: 10px; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; PADDING-TOP: 15px; FONT-STYLE: normal; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none; TEXT-DECORATION: none; BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none" leftMargin=0 topMargin=0 name="Compose message area" CanvasTabStop="true" acc_role="text"> <DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">On many Shteinveigh Und Zunz you have to kinda sneak up to the pitch. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">Gee, that was clear ....</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">Let me try again. The idea of setting the pin by jerking it slightly over pitch and back pressuring to settle it on pitch doesn't always work on the S&S. I have often found it helpful to use the slow steady pull rather than "notch" tuning on these babies. That way you can estimate the slightly amount of overpull needed and let it settle to pitch without putting any back pressure on the hammer. This is the ONLY way I've been able to tune the tenor and low treble of one particular M that I tune.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">Having said that, here's a quote from the Randy Potter Course: "Steinway pianos do not have plate bushings and some technicians have difficulty getting the pins in tune because their method of tuning ends up wiggling the tuning pin around (flagpoling), especially if the pins are tight. I find that I can get the piano into tune quicker, and it tends to hold better, when I use notch tuning for these pianos. And this is the method I was taught when I studied with Franz Mohr ... (at Steinway)"</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">See? Now that is different from MY experience. Is either idea "right" or "wrong"? No, I don't think so.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">Liz Baker, who kept the St. Louis Symphony's three Steinway D's humming sweetly for 21 years, calls her technique "wiggle, jerk, and bang." She puts a vibration energy into the hammer (the wiggle) then makes very small notches (the jerk) while hitting a sharp blow on the key (the bang). That's different than the slow pull I described above but anyone who can tune for Rachmaninoff concertos obviously knows how to set a stable pin, so her technique is certainly worth a try, too. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">Having said all that, I'd like to recommend the book "Different Strokes" by Ken Burton, RPT, available thru Randy Potter, <A href="http://www.pianotuning,com">www.pianotuning,com</A>. Not only are many concepts, theories, and techniques described but he begins the book by saying (page 3) "Every piano tunes differently." I sincerely believe that is true! </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">Steinways, perhaps because they lack collars, DO seem to have a characteristic feel BUT it is by no means specific or unique, and there is certainly no single approach that works on all of them, or any other type or brand of pianos.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">I have come to believe that ONLY tuning many pianos, with some experimentation and active THINKING about what the pins feel like, what different hammers feel like, etc., gives one the real skill necessary to confidently approach any piano and know that you can create a good and STABLE tuning. In short, I don't think you develop a "technique" with the hammer that is unique to you, unique to a type of hammer, unique to any brand of pianos, or unique to any piano, for that matter. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">What we must develop (it only comes with much experience) is the ability to FINESSE each pin into place--regardless of pin feel, string friction, etc.--based on the tactile and aural feedback THAT PARTICULAR pin is giving you as you tune it.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif">Though there are technical skills to learn and science and theory, I strongly believe that ultimately the ability to tune quickly, well, and with stability, is a rather highly refined ART. And it just flat takes time and experience to develop any art form.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Alan Barnard</DIV> <DIV> <DIV>Salem, Missouri</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=jimfrazee@msn.com href="mailto:jimfrazee@msn.com">James H Frazee</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To: </B><A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech</A></DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> 12/19/2005 12:39:26 PM </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Setting tuning pins</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT size=2> <DIV>What method<IMG title="Sleeping half-moon emoticon" style="FLOAT: none; MARGIN: 0px; POSITION: static" tabIndex=-1 alt="Sleeping half-moon emoticon" src="cid:410-2200512119215474842@13071999" MSNNonUserImageOrEmoticon="true"> do you use for setting tuning pins, particularly one that "jumps" on an S&S grand?</DIV></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>