<DIV>Can we define our terms here briefly.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>When I practice tuning, my instructor stresses to use a "hard test blow".  His hard test blow is an 'mf' (mezzo forte).  I am a trained pianist, and mezzo forte is not hard at all...but that is what he refers to it as.  If I should say to you play a 'hard test blow', it would have to be an 'ff' (fortissimo) or above.  For my very first tuning exam, one of the things I was tested for the loudness of my test blows.  I was told to hit my test blow an 'mf', which I did.  Then I found out it was not hard enough for my instructor.  I found out when he tells me to play a good 'mf' test blow, he really means a hard 'f' - 'ff' blow.  I understand what he means now, and I just go with it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Matthew<BR><BR><B><I>Quentin Codevelle <quentin.codevelle@tiscali.fr></I></B> wrote:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2180" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I asked my yam teacher who is a concert tech (of course) if he had enough stability with soft blows even with "heavy hands".</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>He told me there was no problem at all, like andre says, it is the tuning technique that seems to make the difference.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I went to a concert prep with him, I watched everything that was done to the piano, included tuning (with soft blows).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The unisons did not move during the concert (at least it was not noticeable).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Of course the D that was prepared for this concert was very stable, because it is exclusively serviced by the same tech.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Should we say that trusting our habit of making a final hard blow just to test the stability (taught by most tuning teachers, but not mine) reveals we have some improvements to do on our tuning technique?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>for my case, I changed my tuning technique really early because I've been aware of this really early, but I imagine this must be difficult for experienced tuners who have been tuning with the same method for years.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I think it is difficult to get a regularity, eveness with this "way of tuning" but the result worths it.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Eveness in hitting the key+good tuning technique= Eveness in the tone .</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This seems to be the right equation here.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Quentin.</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>Matthew Todd<br>Todd Piano Works<br>Piano Tuner/Technician<br>Tuning - Repairing - Regulating<p> <hr size=1>Do you Yahoo!?<br> <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mail_us/taglines/mobile/*http://mobile.yahoo.com/maildemo">Take Yahoo! Mail with you!</a> Get it on your mobile phone.