<HTML>In a message dated 3/11/03 11:00:22 PM !!!First Boot!!= !, piano@charlesneuman.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT= : 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Does anyone use the Papps sprin= g mute (which I see in the Pianotek catalog)?  What exactly does it do? Mute the outside strings while you<= BR> tune the center? And what about the wooden mutes with a split wedge? How are they useful? I'd love to improve my efficiency in the upper treble, and I'm open to various techniques, including strip muting, not strip muting, and using various kinds of mutes. Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks, Charles Neuman PTG Assoc, Long Island </BLOCKQUOTE> Charles I don't use the pabst mute, but I do use a split rubber mute, available from= Schaff. It works just about the same. I use it in the upper treble section = of upright. It fits right on top of the damper. If there isn't enough room, = you can even pull the damper head away a little, and it will fit behind the = damper. I put the spilt in between the right and middle string. The other go= es on the right of the right string. This allows me to tune the left string = with an octave, or fifth, or what ever interval you want. Then I pull the mu= te out, and it fits between the right string and the next note, so I can tun= e the middle string to the left string. I them move the mute out, and put it= in the next note, so I can tune the right string to the other two, and I'm = ready to go on the next note. As I said, I only use the split mute for the upper treble. For the middle, I= use two rubber mutes. I tune the middle string, pull the right muteand put = it in the next note. I then tune the right string to the middle string. I th= en move the left mute over to the next note, (which makes it ready to be tun= ed), and tune the left string to the middle string. And so forth. This method only works if you use an ETD. If you are an aural tuner, you wil= l need to strip mute the piano. Wim </HTML>