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<BODY style="BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER=
-LEFT-STYLE: none; BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none"><BR>Some great tips..good=
job Geoff...<BR><BR>David Ilvedson, RPT<BR>Pacifica, California<BR><BR=
><BR><BR>
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Original message<BR>From: "Geoff Sykes" <THETUNER@IVORIES52.COM><BR>To:=
"Pianotech@Ptg. Org" <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG><BR>Received: 2/8/2006 10:17:5=
6 AM<BR>Subject: Bluthner on Bluthner<BR><BR>
<DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=593465917-0=
8022006>Greetings all --</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=593465917-08022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=593465917-08022006>I hav=
e 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 r=
esponses sure read that way. Anyway, I decided to do a little research =
and wrote to Bluthner UK directly. Below is my message to them and one =
R D Wilson's reply. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=593465917-08022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=593465917-08022006>I rec=
ently 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 own=
er. 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 th=
e alto section had been deliberately damped off with stringing braid. S=
o much for seeing how they might have been tuned. Why do you suppose th=
is was done?</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=593465917-08022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=593465917-08022006>-- Ge=
off Sykes</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=593465917-08022006>-- As=
soc. Los Angeles</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=593465917-08022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=593465917-08022006>===
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=======================</=
SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=593465917-08022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=593465917-08022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=+0><SPAN class=593465917-08022006>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"=
><B>From:</B> <A title=thetuner@ivories52.com href="mailto:thetuner=
@ivories52.com">Geoff Sykes</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=info@bluthner.co.=
uk href="mailto:info@bluthner.co.uk">info@bluthner.co.uk</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, February 03, 2006 =
7:03 AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Question on fourth stri=
ng tuning</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><BR><FONT size=2></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006>Greet=
ings --</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006>Recen=
tly, on the Piano Technicians Guild email discussion group, there has b=
een much talk on the correct way to tune the fourth string on Blut=
hner pianos. So far everybody admits to be either just guessi=
ng, or posting personal experiences that gave pleasing results to =
them. I thought that the best way to find the real answer would be to g=
o to the source. Therefore I have a couple of questions:</SPAN></FONT><=
/DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006>1: Wh=
y was this fourth string introduced to the Bluthner piano, and what is =
it's purpose?</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006>2: Wh=
at is the correct, or suggested, method of tuning that string and how d=
oes 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?</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006>I loo=
k forward to your answers and hope that by adding them into the discuss=
ion we might all learn something.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006>Thank=
s --</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006>Geoff=
Sykes</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006>Assoc=
iate Member</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006>Los A=
ngeles Chapter</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006>Piano=
Technicians Guild</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006><SPAN=
class=593465917-08022006>================
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=========================
===</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=093434906-03022006></SPA=
N></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=093434906-03022006>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dear Mr Sykes</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Thank you for your recent email. =
My apologies for the delay in replying due to my absence from our offi=
ces due to illness.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In response to your questions, I shoul=
d advise as follows:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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 Aliqu=
ot system as a string which was affixed to certain models of grand pian=
os, was never struck but intended to vibrate in sympathy to surrounding=
notes when the damper restricting its movement was lifted.</FONT></DIV=
>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The new Bluthner catalogue and technic=
al information on the web site give further details and it should be no=
ted that an Aliquot system is fitted to all Bluthner grands above the 5=
' 1"/154cms model.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The early Aliquot system was very clea=
rly obvious, having its own bridge in the centre of the soundboard cove=
ring the alto and ending just beyond the treble bar break. An ind=
ividual brass stud was fitted to the slim Aliquot bridge and a string a=
ffixed. This string was damped by a small additional damper on th=
e side of the main damper.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The principle is that as a piano is pl=
ayed, the soundboard is naturally vibrating, therefore the Aliquot brid=
ge would be vibrating, creating vibration on the string which should en=
hance the sound obtained.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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 try=
ing to tune a Bluthner grand with the Aliquot system, clear tuning of t=
he struck strings cannot be undertaken unless the Aliquot strings are d=
amped.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On new Bluthner grands there is no sep=
arate Aliquot bridge and indeed the inexperienced eye may look at a gra=
nd and consider no Aliquot is fitted. This, as previously stated, is in=
correct and the treble bridge beyond the treble break in the grand has =
four strings, all using the main bridge, but the fourth string being sl=
ightly higher and not actually hit by the hammer.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>2. Tuning.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Where the Aliquot strings have their o=
wn individual bridge, the strings should be tuned an octave above the u=
nison. Where the Aliquot bridge ceases and Aliquot studs are fitt=
ed to the main treble bridge, they should be tuned in unison or general=
ly slightly sharp to unison.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As a practicing tuner/technician for s=
ome thirty-five/forty years and working extensively on Bluthners, I per=
sonally 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 a=
bove the Aliquot string that was to be tuned, plucking the Aliquot stri=
ng and tuning to the note struck an octave above.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Obviously when moving to the treble se=
ction where the strings are tuned in unison or just over unison, then t=
he simplest method is to either pluck the trichord and the Aliquot stri=
ng or play the trichord and pluck the string, tuning to unison or =
just over.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.&n=
bsp; 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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>With best wishes to you all.</FONT></D=
IV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Yours sincerely</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>R D Willson</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>--------------------------------------=
-------<BR>Blüthner Piano Centre Ltd.<BR>1 Davies Street<BR>Berkeley =
Square<BR>Mayfair<BR>LONDON W1K 3DB<BR>Tel. 020 7753 0533<BR>Fax. 020 7=
753 0535<BR>Email: </FONT><A href="mailto:info@bluthners.co.uk"><FONT=
face=Arial size=2>info@bluthners.co.uk</FONT></A><BR><FONT face==
Arial size=2>Website: </FONT><A href="http://www.bluthners.co.uk/">=
<FONT face=Arial size=2>www.bluthners.co.uk</FONT></A><BR></DIV></S=
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