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THE: MUSIC TRADE:
REVIEW
THE REVIEW'S TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT.
Conducted and Edited by Win. B. White.
The discussion regarding the merits and other-
wise of the rival styles of tuning continues to at-
tract attention from our widely scattered read-
ers. Witness the following from a Michigander
tuner:
"Editor Technical Department:
"Dear Sir—I have read your article of Novem-
ber 18, regarding the merits of right and left-
hand tuning, and I would be pleased to offer my
opinion on the subject.
I believe that where a piano has been blessed
with a good pin-block, good pins (neither too
tight nor too loose), and when a full iron plate
is used with bushing for the pins, then I think it
immaterial which hand is used in tuning. But
when a piano has pins so tight that they can
hardly be turned, then better work can be done
as a rule by tuning with the hammer straight up
or by left-hand tuning.
"I think that some manufacturers are using a
pin which is far too light for the block. The re-
sult of this is that the pins twist, so that the in-
ner end is slow to respond to the turn of the
hammer at the outside. This is what tuners
call a 'rubbery' feeling.
"Concerning your remarks on string breakage,
I do not agree with you in your assignments of
breaking points in the wire. In my experience,
I have found that when a string is broken in
tuning, fhe fracture always occurs at the point
where the, string leaves the tuning pin. When
the wire breaks from playing it breaks at the
point where it passes over the bridge and before
passing under the pressure bar or through the
agraffes. The above statements are made from
a five years' factory experience and six months
of strictly outside work. Yours truly,
Grand Rapids, Mich.
"R. O. CIIIIWIAN."
Our friend is likely to revise his positive opin-
ions, we believe, when he has been tuning out-
side as many years as he can now count months.
What he has to say about left-hand tuning is in-
teresting, and, as far as it goes, comparatively
accurate. But he misses the most obvious point.
He fails to observe that we have all along in-
sisted that there was not, and could not be, any
question as to the mechanical superiority of the
left hand method of work. The left-hand tuner
possesses mechanical superiority in his work, and
it can never be immaterial which hand he uses.
All tuners are benefited by using the left hand,
and ought to acquire the art at their earliest op-
portunity.
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• We would also call the reader's attention to the
following appreciative note from far-away Iowa.
We confess that we like to have our readers talk
to us in this way, and we cheerfully admit that
it occasionally puffs up our breast and swells our
head to no small degree to be thus appreciated:
"Editor Technical Department:
"Dear Sir—Having gained considerable valua-
ble information from your articles in The Review
during the past year, we have begun to use them
as theses for our studies', to improve on our work.
"If it is not asking too much of you, we would
prize a few 'pointers' on sounding-board repairs.
"We have a great deal of this work to do out
here, and are in doubt regarding our methods.
"We have,' I presume, the same trouble with
boards out here that they have in the East;
cracks, opened glue-joints, loosened ribs, etc., and
one of our troubles is that where ribs are loose
from the board, only where paralleling the treble
bridge, we have great trouble in getting them
down to a smooth and snug joint again. In
some instances we have found this impossible.
"Another thing that bothers us is that we do
not know whether or not it is possible to restore
the original power or strength of tone, where the
board is opened or cracked considerably, or where
it is loose from the ribs. After fastening the ribs
to the board with screws we find some parts of
the scale still thin and sharp. And we would
like to ask you about 'shimming' the cracks in
the board, and whether there is any danger, if
this kind of work is done during the dryness of
winter, of further trouble when the dampness of
spring sets in. Is it right to set a vessel of water
inside the bottom board of piano when the instru-
ment is in a heated room, the idea being to pro-
vide moisture? Kindly thanking you in advance
for the trouble and thanking you also many times
for the good you have done, and are doing for the
profession, we are, yours truly,
Sioux City, la.
"HOLLEY BROS.'"
Where soundboard ribs cannot be forced down
on to the board, and where it is not advisable to
take them off entirely, it is better to work pieces
of leather in under the ends where the ribs are
closest to the board so as to prevent buzzing, and
then to fill up the space left by the springing of
the rib with hardwood cut to suitable shape, and
glued in. The whole thing can be secured by
screws. Never attempt to replace or repair ribs
without the use of glue. They should always be
glued as well as screwed down.
The idea of ribbing is to give the board stiff-
ness and rigidity, as well as to increase its per-
meability to impressed vibrations, therefore the
ribs must, as near as possible, be incorporated
with the substance of the board, and this can
best be done by using glue as well as screws.
Regarding the matter of restoration of tone, it
must be remembered that if the arching of the
board be destroyed by the strain of years of use,
culminating on a split across the surface, it will
never be possible to restore the tonal quality in
its entirety; but much can be done by careful
attention to repairing of ribs and filling of
cracks. The repairer must depend entirely upon
the circumstances of each case, but he should
remember that when the rib cannot be forced
down, the space existing between it and the
board must be filled up, and the new piece se-
cured with glue and screws.
Regarding "shimming," if the little strips of
spruce are properly put in and glued they ought
to stay in place under all ordinary changes of
climate, at least as well as any other glue joints
on the piano. In shimming it is well to try and
make the shims out of wood having its grain
running in the same direction ai that of the part
to be repaired. There is always a liability of
further opening of these cracks, and when a
crack is so far gone that the sides of it break
away from each other, so that one is higher than
the other, the best remedy is to apply a strip of
hard wood at the back of the cracked portion,
and betwoen two of the ribs. Let this be glued
to the back of the board at right angles to the
crack and then tightened with two screws on
each side. This will bring the edges of the crack
together, and they can be shimmed if still too
far apart, or if buzzing.
We do not consider it very good practice to
place jars of water in a piano, however excellent
in theory the idea may be. There is too much
chance of accident, and this outweighs the theo-
retical considerations, which, however, are of
much weight.
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The piano-player will not down, nor do we cease
to hear from amazed or enraged correspondents
who see fit to disagree with our published views
on the construction of that instrument. Inas-
much as the reader has heard a good deal of this
sort of thing lately, we shall prefer to give at-
tention this week to the following from a gentle-
man of Norton, Va., who has noted an unusual
point, and one of great interest:
"Editor Technical Department, The Music Trade
Review:
"Dear Sir—Regarding tile piano player ques-
tion, which you have been for some time discuss-
ing, I would say that you have as yet neglected
to touch upon one point that has been a puzzle
to me for a long time.
"I have had some experience with a number
of players, and find that all of them increase the
time of a piece of music. This will be more no-
ticeable if you take a very long piece wherein
the first part is repeated toward the end of the
composition. It will usually be found that the
tempo in the repeat is faster than when the part
was first played. I would be glad if you would
take this up in your next issue. Respectfully,
Norton, Va.
E. M. HICKEM.
At first sight it would seem as if our corre-
spondent had been allowing his fancy to run
away with him; but it is only necessary to stop
and think for a moment to come to the conclu-
sion that he is quite correct. All experienced
users of players know that the latter part of a
composition always runs off faster than the be-
ginning unless the motor is governed by the
operator in accordance with the circumstances.
The explanation is as follows: The take-up spool,
at the beginning of the piece, encounters consid-
erable resistance from the roll; but as this is
overcome and the paper gradually wound up, this
resistance is decreased, until the take-up spool is
exercising a considerable leverage on its own ac-
count and apart from the motor. Thus it is easy
to understand that when this point is reached the
work of the motor—its "load"—is greatly light-
ened, and the natural result is that it speeds up.
There is no apparent way of getting over this,
nor should we blame the motor. But intelligent
governing of the tempo will always serve to cor-
rect the defect.
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Look cheerful, brothers, Christmas is coming.
There ought to be lots of holiday tuning yet.
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Communications for the department should be
addressed to the Editor, Technical Department,
The Music Trade Review.
OLDEST PIANO IN THE STATE.
One of the oldest pianos in the State of New
York was owned by Catherine Curtiss, who died
about two months ago at her home in Baldwins-
ville, N. Y. The instrument is of the square
type and was manufactured in the year 1775.
The tone of the instrument is of the best, both
rich and full in quality. The parties that in-
spected the instrument state that there is but one
other of the kind in this State and being of the
same age. Several relic hunters are negotiating
for the purchase of the instrument. Mrs. Cur-
tiss obtained the piano when she was a young
lady and had used it up to the time of her death,
which was at the advanced age of 90 years.
Foster & Co., Rochester, N. Y., have issued
their semi-annual catalogue containing illustra-
tions and descriptions of their latest styles. In
addition details are given regarding the con-
struction of the Foster & Co. piano, which are
steadily growing in popularity.
TUNERS!
D O N ' T purchase any
new tools until you have
consulted our catalogue!
We make a specialty of
TUNERS' TOOLS, OUTFITS
and SUPPLIES at very
reasonable prices.
THE TUNERS' SUPPLY CO.
FRANKLIN SQUARE,
BOSTON, MASS.