Music Trade Review

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THE
10
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
OuTTECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM BRAID WHITE
WASTE ENDS OFjMANO STRINGS.
Some time ago we were discussing in this de-
partment the waste ends of piano strings and
the tensions they have to bear. Mr. Wenzel-
Schmidt, of New York, who has done much ex-
perimenting in respect of piano string tensions,
writes me to the following effect:
"The waste ends of the strings have, of course,
the same tension as the sounding lengths, but
how much more does this tension count in com-
parison with the sounding length? The answer
to the question is plain. Suppose that piano
movers hoist two pianos of the same weight,
but one two stories high and the other six
stories. What is the difference between them
when the movers lift them? Surely, just as
much as the rope is longer in the one case (and
heavier) than in the other. In other words, the
waste ends of the strings are tensioned only as
their own weight is to the weight of the sound-
ing lengths; a few grains."
Mr. Wenzel-Schmidt does not express himself
with perfect clearness. The actual stretching
weight on both the ropes, or on waste end and
sounding length, remains the same; but it is plain
that the effective tension which the same weight
exerts is different in- the two cases. So far so
good, but be it remembered that this tension is
proportionate to the length as well as to the
weight. For instance, suppose we take the case
of the two piano-hoisting ropes and agree that
one of these is twenty feet long and the other,
say, eighty feet long, that is to say twenty by
four feet. If now, there is hung on the shorter
rope a weight of 800 pounds, it follows that
whatever be the effective pull per lineal inch or
tension per cubic inch of the shorter rope, the ef-
fective tension on the longer rope will be one-
sixteenth of this. And if further we remember
that weight increases arithmetically with length
and that therefore tension is to weight inversely,
it follows that the multiplication of the weight
by four means reducing the tension in the same
geometrical proportion. This does not mean that
the weight of the piano has become any less,
but only that the stretching force, when divided
up throughout the cubic content of the longer
rope, is, over any section thereof, so much less.
The same reasoning applies to the waste ends
of the strings. They have no more pulling
force against them than have the speaking
lengths, but this force is more effective per cubic
millimeter of their volume, or per any other de-
sired standard of dimension. Hence the tension
on the waste ends may properly be calculated
in accordance with the above rules. The conse-
quent unevenness of tension is one of the most
prolific courses of difficulty in tuning.
SOLID TREBLE TUNING.
"Dear Mr. White—I am a constant reader of
The Music Trade Review and would like to ask
your advice on what you think is the best method
to obtain a good solid tuning in the highest
register of the piano.—F. C, Philadelphia, Pa."
There are two aspects to a question like
this. One refers to the pitch and the other to
the setting and stability of the strings after
they have been tuned. In some makes of piano
one finds unevenness of structure which virtually
makes it impossible to obtain either a clear or a
stable tuning in the highest section of the scale.
We cannot omit consideration of the question
of "clear" tuning, as well as of stability, for the
simple reason that false beats in strings and
REPAIRS
other obstacles are so common and so much
mixed in with the general problem as to make
any neglect of them out of the question if the
subject is to be intelligently discussed. There-
fore we shall undertake to speak of this part of
the subject first.
There are two difficulties which commonly
arise in connection with the treatment of the
high treble of the piano in tuning. One has
reference to defective pitch sense, whereby
strings are tuned much too sharp or flat. This
sense of what may be termed "relative pitch"
must be largely the tuner's dependence in the
upper registers of the piano, because the ordi-
nary methods of test, such as are used to judge
the accuracy of tuning in the middle and bass
sections, become inapplicable in the highest re-
gions, on account of the impossibility of dis-
tinguishing the rates of the very rapid beats.
Hence the tuner is compelled to rely rather upon
his cultivated sense of natural pitch relations.
It is the neglect of this sense or some imperfec-
tion resident therein in which produces such
lamentably absurd results in the work of men
otherwise reasonably accurate and dependable.
It seems to be fairly well established that
ordinary people do not hear the highest musical
tones correctly. Apparently, if one can judge
from the usual preferences of piano owners, the
ordinary sense of hearing makes the upper tones
flatter than they really are, so that there is a
constant d*esire to have them more and more
sharped, until at the highest tones, from G 6 to
C 7, the sharping may be as much as a semi-tone.
It is against this insidious defect that the tuner
must constantly be on guard. He cannot satisfy
everybody, it is plain, where tastes so much dif-
fer; but he can and should endeavor to satisfy
at least himself. This largely means that the
tuner must train his own sense of hearing by
very carefully working the octaves in the highest
register. A mere tuning of these tones by esti-
mation of their relation with the octave below
is dangerously misleading, for the tendency is
almost always to tune too sharp. Consequently
the major triad should always be struck and in
addition the tone should be tested with the semi-
tone above its octave below for the purpose of
seeing whether there has been any undue sharp-
ing. Likewise, if the habit is acquired of run-
ning over the entire octave in chromatic semi-
tones for each -of the highest half-dozen tones,
the tuner will find that many defects will thus be
brought to light.
Pitch being thus disposed of, we must consid-
er the matter of stability. The short strings of
the highest tones are, of course, very quickly
thrown out of tune and it is not at all difficult to
see why this is so. For one thing, the fact that
the cross strains of the bass strings run in a
direction which directly cuts -the plane of the
highest treble section, implies that the strings
in this section must bear a pull considerably
greater than that which is brought about by their
own tensions. In fact, one usually finds—al-
though there are marked exceptions in certain
pianos—that the upper treble strings run quite
a little flatter in a given time than do the others.
Hence the double obstacle to stability involved
in (1) the necessity for pulling up from a flat
level, and (2) the liability to pitch changes aris-
ing from the very short string lengths. This lat-
ter point simply involves the idea that the very
short strings are so easily affected by any change
in strains that they cannot be expected to stand
All kinds of Piano, Player or Automatic Piano
Repairing. Actions Rebuilt or Installed.
Remodeling and Refinishing
CHAS. H. BARTHOLOMEE PIANO CO.
339 S. WABASH AVE.
CHICAGO
at pitch unless they are very carefully worked up
into place and equally carefully set.
In the circumstances, the tuner who has had
much experience will probably agree with me
as to the advisability of tuning the bass before
the treble and going over the highest section
twice. If this precaution is taken and if the
necessary care is had as to pitch, according to
the facts set forth above, there can be no reason
why one should not tune solidly in this section.
But it is quite certain that unless one does tune
the highest section twice, at least, in all ordinary
cases, there will be a rapid drop or else a rapid
rise in pitch. Usually the high section drops in
pitch quite quickly, and often as much as half
the distance it was originally raised. This possi-
bility must be watched, but it is not enough to
say that one will pull up twice "when required."
It is necessary, if good work is to be done, to
say that one will always go over this section at
least twice.
There is one more point which is related to
the others but is not identical with either of
them. This has to do with the perennial false
beats. Very few pianos indeed have a perfectly
even treble section with clear intonation on each
string and so one has nearly always spine bad
strings to deal with, In order to secure clear
or approximately clear results it is necessary
to acquaint oneself with the difference between
false and true beats, as heard in a single string
and between two strings respectively. This is
a matter of experience and observation, but un-
til the difference is understood and recognized,
success is not to be had. When it is recognized,
the false beats can usually be neutralized in the
course of the work by tuning one string against
the other or by similar methods which will oc-
cur to every experienced tuner at once.
Communications for this department may be ad-
dressed to William Braid White, care The Music
Trade Review, 373 Fourth avenue, New York.
BEATING LAST YEAR'S RECORD.
Lee Livezey, representing Jesse French &
Sons, pianos, at New Castle, Ind., being the local
retailer, reports that "up to the 20th of March
I sold as many French pianos as I did last year
up to May 10." Mr. Livezey attributes this
success to improved local advertising, to harder
work, and gives a great deal of credit to the fact
that he represents, exclusively, the French line.
A
LESSONS
"HOW TO CHANGE PITCH OF PIANOS"
For Good Tuners ONLY, who have trouble
when raising pitch of pianos.
P r i c e $2. sent by mail. P. O. Money Order.
GEO. L. MA1TLAND, 4806 Fairmont Ave., Philadelphia
FAUST SCHOOL OF TUNING
Piano, Player-Piano, Pipe and Reed Organ Tuning and Re-
pairing, alto Regulating, Voicing, Varnishing and Polishing
This formerly was the tuning department of the New
England Conservatory of Music, and Oliver C. Faust was
head of the department for 20 years previous to its dis-
continuance.
Courses in mathematical piano scale construction and
drafting of same have been added.
Pupils have daily practise in Chickering & Sons' factory.
Year Book sent free upon request.
27-29 GAINSBOROUGH ST., BOSTON, MASS.
Makes Players out of Pianos
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JENKINSON PLAYER CO.
•12 Elm Str««t
Cincinnati, Ohio