Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
10
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
OUT-TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM
SOLID TUNING.
Byron Shaw, of Pleasant Hill, 111., in referring
to a recent article on solid tuning, writes me the
following letter: "Dear Mr. White—It has been
with great interest that I have read your articles
in the Technical Department. Your article on
solid tuning deserves special attention, for it treats
of the center of our whole profession. Jn my
experience, which is but a few years old, I find
that the correct position of tuning hammer and
aim is about the best and shortest way to answer
the question, "How shall we do solid tuning?"
When I tune an upright piano, I hold my hammer
vertically in my right hand or inclined a little way
from me, and rest my elbow on the edge of the top
of the piano. I find several advantages in sup-
porting the arm at the elbow. With this position
I can more easily move the hammer forward and
back with a nervous movement of the forearm and
wrist, without tending to drag the pins downward.
With arm and hammer in this position, I then
turn the pin carefully until I reach the desired
pitch and a trifle more. Then, before I release
my pull on the string, I deliver a sharp blow on
key, and while string is sounding I let up pulling.
Then with hammer Loose in hand, but still on pin,
I deliver a second test blow, and then while string
is vibrating I let the weight of my hammer press
gently against the pin from me. Then I give a
third test blow on key and am ready for the next
pin. By setting the weight of my hammer gently
backward against the pin, or as if I were going to
flat the string, it seems that the pin is set, and if
by chance it has been bent or sprung at all this
gentle backward pressure of the weight of the
hammer causes such defects to show up instantly.
My opinion is that no matter how carefully we
turn a pin, the other end or the end with the ham-
r mer over it will naturally be strained just a little
ahead of the end that is in the wrest plank; and
therefore the weight of the hammer backwards,
not a push or pull, will have a tendency to leave
the outer part of the pin in line with the inner part.
If I am wrong on any part of this, please correct
me."
Just to what extent the tuning pin itself is
actually twisted or bent is doubtful. The pin is
heavy, stout and strong. It endures a twisting
strain from the fact that the string is wrapped
around it while it rests in a socket in the wrest
piank. It endures a downward pull due to the re-
sistance imposed to its turning by the friction of
the surface of the wrest plank which incloses it.
It also, when in process of being moved by the
tining hammer, endures a bending strain from the
tendency of the tuner to pull the hammer down-
ward towards him in attempting to turn the pin.
There is no doubt whatever that the effect of
continued manipulation by the tuning hammer is to
bend the front end of the pin and grind out the
hole in the wrest plank. More than anything else,
o; course, as we can see by examining old pianos,
this bending and grinding effect is due to the pin
being prevented from turning evenly in its socket,
which again is a matter of construction. Still, the
pin does not bend merely because we jerk it once or
twice with a carelessly manipulated hammer. Many
such manipulations arc necessary to produce a per-
ceptible effect, although the evil begins to work
from the start. Mr. Shaw's idea is correct as far
as it goes, and if carried out will be found, no
doubt, to have the desired effect.
Of course, there is a great deal of purely aca-
Tuners and Repairmen
Can make good money installing; Jenkin-
ton'i Player-Action into used Pianos. Write
for catalogue.
JENKINSON PLAYER CO.
912 Elm Street, Cincinnati, Ohio.
BRAID
WHITE
demic opinion commonly expressed in print on this to get a good piano polish, a polish that I can sell
subject. The explanation that tuners sometimes and make a paying percentage on? Or can you tell
feel called on to set forth of their processes are me how to make a good polish that will do to sell?
ofttimes quite markedly more elaborate and com- Can I get good results from the following: Par-
plex than the processes themselves turn out to be affin oil and turpentine mixed together and applied
upon accurate observation of them. To ask for XJ piano case with'cheese cloth and then wiped off
an explanation of hammer technique is to invite with a second cloth with a little wood alcohol?
prolixity on the one hand and on the other to
My answer is that the less people mess with
tempt the expositor into enunciating pseudo-scien- piano "polishes" the better. Piano cases should
tific hypotheses, by the dozen, to account for the lx- washed with sponge and water and wiped off
observed effects. The whole matter, as I see it, with cheese cloth. Then they may be treated with
comes to this: One must turn the pin, and know liquid veneer according to directions. That is all
that it has been turned, without grinding away at most people should ever be permitted to do. Near-
the mouth of the wrest plank hole or at the bush- ly all the patent polishes I have seen are more or
ing, and also without allowing the string to hang less a nuisance, and in the hands of the unskilled
on the bridges and bearings. This, to my mind, is do more harm than good. The great trouble is, as
the entire secret, and the truth seems to be that always, ignorance. People want to buy something
we all do very much the same thing in handling in a bottle to daub up with, when what is really
the hammer witli these ends in view. We all do needed, usually, is water to wash off the accumu-
very much what M r. Shaw in one elaborate way, lated grease and dust. Piano cases need only to be
and others in ways still more elaborate, have re- kept clean and free from scratches. Dust and
peatedly set forth.
grease can be washed off, but to put polish on a
greasy case is merely to put grease on grease.
Wash them off with water, sponge and a little pure
Budget of Questions and Answers.
scap,
then dry with cheese cloth. Afterwards a
Mr. Shaw also sends in the following questions,
which I answer to the best of my ability, inviting little liquid veneer, rightly applied, will do all that
is necessary.
comment and correction:
Tuners should not be piano polish peddlers.
1. What is the best kind of mute to use in
tuning the treble section of an upright piano? 1 First, because polishes are not to be used by un-
mean the kind of which the use will save the most skilled people, and second, because if a tuner is
trying to sell polish he is not putting his mind on
time?
Answer.—I find the best treble mute to be a strip tuning. Lastly, polishes are messy nuisances, and
of hard wood about ten inches long and one-eighth the tuner is a party to a near-fraud when trying
inch wide, beveled to a flat point at one end and to sell them, not to mention the bad effect on his
with a piece of thin buckskin glued over the point- reputation and professional character.
The factory process of oiling off, as it is called,
ed bevel. This can then be thrust either between
two strings of an unison or between outside strings after the varnish has been rubbed and polished to
of adjacent unisons, especially if the beveled end suit, is to brush lemon oil over the surface, using
i.; made thicker than one-eighth inch at its begin- a soft brush and then distributing with a piece of
ning and tapers down through a length of three cheese cloth, afterwards wiping off all traces of
the oil with a cheese cloth wrung out in wood al-
inches to a point.
2. What is the best way to remove a screw cchol (not saturated or even wet with it). I have
without marring or scratching the polished surface not heard of paraffin oil mixtures and don't like
of a board when screw has a flat head and slot is the sound of them.
Anyhow, a sure-fire way to ruin one's career is
worn out?
Answer.—If there is room, improve the slot a t'"> go peddling polish. You might as well peddle
little with a cold chisel. Then slip a front rail shoe strings.
punching over the screwdriver blade down on to
Communications for this department should be
the surface of the board and hold it in place when
addressed to William Braid White, care The Music
attempting to turn the screw.
Trade Review, 373 Fourth avenue, New York City.
.3. What is the best tool to use in removing
flange pins ?
MUSIC FESTIVAL FOR SYRACUSE.
Answer.—The Tuners' Supply Co. and others
Mason & Hamlin Pianos, Furnished by Clark
make a fine pointed punch for this purpose. All
Music Co., to be Used by Two Famous Pian-
that is needed is a punch with a long, fine point.
ists During Festival to be Held in May.
4. Is there any invention or article to put on
the pedals of upright pianos to make them mouse-
(Special to The Review.)
proof ?
SYRACUSE, N. Y., February 14.—The biggest
Answer.—-The Widney patent trap-work and musical event of the present year will be the May
Music Festival, the details of which are being ar-
mouse-proof pedals are absolutely mouse-proof
and can be had from the Widney Co.. 101 West ranged at the present time. One of the most
Harrison street, Chicago. In an old piano, where interesting events of the festival will be a piano
large, wide holes have been cut in the foot rail, concerto played by Harold Bauer and Ossip Ga-
one can use an anti-mouse pedal spring, to go un- brilowitsch, using Mason & Hamlin pianos with
der the pedal foot, as sold by Hammacher, Schlem- orchestral accompaniment. This will be the first
iner & Co. and by C. F. Goepel & Co., New York, time in the history of this city that two of the
world's greatest pianists have appeared together
whose addresses may be found in this paper.
-">. As T travel through the country and small OP a program with orchestral accompaniment. The
towns I find there is quite a demand for piano Clark Music Co., Mason & Hamlin agent, will fur-
polish. Now, T should like to supply this demand nish the instruments to be used at the festival.
with extra good polish and at the same time get
Consult the universal Want Directory of
sufficient pay for my trouble. Can you tell me where
FAUST SCHOOL OF TUNING
Piano, Player-Piano, Pipe and Reed Organ Toniny and Re-
pairing, alto Regulating, Voicing, VarniihlngandPollihing
This formerly was the tuning department of the New Eng-
land Conservatory of Music, and Oliver C. Faust was head
of that department for 20 years previous to its discontinu-
ance.
Courses in mathematical piano scale construction and
drafting of same have been added.
Pupils have daily practise in Chicfcering & Sons' factory.
Year Book sent free upon request.
27-29 GAINSBOROUGH ST., BOSTON, MASS.
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.
PIANO KEYS BLEACHED
REPAIRED OR RECOVERED
Work Done in 6 to 12 Day>
and Guaranteed
Send Us Your Keys by Parcels Post
JOS. IIEGLEB * SONS MuunMtflle, O.