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FIRST AID IN PIANO REPAIRS
By ALEXANDER HART
Instructor in Piano Tuning,
Teachers College. Columbia University, New York
Registered Member of the National Association of Piano
Tuners
Dealers and tuners can pick up some
extra practical training by addressing Mr. Hart, c/o
Music TRADE REVIEW, 1270 Sixth Ave., New York 20, N.Y
EDITOR'S NOTE:
The Elementary Phases of Piano
Tuning in its Relation to Music
"CAR TRAINING" should always be
considered a part of the piano tun-
ers daily routine, whether professional
or otherwise.
The idea of this column is to endeavor
to educate those who appreciate what the
other fellow is doing, for when a begin-
ner begins to know a few of the com-
plexities that surround good tuners and
his art, the more he tries to understand
it in its essence.
Furthermore, every tuner who enjoys
his work likes to put as much into it as
he can. The piano no matter what make,
style or size, should be viewed with cau-
tion, the way fond mothers think and
speak of their children; an old saying,
there is only one fine pretty baby in the
world, and every mother has one.
Spinets, consoles and small studio
types of instruments are here to stay,
and every mother who purchases one for
her child hopes to enjoy it, and may be
the one and only that just suits the
home, and all friends come to hear the
child play on it.
Referring to the last article, we men-
tioned about musical character, the ef-
fects of the same melody in two dif-
ferent keys though they seem to be alike,
are not identical, if it were so we would
be listening to the same kind of melody
without musical character.
There is a certain emotional effect
upon the ear, that is either pleasing or
sorrowful according to interval relation-
ships.
For instance, C is bold in its effect.
G has animation and flexibility. D is
strong and bold. E is distinguished,
rich and clear. F outstanding, massive
and clear. , B flat warm, and beautiful.
A flat tenderness with beauty.
Just for practice, we can use the trial
of F.A.C. The tremelo in the major third.
F-A should have prominent "beats."
A. True up the octaves of F-A.
B. Test this upper major third with
ones just tuned.
C. Test F and the octave A for a
tenth, the beats should be very dis-
tinctly heard.
Demonstration
The basic idea is to hear the marked
effect upon two different intervals and a
splendid example in this direction is to
test out F and D. The major sixth in
the key of F major.
Tune D from F until you hear a roll-
ing effect upon the ear. Just hearing
beatings doesn't always bring out the
full color of this interval.
D. It must qualify as a major second
in the second octave.
Look at the keyboard, F-A is a major
third, and A, octave above a tenth, is
worthwhile listening to.
Test F sharp, with A sharp a tenth,
then G and B a tenth, and G sharp and
C, the C above middle C all tenths, and
notice how gradually the beats increase
going up the scales.
Now return to the sixths. F-D, G-E,
and A with F sharp, is worthwhile work-
ing on. Let us take the D once more.
It must prove itself a major third con-
spicuous as F-A. The D must also prove
itself with all the intervals contained in
other keys.
The way to do this, find where the
D fits best, by checking all around the
temperament, viz., D fits itself with A
sharp giving us three major thirds. D
being the pilot.
Again the three thirds can be extended
to other intervals, i.e., from F sharp be-
low middle C. Thus F sharp, A sharp,
D and F sharp.
From D, once again, relates itself to
G below middle C, a perfect fifth, and
A a perfect fifth above middle C which
proves D is still a pilot between these
two perfect fifths and in need of fine
adjustment, because D again associates
itself with B below middle C or the sev-
enth tone in the major scale.
B is very important and cannot af-
ford being interfered with very much
because it is a minor third to D, which
lends itself to G, then G,B,D, and G, the
full chord can be taken care of.
There is a lot more to say about this
tone D it sometimes becomes modified,
i.e., it is necessary for composers writ-
ing music to lower D to C flat, flat a
whole tone, or lower D, a half tone D
flat or bring D up a whole tone E dou-
ble sharp.
As you will note these chromatic
alterations make a difference in tone
relationships.
A. V. Minifie Defends Tuners; Dealers
Give Customers Wrong Impression
A. V. Minifie, veteran tuner of Pon-
tiac, Mich., and one of the active mem-
bers of the American Society of Piano
Tuner Technicians, takes exception to
the opinion of John W. Reihm, whose
interview in the October REVIEW ex-
pressed the hope that tuners would stop
knocking the spinet type piano. In
a letter to the REVIEW Mr. Minifie
says:
"Was very much interested and
amused with the article written by
John W. Riehm of Peoria, 111., which
appeared in the October Review, rela-
tive to the "assinine ignorance" of the
tuner and teacher regarding the
Spinet Piano. He claims to have been
in the business 35 years. That is his
big weakness, if he were a younger
man with more modern ideas he would
not express himself in that wav. He
would go out and try and rectify the
situation and straighten it out, which
could be done very easily.
"In the first place does he expect the
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, NOVEMBER. 1945
tuner and teacher to go out and sell
pianos, if so what remuneration is he
giving. If he will play square with
the tuner and teacher he will find they
will play square with him. In the first
place what has the average dealer done
to help the tuner, or the teacher for
that matter? Granted that during the
depression the piano business was in
the doldrums. Some tuners were be-
The ROCKWELL
SCHOOL OF T U N I N G
a modern school offer!nq
a 26-week course in all
phases of piano tuning
and repairing.
•
Send for Prospectus
Rockwell School of Tuning
C. A. ROCKWELL
315 Market St.
Clearfield, Pa.
29