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PRACTICAL PIANO TUNING
By ALEXANDER HART
Formerly with Steinway & Sons Tuning Department, Instructor
Piano Tuning, Teachers College, Columbia University, N. Y.
Registered Member of the
National Association of Piano Tuners
CHAPTER 30 - Piano Tuning in Review
W
E are going to use the same
diagram for explaining the find-
ing and remedying of annoying
squeaks in the piano action that we
applied to our silent keys (May issue of
me Music Trade REVIEW). The ex-
perienced practitioner can spot them
—No.
to remedy certain noises.
A handy lubricant is a graphite lead
pencil that can be used efficiently.
(A) One form of squeak is in the
vicinity of the jack, the llange, and
spring.
(B) Follow the arrow near flange
pins where a squeak develops. Oftimes a
drop of effective lubricant does the trick.
No. 55
There are many helpful lubricants on
the market.
(C) One form of squeak that fre-
quently appears is in the damper spring.
On a spinet you will often hear all the
springs, noisy or scratchy, and easily
taken care of. Although the spring is
moved by the damper lever that has a
little notch covered with broadcloth that
contributes quietness, nevertheless rub-
bing sounds, unavoidably develop.
(D'l With left hand catch top of
traced to the pedal assembly.
No. 56
Diagram No. 1 gives a clear idea of
and where noises would occur in the
spinet. For instance, damper lever No.
9 shows where the felt is, and how
spring can be brought forward, also at
No. 30 and 31. jack llange and spring.
No. 11 damper fell can be watched for
tinkling sound when felt returns to
string. Quite often piano owners have
parties, and in the course of an evening's
enjoyment, some well-wishing happy vis-
itor drops a glass of water inside the
piano, generally landing on the damper
felt or on some bull flanges. A new
piece of felt will soon fix this trouble,
or not being able to find any in your
grip, take your tone regulating needles
and scratch the substance off.
No. 57
If VQU observe closely our action
i—
almost immediately, for his ear is
trained in that direction. Not so for
those just starting out in the field.
Whether it is in a grand, upright or
spinet, the diagram and explanatory
notes will suffice.
Some musicians' hearing is extremely
keen and sensitive, an almost disturbing
element when coaching singers. Squeaks
in the piano action are very deceiving.
It is best to use the process of elimina-
tion, thus ending a lot of useless
searching.
Suggestions
Don't squirt graphite on the parts.
Don't use oils of any kind because it
takes but a little amount of lubrication
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JUNE, 1951
Ci-iCKS.rR-FOR
—No.
damper spring bring it forward, and
give a few strokes between the felt with
a graphite pencil. Do this to all the
damper levers.
(E) From there you can often trace
a squeak to the pedal rod, yet this is
misleading, for the same noise can be
3—
model. No. 2, it is practically the same
as No. 1, the only difference is what is
termed a drop action or an indirect blow.
The other minor variance between them,
and as you can see. is the removing of
the action, and this is no criterion, or
(Turn («> rase 50, Col. 3)
49