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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
Notes of Interest on Tuning
T
HE hammer marked with XO signi-
fies the guides and sections. The
hammers that are marked plain "X"
is the starting point treble end. Keep
them all together and separate accord-
ing to number on diagram. Now start
fitting each hammer to the shank. All
set? With the piano action on table,
let us proceed. The cut also shows
OO
layout of hammers and marked 1, 3,
5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and so on. Let us
assume we have placed our guides
back on the frame, the hammers must
not be removed from the shanks until
all sections have the hammers glued,
then you will surely keep free from
mixing things up.
(a) Fit each hammer to the shank
with great care, holding it firmly be-
cause there is a tendency to strain it.
(b) Place hammer on shank again
then, and if too tight dilate and keep
a watchful eye on what you are doing,
especially so and with this all import-
ant preparation of fitting the hammers
on the shanks. (Note: I stress the point
important because it's a simple matter
to injure the bushings.)
(c) Don't dilate shank too much,
take plenty of lime, go slow and easy.
Put all your concentrated effort on
looking at something instead of hear-
ing beats .which is an opposite direc-
tion during this procedure.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, FEBRUARY, 1954
(d) Fit each hammer firm and
smooth before gluing.
Finish one section at a time, and
don't touch the guides for they give
you the alignment.
(Note: When near completion, you
can then remove hammers from
guides.)
(e) Having properly fitted No. 2,
6 0
lay aside No. 3, then pick up No. 4,
then you can adjust fit nicely between
3 and 5, each time laying aside an-
other hammer, in other words alternat-
ing.
You will find this kind of trick bet-
ter than yanking all the hammers off.
This is allright for new work in a fac-
tory.
Remarks
Before you attempt gluing on the
hammers, test once more to insure they
will twist around the shank evenly
when applying the glue. Don't use glue
that dries too quickly until you get the
hang of it. because you must work
fast. The word "fast" in this respect
is to be able to travel the hammers,
and be quick about it they don't go
off angle.
Suggestions
Do not feel discouraged if your
measurement of eye gets confused, the
next time you will do better. "Practice
makes perfect".
Perhaps you can use the same in-
strument for doing a little tuning. Who
knows!
It really does not matter how ignor-
ant of the art of tuning pianos you
happen to be, it's a true and pro-
nounced assertion that professional mu-
sicians, especially composers and ar-
rangers, wish they could tune their own
piano. It would seem to be a natural
means of self-expression. A little
thought, some training and encourage-
ment could do a very convincing at-
tempt, even at the expense of breaking
a string; or an effort to compete with
the professional tuner. There is al-
ways a certain amount of hard work
in pursuit of anything we are striving
for; nonetheless, it is also interesting
and worth the trouble when you get
the knack of tuning up unisons and
octaves first try this idea.
I will endeavor to write more about
this opening up of a new possibility
for an absorbing hobby in conjunc-
tion with what you are doing and
which ties up with your own musical
background.
More Pianos to Be Shown
of British Industries Fair
The British Industries Fair, Britain's
annual show window of new trade
products, will be held this year in
London and Birmingham from May 3
to 14.
Two thousand exhibitors represent-
ing nearly 100 different industries will
demonstrate to home and overseas buy-
ers a cross section of British produc-
tion. Consumer goods will be shown
at two halls in London Olympia and
F,arl Court while heavy industry will
appear at the giant exhibition hall at
Castle Bromwich. Birmingham.
The heavy industry section will again
cover the greatest area. Musical Instru-
ments will have the greatest display
of pianos since the war,