Music Trade Review
Issue: 1946 Vol. 105 N. 5 - Page 29
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
I have often been asketl—what pro-
cedure do I follow when I am tuning
a piano.
FIRST AID IN PIANO REPAIRS
Jt
By ALEXANDER HART
Instructor in Piano Tuning,
Teachers College, Columbia University, New York
Registered Member of the National Association of Piano
Tuners
EDITOR'S NOTE: Piano Tuners who would like to further
their training are at liberty to consult Mr. Hart, c/o
Music TRADE REVIEW, 1270 Sixth Ave., New York SO, N.Y.
Information About Pianos
ALTHOUGH everything we try to do
is no harder than we make it nev-
ertheless tuners often experiment on
the piano action, that often interferes
with other parts of the mechanism.
Jf
Jf
Jf
It seems to me we should begin with
the most simple problems that con-
/ront us.
The Problem
Offtimes, we are prone to overlook
the things that require our first at-
tention.
1. To look through the strings and
see if all the hammers are rest-
ing in their proper position.
Jf
Jf
%
2. Be very sure to keep your hands
from resting on the keys, before
you attempt to remove the action
out of the case.
S
Jf It
This is not too much to ask for one
to remember, as the writer has often
broken a hammer shank, owing to this
oversight.
If * *
Hammers that rattle or click
This can happen in the wareroom
before an instrument is ready to be
moved to the purchaser's home.
a. When the action is removed, test
the hammer head, you may find
it is loose.
b. Caution must be exercised before
you remove the head from its
shank. Remove all the glue from
around the shank, then hold the
head with your left hand and
with the right, twist the shank
gradually — otherwise you may
break it.
c. Use a hammershamk
extractor
for such a purpose—unfortunately
they are quite hard to get just
now. When the head is removed
make a pin hole at the top before
you reglue it, the head will seat
better.
d. Be careful in putting the action
back—Keep hands off the keys.
This of course applies to the grand
piano action.
$ jf $
Piano tuning and the understanding
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY, 1946
Jf
^Continued horn
April)
of repairs to its action—mechanism, is
a calling for one who should be vitally
interested in all its phases, whether
elementary or otherwise.
The reliable piano tuner usually
keeps close watch on his tuning cus-
tomers.
*
Jf
Jf
What it means to be—a first class
piano tuner is when the instrument is
so well tuned, that music can be really
called the art of pleasing the ear.
*
Jf
Jf
There's one sure promising feature
connected with building up a tuning
and general piano service route, is that
there is always a returnable amount
of business that turns out to be in-
dividual.
It is a known fact that many piano
tuners can live very comfortably on a
certain number of loyal patrons—that
he has served honestly and faithfully
for many years.
Clients do not change dependable
service, so there always is a reasonable
amount of return and recommendation
which surely follows on the right road,
that nothing is too good for the cus-
tomer.
Jt
Jt
*
Let us take as an example a serv-
ice man who is called upon to repair a
Cash Register.
*
Jf
*
We must admit that seldom do we
find one of these mechanical devices
not in use.
*
it Jf
Rarely do we find this kind of serv-
ice man fiddling with the parts.
Jf $ $
Those who service typewriter ma-
chines is another example.
*
Jf
Jf
The repairs seem to be done on the
spot—
It is surprising how quickly they
diagnose the trouble.
Jt
Jt
Jf
I do not know of any method that
is one for all, as everyone who takes
a lively interest in tuning, always tries
something new—he likes to employ his
own way even if it is wrong.
Jf
Jf
Like any other line of endeavor—
patronage follows the right pathway
to the trusted servicemen.
Jf Jf t
This brings us now to a question
Jf
Jt
We like to suggest any idea that will
help the other fellow who is groping in
the dark.
A Procedure
1. It goes without saying that any-
one beginning to tune a piano is
able to tune fourths, fifths and oc-
taves in pure intonation.
2. When the circle is finished it will
be noticed that there is a differ-
ence in a few vibrations called
the "Wolf."
3. Laying the bearings to a certain
correctness, consists of altering
each fourth and fifth i.e., taking
away a small amount of the pitch
from each interval so that they
will receive a proper share of the
wolf, thus dividing the octave into
twelve equal tonal parts—
4. Of course this is the crux.
If we can divide the octave into
twelve absolute parts—
All tuners know this can only be done
according to his own judgment of—
distributing the "beats" between the
various intervals, and try to make all
chords harmonious in the diatonic,
chromatic, an enharmonic changes of
keys.
If all "ears" heard the same distance,
and all intervals could be tuned per-
fect and let it go at that, then every
musician, could and would be able to
tune his own piano — besides there
would not be any particular distinction
between timers anil I must admit that
there is.
I To be continued in June I
Set
of Keys
Recovered
with
IVOLOID
-N-INFLAMMABLE
$9.00 PER SET
_
F.O.B. Our Shop
^
FOR THOSE THAT L!KE THE BEST
IVOLOID PIANO KEY CO.
1361 61st STREET
BROOKLYN 19, N. Y.
Phone: Windsor 6-8078
29
I have often been asketl—what pro-
cedure do I follow when I am tuning
a piano.
FIRST AID IN PIANO REPAIRS
Jt
By ALEXANDER HART
Instructor in Piano Tuning,
Teachers College, Columbia University, New York
Registered Member of the National Association of Piano
Tuners
EDITOR'S NOTE: Piano Tuners who would like to further
their training are at liberty to consult Mr. Hart, c/o
Music TRADE REVIEW, 1270 Sixth Ave., New York SO, N.Y.
Information About Pianos
ALTHOUGH everything we try to do
is no harder than we make it nev-
ertheless tuners often experiment on
the piano action, that often interferes
with other parts of the mechanism.
Jf
Jf
Jf
It seems to me we should begin with
the most simple problems that con-
/ront us.
The Problem
Offtimes, we are prone to overlook
the things that require our first at-
tention.
1. To look through the strings and
see if all the hammers are rest-
ing in their proper position.
Jf
Jf
%
2. Be very sure to keep your hands
from resting on the keys, before
you attempt to remove the action
out of the case.
S
Jf It
This is not too much to ask for one
to remember, as the writer has often
broken a hammer shank, owing to this
oversight.
If * *
Hammers that rattle or click
This can happen in the wareroom
before an instrument is ready to be
moved to the purchaser's home.
a. When the action is removed, test
the hammer head, you may find
it is loose.
b. Caution must be exercised before
you remove the head from its
shank. Remove all the glue from
around the shank, then hold the
head with your left hand and
with the right, twist the shank
gradually — otherwise you may
break it.
c. Use a hammershamk
extractor
for such a purpose—unfortunately
they are quite hard to get just
now. When the head is removed
make a pin hole at the top before
you reglue it, the head will seat
better.
d. Be careful in putting the action
back—Keep hands off the keys.
This of course applies to the grand
piano action.
$ jf $
Piano tuning and the understanding
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY, 1946
Jf
^Continued horn
April)
of repairs to its action—mechanism, is
a calling for one who should be vitally
interested in all its phases, whether
elementary or otherwise.
The reliable piano tuner usually
keeps close watch on his tuning cus-
tomers.
*
Jf
Jf
What it means to be—a first class
piano tuner is when the instrument is
so well tuned, that music can be really
called the art of pleasing the ear.
*
Jf
Jf
There's one sure promising feature
connected with building up a tuning
and general piano service route, is that
there is always a returnable amount
of business that turns out to be in-
dividual.
It is a known fact that many piano
tuners can live very comfortably on a
certain number of loyal patrons—that
he has served honestly and faithfully
for many years.
Clients do not change dependable
service, so there always is a reasonable
amount of return and recommendation
which surely follows on the right road,
that nothing is too good for the cus-
tomer.
Jt
Jt
*
Let us take as an example a serv-
ice man who is called upon to repair a
Cash Register.
*
Jf
*
We must admit that seldom do we
find one of these mechanical devices
not in use.
*
it Jf
Rarely do we find this kind of serv-
ice man fiddling with the parts.
Jf $ $
Those who service typewriter ma-
chines is another example.
*
Jf
Jf
The repairs seem to be done on the
spot—
It is surprising how quickly they
diagnose the trouble.
Jt
Jt
Jf
I do not know of any method that
is one for all, as everyone who takes
a lively interest in tuning, always tries
something new—he likes to employ his
own way even if it is wrong.
Jf
Jf
Like any other line of endeavor—
patronage follows the right pathway
to the trusted servicemen.
Jf Jf t
This brings us now to a question
Jf
Jt
We like to suggest any idea that will
help the other fellow who is groping in
the dark.
A Procedure
1. It goes without saying that any-
one beginning to tune a piano is
able to tune fourths, fifths and oc-
taves in pure intonation.
2. When the circle is finished it will
be noticed that there is a differ-
ence in a few vibrations called
the "Wolf."
3. Laying the bearings to a certain
correctness, consists of altering
each fourth and fifth i.e., taking
away a small amount of the pitch
from each interval so that they
will receive a proper share of the
wolf, thus dividing the octave into
twelve equal tonal parts—
4. Of course this is the crux.
If we can divide the octave into
twelve absolute parts—
All tuners know this can only be done
according to his own judgment of—
distributing the "beats" between the
various intervals, and try to make all
chords harmonious in the diatonic,
chromatic, an enharmonic changes of
keys.
If all "ears" heard the same distance,
and all intervals could be tuned per-
fect and let it go at that, then every
musician, could and would be able to
tune his own piano — besides there
would not be any particular distinction
between timers anil I must admit that
there is.
I To be continued in June I
Set
of Keys
Recovered
with
IVOLOID
-N-INFLAMMABLE
$9.00 PER SET
_
F.O.B. Our Shop
^
FOR THOSE THAT L!KE THE BEST
IVOLOID PIANO KEY CO.
1361 61st STREET
BROOKLYN 19, N. Y.
Phone: Windsor 6-8078
29
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