Music Trade Review
Issue: 1953 Vol. 112 N. 1 - Page 20
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
PRACTICAL PIANO TUNING
By ALEXANDER HART
Formerly with Steinway & Sons Tuning Department, Instructor in
Piano Tuning, Teachers College, Columbia University, N. Y.
Registered Member of the
National Association of Piano Tuners
Notes of Interest on Tuning
Problem: No. 6
A PPEARANCE goes a long way
when it comes to musical instru-
ments. Good looks, however, can be
sacrificed in place of, let us say, the
strings are a quarter-tone below 440-
A.V.P.S. which is the proper standard
pitch.
How to get at the problem makes it
easy when one knows when to look at
a certain place for the problem he id
after.
I would recommend keeping the
diagram handy for ready reference.
N.B.—The letters "C. L." and arrow
pointing to Number 27 indicate a click
that would be on the hammer head
which may be loose.
The letters "L.O." and arrow point-
ing to Number 7 directs us at once to
the capston screw.
A minor problem if not taken in time
soon becomes a major one if not ar-
rested in time. Say, for instance, you
are serving twenty pianos in a large
conservatory. There are a few break-
s-was no matter how trivial which must
require attention.
Assuming you would go to your mail
box and find a note reading—"The A,
an octave below middle C makes an
awful rattle, also the D next to middle
C makes a prominent click when the
key is struck.
The Cause:
Always start from the key upward.
Take the key out, if acting free replace.
Try the whippen. Note if all is well
around the various parts, no tight flange
pin, etc., then proceed to the hammer
head. It can be pulled off quite easily
when loose enough. The rattle is
eradicated when the head is reglued,
not to break the shank trying to remove
the hammer head without using great
care.
Remarks:
Note: Be safe and make a pin hole
in the hammer head before regluing.
20
•Ct.
CHECK CAREFULLY THE LETTERS OP-
POSITE
NUMBERS
FOR ANNOYING
"KEY'S" AND REMEDY.
Piano Action Parts
1.
2.
3.
4.
Key
Key-frame
Key lead
Front-rail pin
and punching
5. Balance-rail pin
and punching
6. Back rail cloth
7. Capstan screw
8. Abstract
9. Abstract lever
10. Abstract lever
flange
1 1. Lower action-rail
12. Abstract flange
screw
13. Wippen
14. Jack flange
15. Jack spring
16. Jack knuckle
17. Jack
18 Bridle wire
19. Back check
20. Bridle tape
21. Regulating rail
22. Regulating button
and screw
23. Butt felt
24. Back stop
25. Hammer butt
26. Hammer shank
27. Hammer moldinq
28. Hammer top-felt
29. Hammer
30.
under-felt
Wippen-flange
31. Spoon
32. Middle action-rail
33.
Hammer flange
34.
Damper lever
35.
Damper flanqe
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
Spring rail spring
Spring rail
Damper wire
Damper block
Damper head
Damper felt
Piano- string
Hammer rail
ABBREVIATIONS
The letters R.A. signifies a rattle
The letters S.I. signifies silent keys
The letters S.L. signifies sluggish keys
The letters L.O. signifies lost motion
The letters F.P. signifies flange pin
The letters D.R. signifies damper rail
and spoon
The letters T.I. signifies tight pin
The letters W.P. signifies whippen
and this will allow the head to seat
properly.
Now we come to the second adjust-
ment — the clicking sound. Examine
the same way, the key first. You may
be surprised to find the felt punching
under the key was so motheaten that
it was hitting on wood instead of the
felt punching.
These minor adjustments out of the
way, a tuning lookover gets the instru-
ment ready for the day's practice period.
Problem 6:
This time, it is also rattles, but not
the hammer head or a loose flange
screw, only to find some pencils and a
comb fell on top of the keys. Removing
these trinkets, business goes on as usual.
Timely Suggestion
Pianos that must be serviced regu-
larly always be in playable condition.
Problem No. 7:
Appearance goes a long way when it
comes to a musical instrument. Good
looks, however, can often be sacrificed
in the place of the pitch being too low,
and a few other things that could dis-
turb anyone who plays a piano espe-
cially sensitive accompanists who vocal-
ize for a livelihood.
A number of ivories off the keyboard
surely enough don't look too good to
the eye. yet the serious complaint
dwindles down considerably when all
instruments can blend with a piano that
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JANUARY, 1953
PRACTICAL PIANO TUNING
By ALEXANDER HART
Formerly with Steinway & Sons Tuning Department, Instructor in
Piano Tuning, Teachers College, Columbia University, N. Y.
Registered Member of the
National Association of Piano Tuners
Notes of Interest on Tuning
Problem: No. 6
A PPEARANCE goes a long way
when it comes to musical instru-
ments. Good looks, however, can be
sacrificed in place of, let us say, the
strings are a quarter-tone below 440-
A.V.P.S. which is the proper standard
pitch.
How to get at the problem makes it
easy when one knows when to look at
a certain place for the problem he id
after.
I would recommend keeping the
diagram handy for ready reference.
N.B.—The letters "C. L." and arrow
pointing to Number 27 indicate a click
that would be on the hammer head
which may be loose.
The letters "L.O." and arrow point-
ing to Number 7 directs us at once to
the capston screw.
A minor problem if not taken in time
soon becomes a major one if not ar-
rested in time. Say, for instance, you
are serving twenty pianos in a large
conservatory. There are a few break-
s-was no matter how trivial which must
require attention.
Assuming you would go to your mail
box and find a note reading—"The A,
an octave below middle C makes an
awful rattle, also the D next to middle
C makes a prominent click when the
key is struck.
The Cause:
Always start from the key upward.
Take the key out, if acting free replace.
Try the whippen. Note if all is well
around the various parts, no tight flange
pin, etc., then proceed to the hammer
head. It can be pulled off quite easily
when loose enough. The rattle is
eradicated when the head is reglued,
not to break the shank trying to remove
the hammer head without using great
care.
Remarks:
Note: Be safe and make a pin hole
in the hammer head before regluing.
20
•Ct.
CHECK CAREFULLY THE LETTERS OP-
POSITE
NUMBERS
FOR ANNOYING
"KEY'S" AND REMEDY.
Piano Action Parts
1.
2.
3.
4.
Key
Key-frame
Key lead
Front-rail pin
and punching
5. Balance-rail pin
and punching
6. Back rail cloth
7. Capstan screw
8. Abstract
9. Abstract lever
10. Abstract lever
flange
1 1. Lower action-rail
12. Abstract flange
screw
13. Wippen
14. Jack flange
15. Jack spring
16. Jack knuckle
17. Jack
18 Bridle wire
19. Back check
20. Bridle tape
21. Regulating rail
22. Regulating button
and screw
23. Butt felt
24. Back stop
25. Hammer butt
26. Hammer shank
27. Hammer moldinq
28. Hammer top-felt
29. Hammer
30.
under-felt
Wippen-flange
31. Spoon
32. Middle action-rail
33.
Hammer flange
34.
Damper lever
35.
Damper flanqe
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
Spring rail spring
Spring rail
Damper wire
Damper block
Damper head
Damper felt
Piano- string
Hammer rail
ABBREVIATIONS
The letters R.A. signifies a rattle
The letters S.I. signifies silent keys
The letters S.L. signifies sluggish keys
The letters L.O. signifies lost motion
The letters F.P. signifies flange pin
The letters D.R. signifies damper rail
and spoon
The letters T.I. signifies tight pin
The letters W.P. signifies whippen
and this will allow the head to seat
properly.
Now we come to the second adjust-
ment — the clicking sound. Examine
the same way, the key first. You may
be surprised to find the felt punching
under the key was so motheaten that
it was hitting on wood instead of the
felt punching.
These minor adjustments out of the
way, a tuning lookover gets the instru-
ment ready for the day's practice period.
Problem 6:
This time, it is also rattles, but not
the hammer head or a loose flange
screw, only to find some pencils and a
comb fell on top of the keys. Removing
these trinkets, business goes on as usual.
Timely Suggestion
Pianos that must be serviced regu-
larly always be in playable condition.
Problem No. 7:
Appearance goes a long way when it
comes to a musical instrument. Good
looks, however, can often be sacrificed
in the place of the pitch being too low,
and a few other things that could dis-
turb anyone who plays a piano espe-
cially sensitive accompanists who vocal-
ize for a livelihood.
A number of ivories off the keyboard
surely enough don't look too good to
the eye. yet the serious complaint
dwindles down considerably when all
instruments can blend with a piano that
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, JANUARY, 1953
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