Tuning Techniques

[TwinkleFingers]

Anyone who tunes there own piano please talk in here and give some pointers to us newbs.  I've just started today with slow but successful progress.  I am being very careful not to overstrain the wires.  Any proffessionals or just experienced do-it-yourselfers please join in. Thanks

[rachfan]

If you have a junk piano that you can fool around with, then by all means, try tuning it yourself setting A at 440 with a tuning fork, then doing the unisons, testing against 3rds and 5ths, doing the duplex strings, and replicating each octave up and down.   Understand that tuning is not just turning the tuning pins, even if you have perfect pitch.  It is setting the pins, which is why the tool is called a tuning hammer, not a tuning wrench.  

I would not recommend that you start tuning your brand new Pearl River.  Put it into the hands of a professional to protect your warranty.  His tuning will be far better than yours, and there will be far less chance of a mishap.  I have a Baldwin Model L 6'3", and confess to keeping a tuning hammer on hand.  But it is for the very limited purpose of adjusting a few stray notes between tunings.  I never tune the entire piano.  It's well worth the money to have the job done right.  

[TwinkleFingers]

how do you set the pins?  i know you play the note hard and many times to set the string tension.  there is no hammering involved that I can recall

[rachfan]

By "hammering" the tuning hammer's wooden handle with the hand once proper pitch has been attained by turning the pin.  Next time your tuner is there, watch how he does that operation.  Those who believe that tuning is just turning pins are dismayed and confused when a few weeks later the piano is out of tune again.  It's because the pins weren't set properly.

[Brian Lawson, RPT]

Us professionals spell it with just the one f  

Basicly tune a string a little sharp down to its correct pitch rather than pulling it up to its correct pitch.

You can really only overstrain the piano wire if you are making it about a 4th sharper than it should be and then you will be getting broken strings.

[TwinkleFingers]

one f?