Although the first known attempt at creating a national organization for piano tuners goes back to 1892, it wasn’t until 1910 that success was finally in sight. Local tuners’ organizations were already in existence prior to 1890, such as in NYC and Chicago, as well as in other places, but it took a few men from the NYC association with a little fore-sight, prior experience with attempts at organizing, and a lot of will power to see that a national organization was not only essential, but that it was doable as long as some specific ideals were met. Here is an excerpt from the Jan. 1 “Tuners’ Association Bulletin” (subsequently known as “Bulletin of the American Guild of Piano Tuners”) citing a few of these ideals:
Provisional Platform of the American Guild of Piano Tuners
1. To elevate the standard of professional attainment by limiting membership strictly to those who can show a certain minimum of excellence.
2. To make the certificate of the association an object of general desire among tuners.
3. To educate the public as to the significance of the association’s certificate as a guarantee of professional worth.
4. To disseminate more thoroughly a general knowledge of the theory and practice of the tuner’s art.
5. To maintain the standard International pitch A 435.
These “Bulletins” were contained in “The Music Trade Review” magazines between Jan 1 and May 28 of 1910 and were under the heading of “The Review’s Technical Department”, a continuous column that had been written by William Braid White for many years prior. The “Provisional Platform” was also written by Dr. White in order to get things started for the Guild.
On Jan. 9th a meeting of representative Guild members was held at their temporary headquarters, also known as Dr. White’s apartment, which was located at 126 West 100th St. in NY. (A quick Google map search reveals that address is now a parking lot.) It may be interesting and instructive to relate the resolutions that came out of that meeting:
1. That the conference views with pleasure the evident intelligent enthusiasm with which the tuners of the country have received the movement for national organization.
2. That in accordance with the evident mandate laid upon the conference by the tuners of America, who look to NY for an initiatory step, this conference does hereby constitute itself the American Guild of Piano Tuners.
3. That a committee on organization, with full powers to act in its discretion, is hereby appointed to undertake the enrollment of membership and to transact all other pertinent business connected with the preliminary organization of the Guild.
4. That a committee on constitution is hereby appointed to draw up and submit to the Guild a comprehensive scheme of local and national by-laws.
5. That the Guild accepts the principle of organization through local committees, and declares in favor of this plan as an ideal toward which this Guild must strive.
6. That the Guild accepts the applications for membership made already by known and legitimate tuners through the Technical Department of The Music Trade Review.
7. That the Guild expresses its conviction that its aims and ideals are so entirely divergent from any entertained by labor organizations that a position of neutrality toward all organizations, whether of capital or labor, must be adopted and maintained by it.
8. That The Music Trade Review of NY, through its interest and encouragement of this movement, deserves credit and thanks, and that the thanks of the Guild be and hereby are extended to the Editor and Proprietor of that journal, Edward Lyman Bill.
9. That the Guild request The Music Trade Review to act as its official organ for so long as may be agreeable to the said Review.
10. That a second meeting of the Guild be held on Feb 6, 1910, for the election of officers for the first year, reception of reports from committees, and other pertinent business.
11. That the Guild authorize such of its present members as reside in the city of NY to form the NY Chapter of the American Guild of Piano Tuners, subject to suspension of adoption of constitution and by-laws until rules and regulations governing the formation of local chapters have been definitely adopted by the Guild.
12. That the Guild adopts, as an expression of its policy, the following recommendations, as made at the first meeting of the Conference Committee on Jan 2:
1. That the national officers for the first year be stationed in NY.
2. That this policy is dictated by the necessity for a coherent central body, compact and capable, for the preliminary work of organization.
3. That in addition to the central body of national officers, there shall be a national board of vice-presidents chosen from the large cities and important districts throughout the country, who shall become the local chairmen of city and state committees, working locally in their respective districts.
4. That the charter membership shall consist of all known and legitimate tuners, whose names are handed in up to Feb. 1, 1910.
5. That the fees for membership and annual dues shall not exceed $5 annually, the same to include the cost of an appropriate certificate and membership button.
6. That the platform already sketched out by W.B.White and published in the columns of The Technical Department of The Music Trade Review shall be considered as the platform of the American Guild of Piano Tuners until such time as the general membership shall express a desire to revise it.
At that second meeting of the Guild’s founders held in Feb., after several interesting and important propositions were brought up, it was resolved to do nothing until all the members were notified and asked to vote. Also, it was resolved to call the first convention to be in NYC during the month of August.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Defining things
DEFINITIONS:
Bill Ayres = of the weathermen
Bernadine Dorn = hippie, wife of Bill Ayres
Francis Fox Piven = bring the US down by bankrupting the economy
Obama regime = thuggery
Liberalism = spending someone else's money
Arab spring = Islamic tsunami
Republicans = step & fetch its
Democrats = republicans' bosses
Bill Ayres = of the weathermen
Bernadine Dorn = hippie, wife of Bill Ayres
Francis Fox Piven = bring the US down by bankrupting the economy
Obama regime = thuggery
Liberalism = spending someone else's money
Arab spring = Islamic tsunami
Republicans = step & fetch its
Democrats = republicans' bosses
Friday, September 23, 2011
William Braid White's Sidelight On History: The First Two Tries
1893
The history of attempts to organize the tuners and piano technicians of this country is longer than most men of today suppose. During the great Columbian Exposition in 1893 in Chicago, a group of these technical men from various parts of the country organized a National Tuners Association. Their purpose, so far as I have been able to find out, was to secure something like a fair level of prices for their work, and, to mobilize these recognized experts into a single national body. I can remember the late Benjamin Carr of Chicago, well known during his life as one of the best known of the tuner group in those days, had much to do with the founding and carrying on of the NTA, which, however, was unable to maintain itself against the negative forces of general apathy. It went to sleep; and declined thereafter to come back to consciousness.
1904
Some 10 years later, a small company of well known tuners, mostly connected with the more important music houses of New York City, met privately, and determined to form a society of thoroughly high-class technical experts, most, of course, from among the "outside" or visiting groups. Their expectation was to set up a sort of academy of choice spirits, who should be able to exert a strong influence upon the piano manufacturers and merchants of New York and of the eastern states. This was, if i remember, in 1904.
The local industry made no objections, and the first auguries were quite favorable. There was even a certain small favorable reaction in some other large cities; but again the destined life turned out to be sadly short. The thing would not hold together.
The top-ranked experts serving the great houses, and knowing themselves to be indispensable, considered that they formed a superior class and looked down upon their less distinguished confreres of the factories. The latter were jealous and the former very far from being fraternal.
As a song of the day, very popular among the habitues of the variety theaters, very aptly put it: "More work for the undertaker, 'nother little job for the casket maker."
Almost any other group of co-workers in any recognized activity could be brought together and formed into a permanent body; but the piano tuners seemed to be a "peculiar people." They may have loved each other, but their beliefs differed rather sadly from their practices. They may have called themselves brothers, but in fact, they were intensely jealous of each other and little inclined to entertain mutual fraternal sentiments.
The history of attempts to organize the tuners and piano technicians of this country is longer than most men of today suppose. During the great Columbian Exposition in 1893 in Chicago, a group of these technical men from various parts of the country organized a National Tuners Association. Their purpose, so far as I have been able to find out, was to secure something like a fair level of prices for their work, and, to mobilize these recognized experts into a single national body. I can remember the late Benjamin Carr of Chicago, well known during his life as one of the best known of the tuner group in those days, had much to do with the founding and carrying on of the NTA, which, however, was unable to maintain itself against the negative forces of general apathy. It went to sleep; and declined thereafter to come back to consciousness.
1904
Some 10 years later, a small company of well known tuners, mostly connected with the more important music houses of New York City, met privately, and determined to form a society of thoroughly high-class technical experts, most, of course, from among the "outside" or visiting groups. Their expectation was to set up a sort of academy of choice spirits, who should be able to exert a strong influence upon the piano manufacturers and merchants of New York and of the eastern states. This was, if i remember, in 1904.
The local industry made no objections, and the first auguries were quite favorable. There was even a certain small favorable reaction in some other large cities; but again the destined life turned out to be sadly short. The thing would not hold together.
The top-ranked experts serving the great houses, and knowing themselves to be indispensable, considered that they formed a superior class and looked down upon their less distinguished confreres of the factories. The latter were jealous and the former very far from being fraternal.
As a song of the day, very popular among the habitues of the variety theaters, very aptly put it: "More work for the undertaker, 'nother little job for the casket maker."
Almost any other group of co-workers in any recognized activity could be brought together and formed into a permanent body; but the piano tuners seemed to be a "peculiar people." They may have loved each other, but their beliefs differed rather sadly from their practices. They may have called themselves brothers, but in fact, they were intensely jealous of each other and little inclined to entertain mutual fraternal sentiments.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
The 1914 Annual Convention of the American Guild of Piano Tuners and Frank Morton
The fifth annual convention of the American Guild of Piano Tuners (AGPT) was held in Rochester, NY at the Hotel Seneca, from August 3 to 6, 1914. These early gatherings consisted of talks given by prominent tuners and other prominent "piano men" from around the country, discussion from the executive committee and delegates about the structure of the organization and usually included a trip to a factory, along with a banquet and election of officers. At this particular gathering, the first speaker, after the welcoming speech by the President of the AGPT Emil Kohl and various other reports from the different officers were given, was Frank E. Morton, the acoustic engineer of the American Steel & Wire Co. He spoke on defining the position of the tuner, and what responsibilities he had, within the piano industry and the tuner's organization. And he treated his subject in a very interesting way.
He stated: "Criticism is neither good nor evil . . . but it may be used intelligently or unintelligently, and such uses are termed good or evil respectively. A tuning hammer is neither good nor evil, but it may be used either constructively to bring order out of chaos or destructively as a deadly weapon. When constructive utilization exceeds destructive utilization, growth results.
"The AGPT under the destructive criticism of its membership will die. Under constructive criticism, it will grow. This constructive criticism should find its expression in the educational activity of its members. . .
"Most tuners have found the key note of the users of pianos, but I want to tell you to find and how to find the key note of the industry with which you are closely allied and upon which you are dependent. This industry is the manufacture and sale of pianos. First recognize your interdependence, and when the mutuality of this interdependence is freely acknowledged, the condition will be favorable for growth and development.
"Although the tuner always has been the manufacturers' critic, whose decisions voluntarily or involuntarily have been accepted and acted upon, he has been looked upon as a necessary evil rather than a beneficial agent. Occupying as he does a position between the manufacturer and the consumer, he must accept the responsibility and intelligently utilize every factor in the service of both. . .
"You now have an organization whose avowed policy is exclusive in its nature. You are seeking to make the way more difficult for those who follow. This is wrong in principle. You should make it easier in order that those who follow may use their strength for progress greater than yours. Their labor should begin where yours leaves off. The American Guild of Piano Tuners' can be and should be a firmly established educational institution.
"The only requisites for membership should be a good moral character and a desire to follow this vocation. The classification which now is made outside the organization through examinations, etc., should be made inside the organization thus permitting progressive, cumulative and continuous action by its members.
"With the present ideal standard of proficiency determining the eligibility for membership in this organization there is no incentive to activity. Its members have "arrived", hence no further effort is necessary. . .
". . . Let your object be mutual helpfulness and your motto be "No Direction Without a Corresponding Responsibility.
"Those industries upon which you are dependent and whose help and co-operation are absolutely essential to your welfare will respond at once to this key note.
"The American Guild of Piano Tuners' under the broad and liberal policy suggested through larger enrollment, will become a power for the proper adjustment of those conditions now deemed unfortunate. With this added power you will influence public opinion through such literature and such emanations from your publicity department as will naturally lead to discrimination between Guild members and non-members without recourse to coercive measures. . ."
Thus was the AGPT put under some well meaning criticism for the intended betterment of their organization way back when.
Frank Morton was Chairman of the Technicians' Conferences that would be held between the years 1916 and 1919 under the auspices of the American Steel & Wire Co., where Mr. Morton was the acoustic engineer. Now, the word 'technician' was meant to indicate men who were involved in the piano industry who were not salesmen nor tuners. Technicians were piano builders, scale drafters, belly-men, action finishers, regulators, voicers, etc. In short, they were factory men.
If it wasn't for the recording of these proceedings by stenographers, and then compiled into the book titled "Piano Tone Building", we would likely not know much of anything else about Frank Morton. But he was a well educated man, and looked up to as a premium authority in the realm of piano building and design.
He stated: "Criticism is neither good nor evil . . . but it may be used intelligently or unintelligently, and such uses are termed good or evil respectively. A tuning hammer is neither good nor evil, but it may be used either constructively to bring order out of chaos or destructively as a deadly weapon. When constructive utilization exceeds destructive utilization, growth results.
"The AGPT under the destructive criticism of its membership will die. Under constructive criticism, it will grow. This constructive criticism should find its expression in the educational activity of its members. . .
"Most tuners have found the key note of the users of pianos, but I want to tell you to find and how to find the key note of the industry with which you are closely allied and upon which you are dependent. This industry is the manufacture and sale of pianos. First recognize your interdependence, and when the mutuality of this interdependence is freely acknowledged, the condition will be favorable for growth and development.
"Although the tuner always has been the manufacturers' critic, whose decisions voluntarily or involuntarily have been accepted and acted upon, he has been looked upon as a necessary evil rather than a beneficial agent. Occupying as he does a position between the manufacturer and the consumer, he must accept the responsibility and intelligently utilize every factor in the service of both. . .
"You now have an organization whose avowed policy is exclusive in its nature. You are seeking to make the way more difficult for those who follow. This is wrong in principle. You should make it easier in order that those who follow may use their strength for progress greater than yours. Their labor should begin where yours leaves off. The American Guild of Piano Tuners' can be and should be a firmly established educational institution.
"The only requisites for membership should be a good moral character and a desire to follow this vocation. The classification which now is made outside the organization through examinations, etc., should be made inside the organization thus permitting progressive, cumulative and continuous action by its members.
"With the present ideal standard of proficiency determining the eligibility for membership in this organization there is no incentive to activity. Its members have "arrived", hence no further effort is necessary. . .
". . . Let your object be mutual helpfulness and your motto be "No Direction Without a Corresponding Responsibility.
"Those industries upon which you are dependent and whose help and co-operation are absolutely essential to your welfare will respond at once to this key note.
"The American Guild of Piano Tuners' under the broad and liberal policy suggested through larger enrollment, will become a power for the proper adjustment of those conditions now deemed unfortunate. With this added power you will influence public opinion through such literature and such emanations from your publicity department as will naturally lead to discrimination between Guild members and non-members without recourse to coercive measures. . ."
Thus was the AGPT put under some well meaning criticism for the intended betterment of their organization way back when.
Frank Morton was Chairman of the Technicians' Conferences that would be held between the years 1916 and 1919 under the auspices of the American Steel & Wire Co., where Mr. Morton was the acoustic engineer. Now, the word 'technician' was meant to indicate men who were involved in the piano industry who were not salesmen nor tuners. Technicians were piano builders, scale drafters, belly-men, action finishers, regulators, voicers, etc. In short, they were factory men.
If it wasn't for the recording of these proceedings by stenographers, and then compiled into the book titled "Piano Tone Building", we would likely not know much of anything else about Frank Morton. But he was a well educated man, and looked up to as a premium authority in the realm of piano building and design.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Alfred Dolge's Piano Hammer Felt (or you can't keep a good man down)
After Dolge was taken to the cleaners, and subsequently left Dolgeville, NY in 1899, he decided to make a new start in SoCal, just outside of LA by opening up the Alfred Dolge Manufacturing Co. in the new town of (you guessed it) Dolgeville California. In 1904 the company began manufacturing the same line of popular felt shoes and slippers as was done in NY, together with the hammer felt operation.
The advantages he had of having his operation located in such a favorable climate were many. The sheep were right there, and the wool, after being washed, was dried in the perennial sunshine, which would keep the wool more elastic, as compared to being dried indoors by overheating which was the way it was done back in NY.
Many of the men who worked back in NY with Dolge as heads of the different departments joined him out west, and soon his workforce numbered around 600.
The advantages he had of having his operation located in such a favorable climate were many. The sheep were right there, and the wool, after being washed, was dried in the perennial sunshine, which would keep the wool more elastic, as compared to being dried indoors by overheating which was the way it was done back in NY.
Many of the men who worked back in NY with Dolge as heads of the different departments joined him out west, and soon his workforce numbered around 600.
Friday, September 2, 2011
What ever happened to the Mason & Hamlin screw stringer?
Anyone who has tuned a screw-stringer Mason & Hamlin piano may have wondered why they abandoned the system. After all, it seems to be an extremely stable and well-designed one. In looking over the system, one may form the opinion that it is a decided improvement over the ancient tuning-pin-in-wood system. Well, the answer you will usually get is that it was just too expensive to continue, and in essence that is a true statement. Some may respond that it was too bad that they had to give in to the economics of it and discontinue its production. Others may say that they should have continued it anyway, because it was such a superior tuning system. I have wondered about it also, but there was a little more to the story as to why they discontinued the system.
If we take a look at it from the historical perspective, we find that in 1903 Mason & Hamlin was in real danger of going out of business because of its pursuit and continued production of the screw-stringer system. In other words, they gave it their all in pushing it onto the piano marketplace, endeavoring to make it popular, but it just didn't take. So it was the economics of it, yes, but more to the point, it was a matter of life and death to the Mason & Hamlin Piano Co., for if they were to pursue it, they would have gone bankrupt!
What did the tuners of the time think of the screw-stringer system? For the most part, they hated it! First and foremost, it was a sight more difficult to replace a string, and restring the whole piano? Forget about it! Less frustrating was the different technique the tuner had to use when tuning the screw-stringer, but nevertheless, was another reason they opposed the system.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Tuning in the 19th Century?
Yes, by the 1860's, tuning was a legitimate occupation, maybe even before that. By early 1890, we find local tuners' organizations already in existence. The bigger cities, such as New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston, to name a few, had local groups for years. But the BIG step was to organize these smaller groups into a national organization. This was first attempted in New York in 1892, just before the 1893 Chicago World's Fair Exposition opened. The impetus was strong at first, but it was ultimately short lived due to abuse of power by a few, and others not joining either from skepticism or misunderstanding the purposes of the organization. The tuners even back then were rather independent-minded.
Other attempts to organize were made , but it wasn't until 1910 that the idea finally took hold, and the American Guild of Piano Tuners was born. It all started with a group of seven experienced and forward-looking tuners around the New York area, and after their first year in existence, they had 50 members. By two years their numbers were close to 300! One of the reasons this latest attempt took root and thrived, was the determination and ideals that this group of seven had for the organization. They are enumerated here, in "The Tuners' Platform" -
That, along with their willingness to act as emissaries for the organization, traveling to many parts of the country in order to talk to independent tuners about the advantages getting organized, helped the organization to grow. That idea was carried on into the 1920's. Of course, not everyone they talked to joined. In fact I would have to say that the vast majority did not join right away, and most never did.
But this was just the beginning...
Other attempts to organize were made , but it wasn't until 1910 that the idea finally took hold, and the American Guild of Piano Tuners was born. It all started with a group of seven experienced and forward-looking tuners around the New York area, and after their first year in existence, they had 50 members. By two years their numbers were close to 300! One of the reasons this latest attempt took root and thrived, was the determination and ideals that this group of seven had for the organization. They are enumerated here, in "The Tuners' Platform" -
- To establish and maintain the highest technical and moral standards in the profession of piano tuning.
- To educate the piano owning public on the nature and care of the piano.
- To get the piano manufacturers to adopt a uniform warranty.
- To establish once and for all a standard pitch.
- To abolish the "free tuning", as it gives the wrong impression to the customer of that service, and abuses the tuning department. (Back then, piano stores had tuning departments)
That, along with their willingness to act as emissaries for the organization, traveling to many parts of the country in order to talk to independent tuners about the advantages getting organized, helped the organization to grow. That idea was carried on into the 1920's. Of course, not everyone they talked to joined. In fact I would have to say that the vast majority did not join right away, and most never did.
But this was just the beginning...
Friday, August 26, 2011
The Japanese Piano Invasion
When we think of the Japanese piano "invading" the US, we think of the early 1960's, when they began importing some pretty nice pianos here. But wait, there was an earlier time when the Japanese began importing pianos. Not many of us are aware of that, but it was in the 1930's when they imported around 200 pianos to the United States.
It was a short lived "invasion". Why? Because the pianos they were importing were not much different than toy pianos. One string per note, shortened keyboards, and small plain cabinetry was the whole of the Japanese import piano offering. I quote the Nov.-Dec. 1933 "Presto-Times" music trade magazine, which had an interesting article on the subject:
"...To make a small toylike piano is commendable enough so far as we can see, but
there are toy shops that could do this work. These miniature instruments probably
do have some tendency toward creating an incentive in children for the study
of music which in due time might call for a standard piano. But as for trying to
make a cheaper piano; a piano to sell at a ridiculously low price just because some
poorly paid artisans of other countries like Japan are doing it is, to all appearances
a tendency to encourage cheapness to the impairment of quality. Let them over in
Japan or anywhere else give their time to cheap, unmusical and unpiano production
but as for our own country and our own product we should keep to the legitimate.
However, it can be said that if something of the Japanese piano order must
be turned out in this country to meet the requirements of the Japanese importations,
there are factories here with capabilities for mass production able to master
the situation and thus minimize importations of even toy pianos."
Thus, the Japanese piano invasion fizzled out rather quickly. I think they learned something from that.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Dolgeville Felt Factory
Why did my wife and I want to take a side trip to visit Dolgeville? Actually it was more me than my wife, although she was a good sport about it. I wanted to see for myself what this historic place was like. Its long ago abandoned felt factory made the felt used in high quality hammers such as was used to make Steinway hammers, but is now a long lost art. No one seems to know what it was about the felt that made the piano hammers sound so good. Today they are saying "Wieckert" felt is made similarly, and is the closest thing to what was. Maybe so.
In April of 1874, when Alfred Dolge first arrived at that little Adirondack village in upstate NY, it was known as Brockett’s Bridge. By December 1881, the townspeople successfully petitioned for the name to be changed to Dolgeville, in honor of him, building not only thriving businesses, including the felt making firm, but also a thriving community with forward-looking ideas. The realization of these ideas were not without its bumps in the road however, and by 1899, his businesses were bankrupt, his dreams dashed. The story is laid out in the book by Eleanor Franz entitled “Dolge”.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
How to change pitch of pianos
That was the title of a booklet by George L. Maitland, who published it in 1915. He was also a regular contributor to "The Tuner's Magazine", published by Sumner Bales from 1913 to 1916. That magazine was published for the American Guild of Piano Tuners, of which Mr. Bales held membership.
Here is what Mr. Maitland said in his little booklet: First the tuner needs to know that the piano is in good enough condition to withstand the increase of tension. He goes through the various details in determining this. For instance, all plate screws and bolts need to be tightened, plate, bridges and soundboard inspected, pinblock checked out, and strings evaluated. A good light is essential to make these determinations.
He then goes into detail about correcting faults you may have found. I will just touch on them here.
Iron Plate:
Finding a crack or break, do not attempt to raise pitch.
Pin Block:
If a 3/4 plate, the pinblock must have screws or bolts running through to the stanchions in the back. If no bolts are present, then install them. Check for loose tuning pins, and repair ones that are. If the pin block is split, do not attempt to raise. If a full plate, just make sure all bolts are tight.
Bridges:
If split across the pin holes, repair first, or do not attempt to raise pitch. Take notice that the upper bass bridge (if wood) is screwed down, also that the bridges are screwed tightly to the sound board. If bridges are loose from the sound board, repair first.
Sound Board:
As long as the ribs are tight to the sound board, cracks are not a concern when raising pitch. But if they are loose, they must be repaired first, to avoid a rattle. He does not recommend shimming whatsoever. I quote one sentence from this section: "Anyhow, a cracked sound board is only nature's way of correcting the oversight of the piano maker who persists in making and putting in sound boards with no allowance for expansion and contraction caused by swelling and drying out of moisture."
Now he gets to the pitch raise itself. He advises getting the pitch up "against the bracing of the plate" as quickly as possible.
His method for a greater than 1/8th of a tone pitch raise:
1/8th of a tone in his parlance is about 10 to 15 cents in ours. First determine how much flatter or sharper one section is as compared to another by comparing octaves. That is, how does the bass section compare in pitch to the lower treble, mid range, and upper treble sections? He does not care to be precise in this, only to have a general idea as expressed in fractions of a tone, thus he says 1/8th of a tone, or 1/4 of a tone, or 1/2 of a tone, etc.
He begins with the lowest note on the piano, usually A0. To give you an idea of what his method is, he gives an example that the bass section is 1/2 tone flat (1/2 step - me):
Bring the lowest A "up one-half tone to Bb, making the A about 3 beats sharp of its perfect unison, Bb. Then tune Bb up to B natural, remembering to have it 2 or 3 waves sharp the same as you tuned the A," following this pattern until one octave has been tuned. Further quoting, "Now compare your upper A with the lowest A, the octave below. If your upper A is a few beats sharp, you are not far out of the way. Now, having your lowest 12 notes of the piano up to the proper pitch, use these 12 notes as your foundation, and tune up the chromatic scale in octaves clear up to the top...remembering to keep your upper notes tuned 2 or 3 waves on the sharp side."
"Accurate work by the above process is obtained by careful comparison rather than by fixed rule."
He then goes on to explain how the experienced tuner fudges this way and that, according to the piano and how sharp or flat each section is to each other, and how the piano is reacting as the work progresses.
How to mute and listen when raising pitch:
"It is perhaps best for even the experienced tuner to mute the strings in the usual way (using two rubber or felt mutes - me) until he is perfectly familiar with the process."
He then describes his way of muting by the use of his fore finger of the right hand ( or the hand which he uses to manipulate the tuning lever - me ). This adds speed to the process. When you get to the double strings and play the octave, tune one of the strings until you think it's right (as both are sounding), then check again by playing the octave, but this time muting one string with your finger, changing the pitch if necessary. Continue on in this way, and when you get to the three string unisons, mute two strings with you finger and thumb. However, "By practice a tuner can learn to easily tune one of the three strings to the octave even while the other two are sounding," using the finger to mute to test as needed.
OK, if the pitch raise is not a 1/2 step, but is more than 1/8th, how do you determine how much to over pull? This is what he says: "Well, suppose it is 1/4 of a tone. Use the lowest 12 notes on your piano, and if the bass is to come up 1/4 of a tone, just proportion it and pull just 1/2 as much as you did for the 1/2 tone, or, if slightly less than 1/4, yet more than 1/8th, proportion it the same way. Make your pull up just a little less than 1/4, using that nice judgement that every experienced tuner should have. (emphasis mine) Aren't we glad for the electronic tuning devices available to us? But this is how they used to have to do this. And if you're ever caught without a machine, this might be good to know.
Further advice:
If you think string breakage will be a problem, "turn your tuning pin back just enough to take the sharp bend out of the wire at the pin. Then give a quick turn upward to raise the pitch of the string..." . If strings continue to break after trying that process, "...turn back your tuning pin very slightly as before, then take a reed hook (or maybe a string hook - me), or other instrument, with which you can get a good hold of the string close to the tuning pin, catch the string close to the tuning pin with your reed hook, pull the string hard away from the tuning pin with the reed hook at the same time that you turn the tuning pin with your tuning hammer. Of course, you cannot sound your note while performing this operation...But if you should get the string a little too high by this method, it will not break when getting to proper pitch." If these methods fail, restringing "or let them severely alone" are your only other options.
Parting words from George Maitland:
"Finally, we can only say that we have used this method, which we have tried to make plain, for many years, and have always found it perfectly satisfactory."
Here is what Mr. Maitland said in his little booklet: First the tuner needs to know that the piano is in good enough condition to withstand the increase of tension. He goes through the various details in determining this. For instance, all plate screws and bolts need to be tightened, plate, bridges and soundboard inspected, pinblock checked out, and strings evaluated. A good light is essential to make these determinations.
He then goes into detail about correcting faults you may have found. I will just touch on them here.
Iron Plate:
Finding a crack or break, do not attempt to raise pitch.
Pin Block:
If a 3/4 plate, the pinblock must have screws or bolts running through to the stanchions in the back. If no bolts are present, then install them. Check for loose tuning pins, and repair ones that are. If the pin block is split, do not attempt to raise. If a full plate, just make sure all bolts are tight.
Bridges:
If split across the pin holes, repair first, or do not attempt to raise pitch. Take notice that the upper bass bridge (if wood) is screwed down, also that the bridges are screwed tightly to the sound board. If bridges are loose from the sound board, repair first.
Sound Board:
As long as the ribs are tight to the sound board, cracks are not a concern when raising pitch. But if they are loose, they must be repaired first, to avoid a rattle. He does not recommend shimming whatsoever. I quote one sentence from this section: "Anyhow, a cracked sound board is only nature's way of correcting the oversight of the piano maker who persists in making and putting in sound boards with no allowance for expansion and contraction caused by swelling and drying out of moisture."
Now he gets to the pitch raise itself. He advises getting the pitch up "against the bracing of the plate" as quickly as possible.
His method for a greater than 1/8th of a tone pitch raise:
1/8th of a tone in his parlance is about 10 to 15 cents in ours. First determine how much flatter or sharper one section is as compared to another by comparing octaves. That is, how does the bass section compare in pitch to the lower treble, mid range, and upper treble sections? He does not care to be precise in this, only to have a general idea as expressed in fractions of a tone, thus he says 1/8th of a tone, or 1/4 of a tone, or 1/2 of a tone, etc.
He begins with the lowest note on the piano, usually A0. To give you an idea of what his method is, he gives an example that the bass section is 1/2 tone flat (1/2 step - me):
Bring the lowest A "up one-half tone to Bb, making the A about 3 beats sharp of its perfect unison, Bb. Then tune Bb up to B natural, remembering to have it 2 or 3 waves sharp the same as you tuned the A," following this pattern until one octave has been tuned. Further quoting, "Now compare your upper A with the lowest A, the octave below. If your upper A is a few beats sharp, you are not far out of the way. Now, having your lowest 12 notes of the piano up to the proper pitch, use these 12 notes as your foundation, and tune up the chromatic scale in octaves clear up to the top...remembering to keep your upper notes tuned 2 or 3 waves on the sharp side."
"Accurate work by the above process is obtained by careful comparison rather than by fixed rule."
He then goes on to explain how the experienced tuner fudges this way and that, according to the piano and how sharp or flat each section is to each other, and how the piano is reacting as the work progresses.
How to mute and listen when raising pitch:
"It is perhaps best for even the experienced tuner to mute the strings in the usual way (using two rubber or felt mutes - me) until he is perfectly familiar with the process."
He then describes his way of muting by the use of his fore finger of the right hand ( or the hand which he uses to manipulate the tuning lever - me ). This adds speed to the process. When you get to the double strings and play the octave, tune one of the strings until you think it's right (as both are sounding), then check again by playing the octave, but this time muting one string with your finger, changing the pitch if necessary. Continue on in this way, and when you get to the three string unisons, mute two strings with you finger and thumb. However, "By practice a tuner can learn to easily tune one of the three strings to the octave even while the other two are sounding," using the finger to mute to test as needed.
OK, if the pitch raise is not a 1/2 step, but is more than 1/8th, how do you determine how much to over pull? This is what he says: "Well, suppose it is 1/4 of a tone. Use the lowest 12 notes on your piano, and if the bass is to come up 1/4 of a tone, just proportion it and pull just 1/2 as much as you did for the 1/2 tone, or, if slightly less than 1/4, yet more than 1/8th, proportion it the same way. Make your pull up just a little less than 1/4, using that nice judgement that every experienced tuner should have. (emphasis mine) Aren't we glad for the electronic tuning devices available to us? But this is how they used to have to do this. And if you're ever caught without a machine, this might be good to know.
Further advice:
- "Strike each key hard 2 or 3 times after raising (or lowering) pitch", and before the fine tuning.
- "Do not pull more than 1/2 tone at once."
- "We find that we can raise a piano 1/2 tone usually without hurrying and fine tune in 2 hours."
- "When you raise pitch starting at A0, you are putting the pressure right against the bracing at once, where it belongs. Hence, when your piano is up by this method, it stays
If you think string breakage will be a problem, "turn your tuning pin back just enough to take the sharp bend out of the wire at the pin. Then give a quick turn upward to raise the pitch of the string..." . If strings continue to break after trying that process, "...turn back your tuning pin very slightly as before, then take a reed hook (or maybe a string hook - me), or other instrument, with which you can get a good hold of the string close to the tuning pin, catch the string close to the tuning pin with your reed hook, pull the string hard away from the tuning pin with the reed hook at the same time that you turn the tuning pin with your tuning hammer. Of course, you cannot sound your note while performing this operation...But if you should get the string a little too high by this method, it will not break when getting to proper pitch." If these methods fail, restringing "or let them severely alone" are your only other options.
Parting words from George Maitland:
"Finally, we can only say that we have used this method, which we have tried to make plain, for many years, and have always found it perfectly satisfactory."
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