A couple of cool tools for piano technology. Richard Davenport string tools and Great hammer spacing tool from B & K. Yes, I am holding it upside down.
Piano Technology
PTG National Convention
I enjoyed a couple of days in Kansas City this summer at the PTG National. These annual events are a piano nerds dream, with classes, presentations and exhibits about all aspects of pianos with a focus on technology (build, repair, regulate). This was the first national convention in many years where I attended as a […]
Old dogs
Some of you may have been following my very slow progress toward regaining my RPT status. For those who don’t know, the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG) provides structure to the industry of piano maintenance, producing annual national conventions and numerous regional ones that focus on education, training and professional behavior. In an effort to standardize […]
Piano Care
A high end piano, while weighing hundreds of pounds, is actually quite a delicate item. The 2 biggest dangers are swings in humidity and improper servicing. Humidity: While high humidity (greater than 70%) can cause inconveniences, such as sticking keys, it rarely causes true damange. Besides, in this day and age most homes that have […]
Book Reviews
There are 2 books I’ve been reading lately, one new and one not so new. The Voice of the Piano by Andre Oorebeek is a welcome addition to the sparse list of books on piano technology. This book is a very clear and thorough examination of the process of high end piano voicing, which concentrates […]
Tuning part 2
A single piano key sets into motion a set of 3 strings, all set in motion by the same hammer and all tuned, ideally, to the exact same pitch. This collection of 3 strings is called a unison. One usually sets a temperment by muting off 2 of the 3 strings in each unison over […]