Today, I had an opportunity, if you would call this an opportunity, to tune one of the worst rendering pianos I tune, and a chance to play with the lefty lever technique I mentioned above somewhere. I have many poorly rendering pianos. Some are just a pain, but some are really tough. This one, a 40 year old small Kawai grand is a bear...my worst one except for a 90's B.
So I tried working lefty in the 9:30-11:30 side, easing with the hand, technique as I showed in the video. Pushing the lever to bring the string up, either letting the lever naturally flex the pin towards the string, so it charged the front segment when the lever released, or sometimes choosing to press down on the lever while turning, to add more charge. Easing down, pressing down on the lever handle, again for a little charge after removing the lever. It worked pretty well, actually sometimes better than righty 12:30-2:30. Its doable, and I may use it more often for fine tuning. Down side is, the thumb is pushing the lever to turn it, compressing the thumb joint...not sure I like this compression as a regular movement. But it works.
Often after the rotation, I needed to actively flex the pin with the lever, without turning it, to move the string over the friction point, and place the pitch at target. Sometimes the flexing pressure was significant, and needed to be accompanied with strikes of the key. Most of the piano, I had to guesstimate small turning movements, and then physically move the string with the lever to target. It gets real old, but its the only way out.
In the capos, which are really bad, there was still no way out of adding some shock to the system somehow. Even when flexing the pins, they still wouldn't move. They don't bounce pitch wise, flat to sharp...they don't move period. I mention this, because its much more physically demanding than tuning even normally recalcitrant pianos. It may be the physical frustration Maggie described is unavoidable on these high friction beasts. It may also be that the physical wear and tear these horrible beasts present is not worth the wear and tear on a challenged body, let alone an unchallenged body. The combination of client recalcitrance to fix the problem (these folks have bucks), difficulty of the tuning on the body, and general un-fun-ness, makes it so I never call these clients to remind them about tuning.
So the tuning lefty works, but the nature of the super high friction piano is such that the wear and tear on one's self is only avoidable by avoiding the tuning, I'd say.
------------------------------
Jim Ialeggio
grandpianosolutions.com
Shirley, MA
978 425-9026
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 08-13-2019 15:01
From: Margaret Jusiel
Subject: calling all lefties
Richard -
"I finally realized I was holding my breath while I tuned. Not good for your health!"
HAHAHAHA!!!
"Finding a way to tune a grand with my left hand seemed really awkward, and ended up putting the hammer in a less desirable position on the tuning pin."
YES! My Levitan hammer just arrived today. :-)
"I consciously change positions as I tune; stand up, sit at different angles, etc. I try not to get locked into one place."
YES, again! This makes a huge difference for me. I think my biggest problem is I came to this profession with injuries already in place. ;-)
"I also got some insight into what an ETD-only tuner might feel about learning to tune a temperament aurally...."
I never thought of that. Hmmm... ;-)
EVERYONE -
Thank you again. I have a feeling that in the long run I'll keep tuning uprights left handed. Grands, I don't know yet, but I will be trying out my new Levitan hammer soon. :-)
------------------------------
Maggie Jusiel
Athens, WV
(304)952-8615
mags@timandmaggie.net
Original Message:
Sent: 08-13-2019 10:57
From: Richard West
Subject: calling all lefties
Maggie, I feel your pain from your descriptions. Wow.
I think this thread is an important one because we don't hear enough about what tuning pianos can do to our bodies. We all have to deal with pain in our work. I have to say I have had very few times when pain intruded. Maybe I was just lucky. I have tried to pay attention to what my body is telling me. I've tried to keep active and fit. I did go through a time when I was actually making myself dizzy. It was alarming. I finally realized I was holding my breath while I tuned. Not good for your health!
In regard to ambidextrous tuning, I have to say I tried it and gave up. I didn't really work all that hard at it, I have to add. It was very frustrating. Here's my rationalization, for what it's worth. Whenever I tune a good grand I need to bring all my skills to bear on that task. Much of my tuning was on vertical pianos. When I realized I was using my left hand more, I wondered if my right hand was up to the task of tuning a grand. Finding a way to tune a grand with my left hand seemed really awkward, and ended up putting the hammer in a less desirable position on the tuning pin.
So, even though tuning every piano with the right hand often puts me in an awkward positions with stresses that may be bad for my overall health, I felt I needed to position myself for being able to bring all my bodily skills for grands. To alleviate some of the awkward positions with verticals, I consciously change positions as I tune; stand up, sit at different angles, etc. I try not to get locked into one place. It's sort of like locking your knees in a choir. Standing that way may make you pass out.
I also got some insight into what an ETD-only tuner might feel about learning to tune a temperament aurally. It must be about as frustrating as learning to tune left handed. I don't know if the experience is totally the same, but I did think about it and gained some sympathy for learning a skill that you may not feel is needed.
Richard West
Original Message------
Not that I helps now but I want to share the benefits of ambidextrous tuning. I tune all upright left handed and all Grands right handed. I have tune 30-40 pianos a week for nearly 20 years and do not have back, arm or should issues. It was instilled in me by my teacher and I can clearly see the benefit as I see younger and newer techs who have been working much less than I have with all sort of complaints about shoulder and back issues.
The ergonomics of tuning upright left handed only make sense to me. For those looking to start to spread their work between left and right hand. Try a few notes or rough pitch corrects with your left hand.
Also have you looked into the Levitan tuning level shaped like a C that may offer even more relief for you. Just keep in mind it's very different.
I am sorry you are going through all this and I hope you recover well and are back to 100% in a timely manner.
------------------------------
Gregory Cheng
West Chester PA
267-994-5742
Gregorycheng.net
------------------------------