J. Cree Fischer - Piano Tuning

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J. CREE FISCHER

PIANO TUNING

A SIMPLE AND ACCURATE METHOD
FOR AMATEURS

DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC.
NEW YORK

Copyright (c) 1907 by Theo. Presser.

All rights reserved under Pan American and International Copyright
Conventions.

Published in Canada by General Publishing Company, Ltd., 30 Lesmill
Road, Don Mills, Toronto, Ontario.

Published in the United Kingdom by Constable and Company, Ltd., 10
Orange Street, London WC 2.

This Dover edition, first published in 1975, is a republication of the
work originally published in Philadelphia in 1907. The following
sections have been omitted from the present edition because they were
out-of-date: Practical Application of Piano Tuning as a Profession,
Business Hints, Ideas in Advertising, and Charges for Services. This
edition is reprinted by special arrangement with Theodore Presser
Company, Presser Place, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, publisher of the
original edition.

_International Standard Book Number: 0-486-23267-0_

_Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 75-14759_

Manufactured in the United States of America

Dover Publications, Inc.

180 Varick Street

New York, N.Y. 10014

PREFACE.

For some years past a lack of competent men in the profession of Piano
Tuning has been generally acknowledged. This may be accounted for as
follows: The immense popularity of the piano and the assiduous efforts
of factories and salesmen have led to the result that nearly every
well-to-do household is furnished with an instrument. To supply this
demand the annual production and sale for the year 1906 is estimated
at three hundred thousand pianos in the United States. These pianos
must be tuned many times in the factory before they are shipped to the
salesroom; there they must be kept in tune until sold. When, finally,
they take up their permanent abode in the homes of the purchasers,
they should be given the attention of the tuner at least twice a year.
This means work for the tuner. But this is not all. Presuming that the
average life of the piano is about fifty years, it is evident that
there exists in this country an accumulation of instruments variously
estimated at from four to five millions. This means _more work for
tuners_.

While production and accumulation have been increasing, there has been
little, if any, effort made to provide tuners to look after the needs
of this ever-increasing number of instruments, no provision for the
thorough instruction of the learner of Piano Tuning, outside the walls
of the factories, and of the few musical colleges where the art is
taught. Doubtless there are many persons who are by nature well
adapted to this agreeable and profitable occupation--persons who would
make earnest effort to acquire the necessary skill and its honest
application if they had a favorable opportunity. Musical colleges in
which tuning is taught are few and far between; piano factories are
built for the purpose of producing pianos and not tuners, for
mechanics and laborers and not for teachers and pupils; furthermore,
very little fine tuning is done in the factory; rough tuning is the
bulk of the work there, and a long apprenticeship in the factory, with
its meager advantages, is rarely sufficient to meet the demands of the
would-be-thorough tuner. This may account, in part, for the fact that
many who are incompetent are following this profession, and that
there is an increasing demand for tuners of skill.

In view of these facts the author came to the opinion that if a course
of instruction were prepared which would demonstrate clearly the many
abstruse details of the art in an interesting and comprehensible way,
it would be appreciated by those who are desirous to learn. Acting
upon this impulse, he began the preparation of such a course.

The present book is the outgrowth of a course of instruction, used
successfully with pupils from various parts of the United States and
Canada, conducted partly by correspondence; partly at the school
directed by the author. Although it has been necessary to revise the
course somewhat for publication in the present form, no essential
matter has been omitted and much has been added.

In preparing this course of study the utmost effort has been made to
present the various topics in the clearest, most comprehensive manner,
literary excellence being a secondary consideration.

While the book is designed for self-instruction, the systematic
arrangement of the text, and the review questions with each lesson,
suggest its use as a text-book for schools and colleges which give
personal training in the care of the piano.

To the talented individual of either sex who is ambitious to acquire a
dignified and profitable profession, to the scientifically-inclined
musician who is eager to learn the fundamental principles underlying
all musical harmony, and finally to the non-professional who loves to
read because of a fondness for science, the book is submitted; if it
should prove a boon to the former, a benefit to the second, or a
pleasure to the latter, I shall feel rewarded for the work of its
preparation.

THE AUTHOR.

CONTENTS.

page

LESSON I. 7
Introduction.

LESSON II. 11
General construction of the piano and something of its
evolution and history,

LESSON III. 20
Technical Names and Uses of the Parts of the Upright
Action,

LESSON IV. 32
Action of the Square Piano. Action of the Grand Piano.
Instructions for Removing the Square and Grand Piano
Actions,

LESSON V. 43
Regulating and Repairing. Faults in Pianos aside from
the Action and their Remedies. Regulating and Repairing
the Upright Action,

LESSON VI. 56
Regulating and Repairing the Square Action.
Miscellaneous Repairs,

LESSON VII. 66
The Study and Practice of Piano Tuning,

LESSON VIII. 72
The Temperament. Beats, Waves, Pulsations. The New
System of Temperament. The Octave. The Fifth. Pitch.
Diagram of the Fischer System of Temperament,

LESSON IX. 85
Specific Instructions in Setting Temperament. The
Continuous Mute,

LESSON X. 97
Theory of the Temperament. Equal Temperament. Unequal
Temperament,

LESSON XI. 109
Technique or Modus Operandi in Piano Tuning.
Manipulation of the Tuning Hammer. Setting the Mutes or
Wedges in the Upright Piano. Setting the Mutes or
Wedges in the Square Piano,

LESSON XII. 126
Mathematics of the Tempered Scale. Rationale of the
Temperament. Proposition I,

LESSON XIII. 139
Rationale of the Temperament, Concluded. Proposition
II. Proposition III. Numerical Comparison of the
Diatonic with the Tempered Scale. Various Mathematical
Tables and Examples,

LESSON XIV. 150
Miscellaneous Topics Pertaining to the Practical Work
of Tuning. Cause of the Beats. Finishing up the
Temperament. Tuning the Treble. Tuning the Bass. False
Waves,

LESSON XV. 163
Miscellaneous Items Pertaining to the Practical Work of
Tuning, Regulating, and Repairing. Comparison of the
Different Systems of Temperament. System A. System B.
System C. Final Inspection. Loose Pins. Split Bridges.
Stringing. Wire Splicing,

LESSON XVI. 178
Tuning and Repairing the Reed Organ. Cleaning. Stops.
Examination. Sticking Keys. Leaks. Pedal Defects.
Sympathetic Vibrations. Tuning,

LESSON XVII. 193
Concluding Professional Hints. Peculiar Expressions
Used in Designating Qualities of Tone. Questions often
Asked the Piano Tuner. Seasons for Tuning,

INDEX, 199

LESSON I.

~INTRODUCTION.~

Undoubtedly every human being is fitted for some sphere of
usefulness--some industry by which he can benefit mankind and support
himself in comfort. Just what we are fitted for must, almost
invariably, be decided by ourselves; and the sooner the better, else
we may plod among the thousands whose lives are miserable failures for
the reason that "they have missed their calling."

In the consideration of Piano Tuning as a profession, one should first
determine if he possesses the necessary qualifications, the most
important of which are a musical ear and some degree of mechanical
ability. Having these, all else may be acquired by study. It is not
necessary to possess a musical education or to be a musician; although
a knowledge of music will be found a great aid. Still, an elementary
knowledge of the principles of music is a necessity to the student of
this course, as it has been found impossible to avoid the use of a few
technical terms. In most cases, however, they are set forth in such a
way that they will be readily apprehended by anyone who has even a
slight knowledge of the fundamental principles of music.

In teaching Piano Tuning, it is the custom of the "Central School of
Piano Tuning," for which these lessons were originally prepared, to
have all students prepare two lessons in harmony as a test of their
acquaintance with the intervals and chords used in tuning. The lessons
are not difficult, and they embody only those principles which are
essential to the proper understanding of the key-board: the intervals
of the diatonic scale and the major common chord in the twelve
different keys, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, B-flat, D-flat, E-flat, G-flat,
and A-flat. In connection with the harmony lessons, we use as a
text-book "Clarke's Harmony,"[A] and the student is required to master
the first two chapters and prepare manuscripts upon each of the
lessons. Below is a number of the most important questions selected
from those lessons upon which manuscripts have been written:

1. Every white key on the piano represents an "absolute pitch."
By what names are these pitches known? How are the black keys
named?

2. How many tones constitute the diatonic scale? Give numerical
names.

3. Intervals are measured by steps and half-steps. How many steps
from 1 to 3 in the diatonic scale? 1 to 4? 1 to 5? 3 to 5? 5 to
8? 1 to 8?

4. Why is there no black key between E and F, and between B and
C?

5. From 1 to 3 is called an interval of a third; from 3 to 5,
also a third; from 1 to 5, a fifth: they are so called because
they include, respectively, three and five members of the
diatonic scale. What is the interval 3 to 6? 2 to 5? 5 to 8? 2 to
6? 1 to 8?

6. Thirds are of two kinds: major (larger) thirds embrace two
whole-steps; minor (smaller) thirds embrace a step and a half.
What kind of a third is 1-3 in the diatonic scale? 2-4? 3-5? 6-8?

7. What do we mean by the term, Fundamental of a chord? What is
added to it to complete the common chord?

8. What absolute pitches comprise the common chord of C? What
kind of interval between the first two members? What between the
first and last? What between the second and last?

9. What tones would you use if told to strike the common chord of
C in four-part, close harmony, using the fundamental for the
highest tone?

10. How many keys (white and black) are there between the
fundamental and the third? How many between the third and the
fifth? How many between the fundamental and the fifth when the
fifth is played above the fundamental?

11. How many keys (white and black) are there between two keys
comprising a perfect fourth?

12. (Most important of all.) What keys of the piano keyboard
comprise the common chord founded upon G as the fundamental? Upon
F? Upon F[#]? Upon G[#]? Upon B[b]? Upon D[b]? Upon E[b]? Upon D?
Upon E? Upon A? Upon B?

If one is able to answer these questions correctly he is qualified to
begin the study of Piano Tuning.

[A] Published by Theodore Presser, Philadelphia, Pa.

LESSON II.

~GENERAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE PIANO; SOMETHING OF ITS EVOLUTION AND
HISTORY.~

The piano of today is, unquestionably, the most perfect, and
consequently the most popular and beloved of all musical instruments.

That enchanting Queen of the home,
Whose place in the hearts of the family
Is as dear as though it could speak
In words of joy and sorrow,
Sadness or consolation;
Soothing, animating, enrapturing,
Charming away the soul
From its worldly weight of cares,
And wafting it softly
Into the realm of celestial dreams.

The untiring efforts of genius for over a century have succeeded in
producing a musical instrument that falls little short of perfection.
Yet other inventions and improvements are sure to come, for we are
never content with "good enough."

The student of these lessons may, in his practice, discover defective
mechanical action and by his ingenuity be able to improve it; he may
likewise see where an improvement can be made in acoustic
construction; where a better scale can be drawn; or where different
and perhaps new materials may be used for the component parts of the
instrument. The possibilities are numerous along these lines, and in
addition to bestowing a favor upon the general public, the man who has
the originality to produce something new, places himself beyond want.

The inevitable inference is that the piano is an evolution of the harp
principle. This instrument was known centuries previous to the
Christian era. From the best history obtainable, we learn that about
three hundred years ago, the first effort was made to interpose a
mechanical contrivance between the performer and the strings whereby
it would only be necessary to strike the keys to produce tone from the
strings, thereby decreasing the difficulty in finding the strings and
picking them with the fingers, and greatly increasing the
possibilities in musical rendition.

History gives credit to Italy for the first productions of this kind,
about 1600 A.D., when the faculty of music was beginning to manifest
itself more boldly. Scientists saw that wonderful developments were
possible, and we have reason to believe that experiments were made in
England, France, Germany and all civilized countries about this time,
for the production of the instrument which we call, in this day, a
Pianoforte. (_Piano e forte_: soft and loud.)

At this time communication between the different countries was, of
course, slow and uncertain, and experiments of this kind were probably
unknown outside of the immediate neighborhood in which they were
tried; therefore, much valuable and interesting history has not come
to light. However, from the specimens which we have had the pleasure
of seeing, and some of which we have had the opportunity to work on,
we infer that about the same line of difficulties presented themselves
to all of these early experimenters, most of which were not
efficiently overcome until in the last century, and the most important
of which it fell to the lot of American inventors to overcome.

Some of these early instruments were not even provided with dampers
for stopping the tone when the key was released; consequently, when a
number of keys were struck in succession, the tone continued from
all, so long as the strings would vibrate. The strings and sound-board
being very light, the sustaining qualities were meager compared to
those of the modern piano; consequently the dampers were not so much
missed as they would be if removed from a modern upright or grand,
which would surely render them unfit for use.

In the first attempts at piano building, the difficulties to be
overcome may be enumerated as follows: The frames were not strong
enough to resist the tension of the strings; they were made almost
entirely of wood which yields to the pull of the strings and is
subject to climatic changes; the scale was very imperfect, that is,
the length, tension and weight of the strings were not properly
proportioned, the result being a different quality of tone from
different portions of the keyboard; the actions were either heavy and
imperfect, or too light to produce sufficient vibration; the proper
point upon the strings for the hammers to strike and for the dampers
to bear had not yet been ascertained; the preparation and seasoning of
the wood for the different parts of the instrument had not received
sufficient attention.

One cannot conceive how difficult it is to produce something that has
never existed, until he tries. The requirements necessary to such
results as are obtainable from the modern piano are numerous and rigid
and the result of many costly experiments.

Probably the most important essential in piano building is the
production of a frame of such strength and stability that the enormous
tension of the strings is completely resisted in all parts of the
scale. In many of the cheaper pianos of this day, the lack of this
essential manifests itself in an annoying degree to the piano tuner.
In tuning, the workman "brings up" his temperament in the middle of
the instrument; in most cases the temperament stands all right. He
next tunes the treble, then the bass; after doing his work perfectly
he will often find that the treble fell somewhat while he was bringing
up the bass; or, in a few cases, he may find that the treble
sharpened, thus showing that there was yielding of the frame. Of
course, this defect might be overcome by using an extremely heavy
metal plate and wooden frame; but the commercial side of the question,
in this day, calls for lightness in the instrument as a check to the
expense of production, and, consequently, pianos that are "made to
sell" are often much too light to fulfil this requirement.

In the upright piano, the back frame of wood is first made; at the top
of this is the pin-block, sometimes called the wrest-plank. This is
composed of several layers of wood firmly glued together with the
grain running in different directions to prevent splitting and
warping. Into this plank the tuning pins are driven. The sound-board
is fitted firmly into this frame of wood below the pin-block.

Next, the strong metal plate is secured to the frame by large bolts
and screws. Openings are left in the plate for the bridges, which
project from the sound-board beyond the metal plate; also for the
tuning pins, action bracket bolts, etc.

At the lower end of the plate, and just below the bridges,[B] the
hitchpins are driven firmly into holes drilled to receive them. Their
purpose is to support the lower ends of the strings. The bass strings
are separate, and each has a loop with which to fasten it to the
hitchpin. In the treble, one piece of wire forms two strings; the two
ends are secured to the tuning pins above, and the string is simply
brought around the hitchpin. The bridges communicating with the
sound-board are at the lower end of the sound-board. Notice, there is
a portion of the length of each string between the bridge and the
hitchpin.

[B] There are two sections of the lower bridge, one for the treble
and one for the overstrung bass.

[Illustration]

At the upper end of the strings, a "bearing-bar," situated between the
tuning pins and upper bridge, is attached to the pin-block by screws
which draw it inward; its function is to hold the strings firmly in
position. You will notice that the lengths of the strings, above the
bearing-bar, vary considerably, even in the three strings comprising
the unison. (We will speak of the effect of this in tuning, farther
on.)

After that portion of the case is completed which forms the key-bed or
action frame, we are ready to set in the

ACTION.

By this is meant the keys and all those intricate parts which convey
the motion of the key to the hammers which strike the strings, and the
dampers which mute them.

The requisites of the action are as follows:

The keys must descend quickly and easily at the touch of the
performer, giving quick response.

The weight of the hammer must be properly proportioned to the strings
it causes to vibrate.

The hammer must rebound after striking the string. (Where the hammer
remains against the string, thereby preventing vibration, the term
"blocking" is used to designate the fault.)

The action must be capable of quick repetition; that is, when a key is
struck a number of times in quick succession, it must respond
perfectly every time.

After striking and rebounding from the string, the hammer should not
fall to its lowest position where it rests when not in use, as this
would prevent quick repetition. For catching the hammer at a short
distance from the string, a felted piece of wood suspended on a wire,
called the back check, rises when the key is depressed, and returns
when the key is released, allowing the hammer to regain its resting
position.

A damper, for stopping the tone of the string when a key is released,
must leave the string just before the hammer strikes, and return the
instant the key is released.

A means must be provided for releasing all the dampers from the
strings at the will of the performer. The loud pedal, as it is
called, but more properly, the damper pedal, accomplishes this end by
raising the dampers from the strings.

In the square and the grand piano, the action is under the
sound-board, while the strings are over it; so the hammers are made to
strike through an opening in the sound-board. In the upright, the
strings are between the action and the sound-board; so no opening is
necessary in the latter.

The "trap-action" consists of the pedals and the parts which convey
motion to the action proper.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON II.

1. What have been some of the salient obstacles necessary to
overcome in producing the perfected piano?

2. Of what use are the dampers? Explain their mechanical action.

3. Mention several of the qualities necessary to a good action.

4. Describe the building of an upright piano.

5. Contrast the musical capacity and peculiar characteristics of
the piano with those of the organ, which has the same keyboard.

LESSON III.

~TECHNICAL NAMES AND USES OF THE PARTS OF THE UPRIGHT PIANO ACTION.~

In the practice of piano tuning, the first thing is to ascertain if
the action is in first-class condition. The tuner must be able to
detect, locate and correct the slightest defect in any portion of the
instrument. Any regulating or repairing of the action should be
attended to before tuning the instrument; the latter should be the
final operation. As a thorough knowledge of regulating and repairing
is practically indispensable to the professional tuner, the author has
spared neither means, labor nor research to make this part of the
lessons very complete, and feels sure that it will meet with the
hearty approval of most, if not all, students. The piano tuner who
knows nothing of regulating and repairing will miss many an
opportunity to earn extra money.

The illustration accompanying this lesson is from a Wessell, Nickel
and Gross Upright action. This firm, whose product is considered the
acme of perfection, makes nothing but actions. Most manufacturers of
pianos, of the present day, build the wooden frame, the sound-board
and the case only; the action, metal plate, strings, tuning-pins,
etc., being purchased from different firms who make a specialty of the
manufacture of these parts. A few concerns, however, make every piece
that enters into the composition of the instruments bearing their
names.

[Illustration]

_Ky_, is the Key in its resting position.

_c_, wherever found, represents a cushion of felt or soft leather upon
which the different parts of the action rest or come in contact with
each other. Their purpose, as is readily seen, is that of rendering
the action noiseless and easy of operation.

_Bnc R_, shows the end of the balance rail, extending the entire
length of the keyboard.

_B P_, is the balance pin. This is a perfectly round pin driven firmly
in the balance rail. The bottom of the hole in the key fits closely
around the balance pin; at the top, it is the shape of a mortise,
parallel with the key, which allows the key to move only in the
direction intended. The mortise in the wooden cap on top of the key at
this point is lined with bushing cloth which holds the key in position
laterally, and prevents looseness and rattling, yet allows the key to
move easily.

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