Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-11-15
HOW PIANOS ARE INJuxED.

+ According to prominent manufac-
turcr, there are more pianos injured by
improper tuning than by legitimate use,
and the consequent natural wear of the
instruments. The frame of a good piano,
fully strung and tuned, is made to resist
a tension equal to about seven tons.
This severe strain relaxes as the strings
recede from pitch, but Is renewed when
the piano Is tuned; and it Is frequently
discovered, as result Of this repeated
process, that tire frame is bent or bellied
and at the hands of an ignorant tuner or
ore lackfng good Judgment, an instru-
ment at this stage is soon injured beyond
remedy. With reasonable use piano is
expected to remain in good repair for
seven years, and the best makers will so
guarantee their instruments; but the in
Competence and malpractice Of so-cailed
tuners sets the seal of destruction on
thousands of instruments in from two
to five years. zszz4
In tuning pino the correct method is
to begin in the centre of the instrument,
on wilat4i called middle c.. Yet many
tuners, when leaving middle c., instead
Of going down the scale and tuning the
lower notes and heavier and longer
strings first--thus Immediately bringing
the greatest tension 10 bear upon the
frame, aud forming, as it were, a solid
foundation upon which to operate-will
will go up the scale, beginning with the
shorter and lighter wires and higher
notes, leaving the bass strings until the
tlast,s with the invariable result that.
when the tuning of the lower portion
of the piano is completed the upper oc-
taves are found to be decidedly away
from pitch. Every time piano is tuned
in this manner it increases the liability
sof bending the frame, and renders the
more difficult to tune and
keep in tune. The apparent physical
effect may be so infinitesimal as to be
| impossible of measurement, yeta change
| In tile outline of the frame equal to but
the thickness of sheet of tissue paper
will produce difference of nearly Il half
| tone in the sound of any given note. If
| the lighter strings are tuned first, they
relax when the greater strain is brought
to bear in keeping the heavier wires up
to pitch, with the effect referred toabove.
Many tuners do not carefully note the
condition of the frame of piano, and
adapt their treatment to the circum-
stances of the case, with full knowledge
that bent, weakened, or very old frame
not will stand the extreme tension or sus-
| tain the strings at the high pitch which
can be put upon and borne by Il frame
| and wires which have never been injur-
ed through ignorance or neglect, and
bear no special marks of time or use.
There are few pianos, and those Of the
best, that will stand at concert pitch.
The piano manufacturers advise pur-
chasers to have their instruments tuned
by representatives of the respective fac
tories from which pianos are sent,
| as they are aware of the terrible ordeal
through which the instruments must
/ pass at the hands of tuners of every de-
| gree Of Intelligence and ability. 1t is
but a fair presumption that the maker
Of All Instrument ought to know how. to
tune it properly and without injury to
its most important parts; yet there are
comparatively very few persans who
profit by the well meant advice, an i'm
preston prevailing in some minds that
the suggestion is not entirely disinter-
ested, as the makers charge 81 for tuning,
willie professional tuners and the music
stores ask but 81 90, and some of the
Bohemians but 81. But when the matter
is fully and generally understood by the
owners of pianos, they would consider
4 itsgreatly to their interest, even in ths
i light ofsan investment, to have their in
struments tuned by parties in whose
hands there is the least possibility o.
/ accident or injury.