Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-06-07
Care and Keeping
or PianofOrte

lug On OF very uedI " ehS PAu -
an undue length Of time. The ex
IRENE susceptibility Of the smaller
wooden parts and the strings to even
slight dampness is astonishing, and
any to 1t, therefore, must be
most carefully guarded against.
In many homes a piano may often
be seen standing near q stove, a not
air register or a steam radiator. Sush
q condition as this car not but help
to injure the instrument IN mary
ways. As has already been pointed
out, the wooden parts will contract I'M
der much heat and the strings viii
very likely expand. One ean rea iiiy
imagine what d piano in such 4 state
as this will be like. It will be more
like a mere 'rattle-trip,s d sort Of
superior tin pan, than anything else.
and vet people who keep q piano mus
exposed to heat will wonder why they
have 10 call in d tuner every otter
day Of so and blame all the lnstre.
mental ills they are enduring on
everything and anything else than
their own carelessness. The tempera'
ture s0f the room in which a piano
stands should never be allowed to get
above rs degrees OF. below 50. The
piano can NOT safely stand a wider
range than this. Below 50 degrees the.
strings and metal parts will contract
md the tone will be ruined. Care.
Should also be taken that the piano
Is not allowed to stand near a wiaaoa
exposed to the rays Of the sun par
tfcularly in summer time, or The re-.
suit will be the same as II the II.
sstrnment We're placed near a stove or
steam radiator. II 1t is impos allie To
avoid such a location for the piano,
keep the window shade down Its full
length during those hours Of The cay
when the suns rays beat aga'nst that
side Of the house.
When DUST settles on the strings Oh
filters down in the crevice between
the keys, the tone will be impaired in
the first case and in the Second the
action will be rendered hard, The keys
win stick and two or more apt to
respond to the touch at the same time.
10 avoid this, therefore, when tie
room is swept or busted It will be Well
to throw a cloth over the piano, I
1t does not stand yery close 10 the
wall, and the fall board should be
closed. The back Of every piano is
open, in order that the tone shall be
full and rich in volume, and IS usual.
~ protected fully from dust and dirt,
but minute particles Of dust filter
through the interstices Of the case
at that, and enough may reach
the strings and cling to them during
the course OF half a dozen sweepings
busting to iniure their tone. Ills
is Just another Of the s~unexplain-
able causes Of pianos getting nut %
tune. III the fall board NJ tila piano
has been Inadvertently left open while
a busting Or sweeping has been in
progress the keys should be wiped
with d cloth Immediately, the move.
ment being from the line of the case
outward, and not horizontally over
The key board or quantities Of the
snrface dust will be forced down be.
tween the keys. Each key ought also
to be pressed down and the sides
cleaned, for even a slight quantity Of
dust will sometimes cause the keys D
stick.
Ait night the piano should BIZ kept
closed. bit during the daytime
il Rs highly advisable 10 have the key
board exposed ID the light, even
the instrument may moi be in
nse. In order to prevent the keys
turning yellow. 1t is best not to
the top Of The instrument, save
intervals In order to give the
and mechanism d little air,
Tor by keeping this closed the instru.
ment Is better projected against
slight adverse conditions that might
affect II were II not for the proIec. !
ton thus afforded BY the closed case.
When the top Is raised occasionally ii
should never be when many people
are moving around In the room, as at
an evening party, rising considerable
line dust, Or when cleaning operations
are In progress In the house. Pieces
,f bric.a.brac, sheet music or articles
of any kind should be kept from the
Eop Of the piano. for they produce q
sound, and have q tendency
10 injure the tone Of the instrument.
II a piano Is not used frequently
! little camphor, wrapped In soft It's
#.f4.stI - nt.uaI a.. .M- III