Now by 2E[b] try 1A[b] (G[#]) fifth below for the "wolf."

Note that this last trial brings you back to the last tone tuned before the break.

This system is used by a great number of very successful tuners, and it has but one appreciable disadvantage, which is that involved in changing from fifths upward to fifths downward. This difficulty is easily overcome, if it were all there is to encounter; but in practice, we find that after tuning the intervals in the above succession down to the last step in the first series, middle C will often have changed pitch somewhat, and the last five tones with their octaves tuned from it will not be in true harmony with the intervals tuned in the first series. For this reason it is better to go on through, as in our system, tuning by fifths upward, and if there is any change of pitch in the first tones tuned, they may be more easily corrected by going over them in the same way as at the start; also, the amount of difficulty in locating discrepancies is greatly lessened.

SYSTEM C.

The following system is one that is followed by many good tuners of the present day and has many advantages. To use this system successfully, however, one must be familiar with the number of beats necessary in each interval used.

Take 1F as a standard.

By 1F, tune 2C, fifth above. By 1F, tune 1B[b], fourth above. By 1F, tune 1A, major third above. By 1F, tune 2D, sixth above. By 1F, tune 1A[b], minor third above. By 1F, tune 2F, octave above. By 2C or 2D, tune 1G, fourth or fifth below. By 1G, 1A or 2C, tune 2E, sixth, fifth or third above. By 1G or 2E, tune 1B, third above or fourth below. By 1A or A[], tune 2C[], major or minor third above. By 1A[b], 1B[b] or 1B, tune 2E[b], fifth, fourth or major third above. By 1B[b], 1B, 2C[] or 2E[b], tune 1F[], major third, fourth, fifth or sixth below.

As each step is taken in this system, the tone tuned is tested with any or all of the tones previously tuned.

You will notice that six tones are tuned by the first standard, F. Therefore, if any error is left in any one of the intervals it exists in this only and is not transmitted to other tones, if corrected before such other tones are used to tune by.

The numerous tests possible, early in the system, and the small compass used, one octave, may be said to be the chief advantages of the system.

The intervals used are the minor and major third, perfect fourth and fifth, and major sixth. The thirds and sixths beat from about 7 to nearly 12 per second. The exact number of beats for each step in the system may be calculated from the "Table of Vibration Numbers" in Lesson XIII. For instance, take middle C (2C) at 256, and its major third, 2E. The exact third, determined by multiplying 256 by 5/4, is found to be 320. By reference to the table, we find the tempered third vibrates 322.54. The difference then is 2.54 vibrations per second, and, knowing that a difference of one vibration from the exact major third produces 4 beats, we simply multiply 2.54 by 4 and we have 10.16, the number of beats we should hear per second when this third is tempered correctly. Other intervals may be figured out in like manner by reference to the various tables given.

It is very doubtful if a beginner could succeed with this system. He should tune by an easier system until he can hear the beats very distinctly and judge quite accurately the rapidity of them. Having acquired this ability, he may try this system and follow it in preference to others.

In any system used it is well to test your work in the following manner:

Begin with your lowest major third and strike each third in succession, ascending chromatically. Of course, each third should beat slightly faster than the one below it. For instance, in our system of two octaves, take 1C-E; this third should beat about 5 per second. Next, take 1C[#]-F, which should beat about 5-1/2 per second. The beats should increase each test nearly a half beat, or the amount of 5 beats in this octave; hence, 2C-E will beat about 10 per second; or, using the exact figures, 10.16. After arriving at the last-named test, 2C-E, you may test the remainder of the two octaves by tenths, beginning with 1C-2E. The tenth is similar to the third mathematically, and its beats are even more distinct.

We may remark here that our system may be reduced to the compass of an octave and a half by simply not tuning the octaves upward which reach beyond 2F[#]; and if anything were to be gained and nothing lost by shortening the compass of the temperament, we would advise using only the octave and a half. But in many years of experience in tuning all imaginable types, styles and kinds of pianos, and by all systems, we have found good reasons for adopting the two-octave temperament as laid down in Lesson VIII, for universal application. Its advantages may be summed up as follows:

Simplicity.—But two kinds of intervals are employed: the fifth and the octave. The fifth is always tuned to a fundamental below and hence always flattened, which relieves the tuner of any mental operation to determine which way he is to temper. Being a regular succession of fifths and octaves, without a break, the system is easily learned, and can be followed with little mental strain.

Uniformity.—After the tuner has become well trained in tempering his fifths, there is little danger of an uneven temperament, as the various intervals used in trials will prove a false member in some chord in time to correct it before he has gotten so far from it as to make the correction difficult. When a correction is necessary, the offending point is most easily found.

Precision.—In our experience, we have never known another system by which we could attain the absolute precision gained by this.

Stability.—Stability is the feature wherein rests the paramount reason for employing two octaves. From what has been said in previous lessons concerning the liability of some strings to flatten or sharpen by reason of altering the tension of other strings, the student will readily see that the temperament should cover a sufficient portion of the instrument, if possible, to insure that it will stand while the remaining portion is being tuned. Our two octaves cover nearly all the strings between the over-strung bass and the brace in the metal plate. This being the case, any reasonable alteration of the strings beyond, or outside, the braces from the temperament, will rarely, if ever, affect it noticeably.

Final Inspection.—Always test every key on the piano, or especially those of the middle five octaves, for bad unisons. Upon finding one, search for the string that has stood in tune, by testing each string of the unison with its octave. This being done, simply bring the other to it. Go over the whole key-board, striking octaves, and correct any that might offend. One extremely bad tone or octave may disparage your reputation, when in reality your work merits commendation.

Loose Pins.—You will occasionally find pianos in which the tuning pins have become so loose that they will not resist the pull of the strings. If many of them are in this condition it is better, before you begin to tune, to take a hammer of considerable weight and drive them a little. Commence at one end of the row of pins and aim to strike all the pins with the same force. Those which are tight enough will not yield to the blow, while those which are loose may require two or three blows to tighten them sufficiently. This defect is generally found in very old squares or cheap uprights wherein the pin-block is of poor material or defective in manufacture or in pianos which have been abused.

Split Bridges.—Even in pianos of the highest grade, we sometimes find a string sounding as if there was a pin or some metallic substance bearing against it. In such cases, find the string and examine the place where it crosses the bridge. You will often find the bridge split at that point or the bridge-pin, having yielded to the pressure of the string, vibrates against the next pin, giving rise to the singing effect. You can do little if anything toward repairing a split bridge. You may, however, stop the singing by inserting the point of your screw-driver between the close pins and pressing them apart. This will generally stop the difficulty for the time being at least.

Strings crossing the bridge near a split will not stand in tune well, and will, perhaps, have to be gone over two or three times. The same may be said of a broken metal plate. Many old squares have broken plates; generally found near the overstrung bass, or within the first octave of the treble. All the tuner can do is to apprise the owner of the defect and inform her that it will not stand well at this point, as the intense strain is thrown largely upon the wooden frame, which will have a tendency to yield gradually to it.

Stringing.—Strings break while the tuner is drawing them up, sometimes because he does not pull them gradually, gives them an abrupt turn or draws them too far above the pitch at which they are intended to stand. More often, however, they break from being rusty at the point where they pass over the bridge or around the tuning pin. The best instruction concerning putting on new strings is, follow appearances. Make the string you put on look just like those on the instrument. In most modern pianos the string is wound with three coils around the pin.

You will, of course, have to take out the action; not the key-board, however, unless it be one of those rare cases where the key-board and upper action are built to come out together. In the square it is only necessary to remove the shade over the dampers, and the dampers, which are all removed easily by taking out the screw at the left. This allows the whole set of dampers with their support to come out together.

Treble strings are nearly always passed around the hitch-pin, one wire thus forming two strings. Take out the old string, noticing how it passes over and under the felt at the dead end. After removing the string always give the pin about three turns backward to draw it out sufficiently so that when a new string is put on, the pin will turn into the block as far as it did originally. Run one end of the string barely through the hole in the tuning pin and turn it about twice around, taking pains that the coils lie closely; then unwind enough wire (of the same size of course) from your supply to reach down to the hitch pin and back. Place the string on the bridge pins properly, draw it as tight as you can by hand and cut it off about three fingers' width beyond the pin upon which it is to be wound. This will make about three coils around the pin. Place the end in the hole and turn up gradually, watching that the string is clear down on hitch pin and properly laid on the bridge. New strings will require drawing up two or three times before they will stand in tune, and even then they will run down in a short time. It is well on this account to leave them slightly sharp, calling the owner's attention to the fact.



When a bass string breaks at the point where it starts around the tuning pin, it can nearly always be spliced and the trouble of sending it away to have a new one made be avoided. Take a piece of new wire as large or larger than the old string and splice it to the broken end by a good secure knot. A knot called the square or ruft knot is the best for this purpose. When a bass string breaks too far from the pin to permit of a splice, the only resort will be to send the broken string to some factory and have a new one made from it.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XV.

1. Name the advantages and disadvantages of system A.

2. Name the advantages and disadvantages of system B.

3. What are the important points to be desired in any system of setting temperament?

4. State three or four items of importance in the operation of putting on a new string.

5. Why do pianos get out of tune?



LESSON XVI.

TUNING AND REPAIRING THE REED ORGAN.

An impression seems to be prevalent among some musicians of the more advanced class, that the reed organ has gone or is going out of use; in certain communities there appears to be sufficient ground for such an impression; in other communities, however, we find the number of organs largely in excess of the number of pianos. Not only is this the case, but statistics of the various organ factories throughout the United States show that the output is enormous, which is a sufficient assurance that the reed organ is not an obsolete instrument by any means. To be sure, the organ has been superseded in numerous cases by the piano, which is, in many respects, a greatly superior instrument, and, generally speaking, is more popular; yet, the reed organ has its special features of tone quality and adaptation, which render it even more desirable to many than the piano, aside from the fact of its being less expensive.

The musical effects possible on the organ and not on the piano may be few; but they are of no small value, when certain kinds of musical compositions are to be rendered.

One great point in favor of the organ is, that it is capable of continuing any tone or chord for any length of time, without diminution, while in the piano, the bass tones may be continued for considerable time, the middle tones a shorter length of time, and the extreme high tones of the treble have but the slightest duration; every tone in the piano gradually grows weaker from the instant of its sounding until it fades into silence. Another feature of the organ, not possible in the piano, is its ability of making the "crescendo" (a gradual increase of strength or volume) in single tones or chords. Still another point in favor of the organ (not in the tuner's favor, however) is that it rarely gets out of tune and does not require being gone over by the tuner at short intervals in order to keep it in fit condition to be used.

The idea with which we desire to impress the student by the foregoing remarks is, that while the piano is a superior instrument, and the art of tuning the piano is a much deeper study from the general tuner's standpoint than that of doing the various things the tuner is called to do on the organ, he should not consider the reed organ of minor importance, or slight the organ when called upon to put it in order. The fact is, persons having organs in their homes cherish them as much as others do their pianos, and there is no reason why they should not have as good service.

It will be impossible to give anything more than general instruction in organ work, as the difference in construction is so pronounced. Pianos are built practically on the same plan, and when the construction of one is learned, the tuner will find little difficulty in others of the same type; but it seems that every organ manufacturer has his own hobbies as to the best means of securing results; however, the general principles are the same, and, like many operations coming under the hand of the tuner, all that is necessary is to examine, reason, and use good mechanical judgment.

CLEANING.

Organs need cleaning about once a year, or oftener if they are kept and used in dusty places. The bellows are suction or exhaustion bellows, and they draw the air in at the top of the organ through the reeds and discharge it below. The effect of this is that if any dust is floating in the air it is drawn in about the action and reeds, where it settles and clogs the working parts, stopping the vibration of the reeds entirely.

The front board or key strip is usually held in place by a screw at each end, but sometimes by slides entering the holes in the side of the case, which may be disconnected by wooden buttons at each end, which are pulled toward the center. The back of all organs may be entered by removing the board at the back of the case, held in place by screws or buttons. Close all the stops, then take your dust blower, if you have one, or a cloth, and remove all the dirt possible in this way. Lift the muffler boards worked by the right knee-swell, take a brush and clean thoroughly next to the reeds which will be exposed when the muffler boards are raised.

If any dirt is left here it will be drawn into the reeds the instant the organ is played. In bad cases, in fact it is better in every case, to draw every reed, letting them lie in a row on the reed board and going over each one separately, brush the dust from it. This will improve the tone, or, rather, the tune of the instrument. Dirt on the tongue of a reed adds sufficient weight to alter the pitch, and if it is removed, the instrument will generally be in as good tune as when it left the factory. Simply cleaning an organ in this way is often called tuning, by inexperienced persons. If it happens that there are only a few reeds that do not speak, and the owner does not care to pay for a thorough cleaning, you will find the silent reeds by the method given under the head "Examination," and, drawing them, clean and replace.

STOPS.

Each stop on the organ (if there be no dummies) affects either the tone quality or the power of the instrument. The Vox Humana stop affects the quality of the tone by operating a fan in the rear of the instrument or a contrivance contained in a small box, which produces a tremolo effect. All other stops may be said to affect the power. Stops having such names as Diapason, Melodia, Dulcet, Celeste, Cremona, Echo, Principal, Bourdon, Sub Bass, Piccolo, Flute, Dulciana, etc., etc., open certain sets of reeds supposed to give forth a tone quality similar to the instrument whose name it bears, or the tone of the pipes of the pipe organ bearing such names. These stops operate on the sets of reeds by raising the mutes which, when closed, stop the passage of air through the reeds.

The octave coupler stop, sometimes called Harmonique, controls an arrangement whereby, when a key is depressed, its octave is made to sound also. "Forte" stops lift the mufflers or swells, and as these are controlled by the right knee-swell, the Forte stop may be considered of little value. The left knee-swell, called the Full Organ swell, as its name implies, opens up the full power of all sets of reeds and throws on the couplers.

A mere peep into any organ will disclose the mechanical working of stops, which is in such great variety that we will not attempt to detail it here.

EXAMINATION.

After a little experience you will be able to make an examination of an organ and tell just what it needs without so much as drawing a screw. The reeds are usually divided into treble sets and bass sets; two octaves of bass reeds, and three octaves of treble reeds constitute a set. The Diapason stop is nearly always present, and controls the heaviest reeds in the bass except the Bourdon or Sub Bass, if the organ should have either of these. In examining an organ, close all stops but the Diapason, for instance, then successively press every key in the two bass octaves.

Now if, for instance, a key is found silent, that is, just an octave from the lowest tone, by counting the keys from the lowest tone, you will find the silent key is number thirteen. Look into the organ, find the mute that is up by reason of this Diapason stop's being pulled, and count the reeds from the lowest to the thirteenth; pull the reed and you will find it obstructed or perhaps broken. Most organs have a Dulciana stop in the treble which corresponds with the Diapason in the bass. Test the reeds of this set just as you did those of the Diapason. Go over each set of reeds in like manner. Broken reeds should be sent to the factory where the organ was built. The manufacturers will send a new one, often without cost.

Stops are sometimes found disconnected from the mutes, which deprives the player of the use of certain sets of reeds, and while it is a small matter to connect them, it adds much to the improvement imparted to the instrument by the tuner. After disconnecting the stops for any purpose, always be sure you connect them properly before leaving your work.

STICKING KEYS.

The key itself is subject to many of the same faults as is that of the piano. It may bind in the guide pin or warp so as to cause it to stick, or it may stick from some substance between the keys. Sometimes the front board is so near the front of the keys that when the latter are depressed they stick against it. A screw is generally found in the center, the head of which comes against the front board and holds it out. If the board is too near give the screw a turn or two back. If there is no screw, place a piece of card against the board and the case at the ends. The end keys sometimes stick against the blocks at the ends of the key-board. Scrape the block or key where it sticks. A key may stay down because of the cedar pin, sometimes called the tracker pin or pitman, sticking in the hole. Take out the key-board which is held by a screw at each end, sometimes by another in the middle; in which case a key or two must be removed to get at it. To remove a key, take off the strip at the back of the keys, held in place by small screws, and the key may be lifted up. Now, finding the sticking pin, pull it out and sandpaper or rub it with black lead until it is found to work quite freely in the guide hole of the guide board and the hole in the reed board.

Just under the reed board is a wooden slip covered with soft leather, called the valve or pallet, which covers the openings in the reed board which admit air to pass down through the reeds. The tracker pin, pushed down by the key, opens the pallet which is held against the reed board by a spring and kept in place by a guide pin at each end. It sometimes happens that a pallet will be pushed down so far as to catch on the guide pins and cause the tone to sound continually. In other cases a piece of dirt will get in the way of the pallet and prevent it from closing the opening. If this be the case, draw the reeds that sound when this key is depressed and also a reed at each side of it, and pump the bellows briskly, at the same time pressing the three keys. This will generally create enough air to remove the obstacle. If the key still sounds and cannot be made to "hush up" in this way, you may be compelled to take out the entire action so that you can get to the pallets, which can be done by removing all the screws that hold the reed board in place. At the back, these screws are on top of the board and sometimes they are on top in front; but often they are under the air chamber in front. Be sure the screws are all out before trying to pull the board loose, as you might crack the board and thereby cause a leak. A moment's notice will reveal the cause of the trouble in the pallet.

New pallet springs may be made of piano wire, using old springs for a pattern.

LEAKS.

If a leak is found in the air boards, such as a crack or split, it can be stopped permanently by gluing a piece of bellows cloth or any good rubber cloth over the split. A leak in the bellows can be repaired in the same way, but if it happens to be a hole at or near a part of the cloth which is compelled to bend in the working of the bellows, you will have to use some kind of rubber or leather cement, preferably the latter. This can be made by dissolving gutta-percha in bisulphide of carbon, but a good leather cement may be had at almost any shoe store. If the bellows are porous, it may be well to give them a coat of cement, but never paint them; the paint cracks and the leaks are made worse.

PEDAL DETECTS.

Broken pedal straps are the most frequent annoyance. In all modern organs there is a panel above the pedals which will come out and admit the mechanic to the bellows, straps, springs, etc.; but in some old instruments the case is made solid, in which case the workman must do his work from the bottom, turning the organ down so as to get at it. Pedal straps are easily put on; generally with screws at either end. If the pedal squeaks examine the springs or oil and change their position slightly. Examine the pulleys over which the straps work and oil or rub them on the outside with soap. Broken pedal hinges may be duplicated by any blacksmith; the ordinary hinges, such as can be bought at hardware stores, are sometimes substituted, but they rarely answer the purpose as well as the regular pedal hinge. The leather flaps over the holes in the exhausters sometimes get too tight by shrinkage so that they will not let the air escape readily, and consequently the pedals come up slowly, often making it difficult to keep the instrument sufficiently supplied with power. Simply stretch the leather flaps, being careful not to pull the tacks loose or tear the leather.

SYMPATHETIC VIBRATIONS.

Organs, like pianos, are subject to sympathetic vibrations. A reed fitting loosely in the reed chamber will sometimes buzz when sounded. A bit of paper under the back end of the reed will stop it. Any loose material about the instrument may cause trouble of this kind. Trace up the cause and the remedy will suggest itself.

A buzzing sound may be caused by a reed's being too tight in the reed chamber, causing the tongue to vibrate against the sides of the brass body. In some rare cases, not being firmly riveted, the tongue will move to one side, causing the same trouble. Care and pains must be taken in working with reeds, but when in this condition they must be repaired. Tap the rivet lightly with a hammer and try it; if it still does not sound clear, catch the butt of the reed (riveted end) with a pair of parallel pliers, and turn it toward the center until, when vibrating, it clears the jaws.

TUNING.

The method of tuning the organ is very simple. To flatten the tone of a reed, scrape the tongue near the butt or rivet, making it thinner at that point, which will cause it to vibrate at a slower rate. To sharpen the tone, scrape it at the point, thereby lightening the vibrating end, which will cause a more rapid rate of vibration. When a reed has been scraped or filed so thin at the point that it will bear no more scraping, it can sometimes be sharpened by bending it up and down a few times, which has a tendency to put temper in the metal. Some reeds are curved at the point purposely to secure a certain voice. Do not interfere with the proper curvature when tuning. In tuning organs, the same system and general instruction given for piano tuning will apply; however, it is rarely, if ever, necessary to give an organ as thorough tuning as you would a piano. It is a very tedious job where you have to draw each reed, apply the proper method, insert it and try the result, thus cutting and trying each one perhaps several times before getting the desired result. In factories devices are used which render the operation very much easier.

One thing you should know is, that organs are not tempered as finely as pianos, nor is there the pains taken to secure perfect unisons. In fact, you can hardly find a perfect unison in an organ of modern make, much less, a correct temperament. Finding a tone that is so far out as to be very disagreeable, adjust it between the octave below and the octave above, try it in the proper chords and equalize it in the best possible way; but it is not often you will be able to tune it to absolute precision with its octaves. It is thought by many that a slight deviation from correct unisons, sufficient to give a series of waves, gives the organ a more mellow voice and consequently a more musical (?) tone; and while we do not agree with any such proposition, it makes the tuner's work less exacting.

We feel that an apology is in order for not giving illustrations of the action of the organ, but if the student will study this lesson in connection with the instrument itself, we believe he will have no trouble in learning all about its mechanical action and its demands upon the tuner.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON XVI.

1. Name the musical advantages possessed by the organ which are absent in the piano.

2. Name the musical advantages possessed by the piano which are absent in the organ.

3. Describe the mechanical operations taking place in the organ when a key is being sounded.

4. State what you would do to flatten the tone of a reed and give reasons.

5. State what you would do to sharpen the tone of a reed and give reasons.



LESSON XVII.

CONCLUDING PROFESSIONAL HINTS.

Peculiar incidents occur in the experience of the piano tuner, some of which have come under the observation of the author so frequently that he deems it advisable to mention them here; there are incidents also that happen once in a life-time which must be treated in their time with tact and good judgment, and which it is impossible to describe here, as each tuner, in his special field, will elicit new developments. Occasion often requires the tuner to summon all his wits and tact in order to dispose of questions put to him, both by pianos and owners.

Among the perplexing things that come to the tuner are the terms used by musicians and piano owners to express certain qualities of tone and certain discrepancies of the instrument. We will define a number of these.

Brilliant.—The sense in which this term is used is astonishing to one who is accustomed to using words according to their dictionary meanings. We have heard persons say their piano was too brilliant; or, that it was not brilliant enough. They mean this term to apply to what we are pleased to call the voice of the instrument. When the hammers are hard, producing a sharp, penetrating tone, they call it brilliant; when the hammers are soft and produce what a trained ear would accept as a soft, sweet, musical tone, some persons will say that the instrument lacks brilliancy. Persons of a different taste, and, we would say, a more cultured ear, call the tone harsh when the hammers are hard, and they usually desire the tuner to soften the tone, which he does by softening the hammer ends as has been described in Lesson VII. This operation, which we call voicing, is a very delicate piece of work, and the tuner should exercise care and pains in doing it; so we will deviate from the trend of the discourse and offer a few directions here, as the previous instructions are hardly complete.

Insert the felt pick (which should contain only one point, and not three or four, as they usually do) in the point of the hammer and give it a rotary motion, so to speak, loosening up the felt and giving it its original elasticity. Do not pick up the felt at the point. This method, which is resorted to by many tuners, is injurious to the hammers and really does no permanent good. Another method which is very good, and a very easy one, is to take your parallel pliers and squeeze the felt slightly at the point. Apply the pliers at right angles with the hammer (if the action of the upright, your pliers will be in an upright position) and catch the hammer at a depth of about three-quarters of the thickness of the felt. If the hammers are very hard it may be well to use both the pliers and the pick; but care must always be taken not to get the hammers too soft, and extreme care must be taken not to get some softer than others. Some hammers are always used more than others and, of course, these will need more softening. Usually those at the extreme ends of the instrument will need no softening at all, but sometimes the bass will bear considerable softening. After going over them in the above way, try them by playing the chromatic scale and you will invariably find some that need additional attention. Be sure that no hard tone is left, as such a condition is a great annoyance to a delicate ear.

Singing.—When a damper is out of order and does not do its work properly, they often say the tone sings. They say the same thing about the reed organ when a pallet sticks or a key stays down. Sometimes this term is used to express the grating vibration which has been treated under the head of sympathetic rattle.

Tin-panny.—This term is often used and generally means that the instrument is out of tune, and especially that the unisons are out. Sometimes it is used to express a hollow quality of tone; but you will rarely, if ever, hear a piano spoken of in this way if it is in correct tune. Any piano out of tune badly may be said to sound tin-panny.

Bass-ey.—This term expresses a very harsh bass. Imperfect octaves or unisons in the bass of a piano give rise to the use of this term. If the bass of the instrument is decidedly flat, the same term is sometimes used to express the condition.

Harsh.—This term, when it does not apply to the voice of the piano, generally reflects upon the work of the tuner (?). Chords are harsh when they contain over-sharp thirds, bad fifths, octaves, etc. Take care that your temperament contains no bad chords, and after you are all through, see that all tones have stood, and that you have left no bad unisons or octaves. One or two carelessly tuned tones may disparage your otherwise creditable work.

Questions.—Questions are often asked the tuner concerning the care of the piano. Be prepared to answer any reasonable question that may come up, which your knowledge of the instrument should enable you to do. In regard to temperature, moisture, etc., an extreme either way is the thing to avoid. A very dry or hot atmosphere will crack the varnish, warp the wooden parts, crack the sound-board, cause parts to come unglued, etc. On the other hand, too much moisture will rust the steel parts, strings, etc.; so the "happy medium" is the condition to be desired. As to keeping pianos closed, a question you will often be asked, we think it is better to keep them open at all times than to keep them closed at all times; because, if they are kept open they are subjected to the changes of the atmosphere, which will rarely permit the piano to become either very damp or too dry. In a word, a room that is healthy for human beings is all right for the piano.

Seasons for Tuning.—The prevalent idea in regard to this matter is that pianos should be tuned either at the beginning of cold or of warm weather. In our experience, we have found that it makes no difference when the piano is tuned if it is kept in the living room. If, however, a piano were tuned upon a warm day in the fall and then allowed to remain in a room in which the temperature suddenly fell to zero, we could not expect it to stand in tune; and much less, if the room is heated up occasionally and then left for an interval at the mercy of the weather. Persons who treat their pianos in this way should have them tuned about four times a year.



INDEX.



Action, 17 brackets, 24 of grand piano, 37, 38, 62 of square piano, 32, 34 removing, square and grand, 38 replacing, square and grand, 39 requisites of, 17, 18 top, of square piano, 34 trap, of square piano, 19, 34

Advantages of two-octave temperament, 171

Ancient instruments, 13

Back check, adjustment of, 49 and back catch, 18, 27, 28, 33, 37 wire, 27

Balance pin, 21 rail, 21

Bearing bar, 17

Beats, waves, and pulsations, 73, 150 of unison, octave, and major third, 154 cause of, 77, 150

Black lead, use of, 64

Block rail, 27, 51

Bottom or capstan, adjustment of, 48, 99 or key rocker, 23, 33, 48, 56, 57

Bracket bolts, 25

Bridle, 28 putting in new, 50 wire, 28, 50

Bridges, 16, 17 split, 173

Building of upright piano, 16

Butts, 28 and flanges, repairing of, 59

Capstan, 24, 48

Cause of beats 27, 150

Center-pins, 25 putting in new 52

Clicks at release of key, 51, 52

Compromises, the, 99, 100

Continuous mute, 89

Damper lever, 29 felt, softening, 54

Damper, of grand piano, 37 of square piano, 36, 60 rod, 30 rod, squeaking of, 55 spoon, 29 springs broken, 54

Dampers, 18, 29

Damping, defective, 54, 60, 61

Ditonic comma 144

Evolution of the piano, 12

Extension, 23

False waves, 160, 161

Fifths, beats of, 79 not all tempered alike, 105, 106 tempering of, 79, 104

Final inspection, 172

Fischer System of temperament, diagram of, 82

Flanges, 25 repairing of, 59

Guide pins, 23

Hammer, butt, refelting, 51 capping with buckskin, 59 felts, cleaning, 34 gluing, 54 hardening, 54 softening, 54 trimming, 60 voicing, 54, 104 head 29 rail, 29, 33 shank or stem, 29, 53 broken, 63 renewing, 53 spring, 52 sticking, 52

Hitch-pins, 16, 17

Instrumental attachments, removal of, 118

Intervals flattened, 157 sharpened, 157

Ivories, regluing, 64

Jack, 26 repairing of, 50, 58 sluggish, 57 -spring broken, 58

Key, defects in, 47, 48 leads, 22 organ, sticking, 185, 186 removing, square piano, 56 squeaking, 64 sticking, 46

Lead, in keys, 22 black, use of, 64 loose in key, 64

Length, tension, and weight of strings, 75

Loud pedal, 19, 30

Main rail, 25

Mathematics of tempered scale, 126

Metal plates, 15

Mute, continuous, 89, 90

Mutes, setting in upright piano, 117-120 in bass, 121 beyond temperament, 120 in square piano, 122 on nodal points, 161

Octave, dividing into major thirds, 134 into minor thirds, 140 perfect fifths, 142

Octaves, relative vibration of, 78

Organ, reed, tuning and repairing the, 178 bellows, leaks in, 187 capabilities of, 179 cleaning, 180 examination, 183 keys sticking, 185, 186 pallets, 186 pedal defects, 188 reeds, to find, 184 tuning, 190 stops, 182 disconnected, 184 sympathetic vibration, 189

Over-tension, 114

Panel, removing of, 75

Parts of grand action, 38 of square action, 34

Pendulum to aid in judgment of a second of time, 104

Piano frame, 15 tuner, requisites of, 7, 70

Pianos, special use of, 85, 86

Pitch, concert, 127 international, 81, 127

Pitch, left to tuner's judgment, 86, 87, 89 to determine most favorable, 85

Professional hints, 193

Questions asked by owners, 211

Ratio of intervals, 132

Reed organ. See Organ.

Regulating button, 26, 51 rail, 26, 36

Repairing small wooden parts, 63

Repetition of stroke, 18, 27

Searching for articles on sound board, 44

Seasons for tuning, 198

Soft pedal, 29, 36, 38

Sound board, 16 split, 44 unglued, 45 waves, interference of, 78, 150

Splicing piano wire, 176

Spring rail, 29

Stringing of upright, 16, 17

Strings growing sharper, 88 putting in new, 174, 175 rendering through bridges, 112, 114 splicing, 176

Study and practice of tuning, 66

Sustaining pedal, 30 squeaking of, 55

Sympathetic rattle, 43

Syntonic comma, 132

Systems of temperament, various, 163

System A, 165 B, 166 C, 167, 168

Tables of relative string length, 131, 136, 140, 143

Temperament, advantages of the two-octave, 171 equal, 97, 144 Fischer system, 74 finishing up, 156 introductory remarks on, 68, 72 rationale of, 128, 139 requisites of, 133 setting, specific instructions, 85 theory of, 97 unequal, 98 various systems, 163-168

Tension, equalization of, 111, 112

Terms to express tone qualities, 193-196

Testing by thirds and tenths, 170

Tests, chords, 94, 99, 103

Third, excessive sharpness of, 95, 103

Thirds, major, 135 major, sharper than perfect, 135 minor, flatter than perfect, 141

Tones, harmonic, 120, 130

Touch, altering the, 48

Treble, extreme, sharper than perfect, 159

Tuning, instructions for first experiments in, 92-95 hammer, manipulation of, 110, 115, 116 pins, marking of in square, 122 loose, 173 setting of, 112-114 the bass, 160 the treble, 157, 159

Vibration numbers, comparison of, 137, 146, 147, 148

Watchmaker's screwdriver, use of in piano repairing, 63

Wippen, 25

Wire splicing, 176

Wooden parts, shrinking, rattling, 59 repairing of small, 63

[Transcriber's note:

1. Bold text is enclosed in tilde (~) characters.

2. On page 197, 'tones' has been misspelt in the original text as 'tonse'.]

THE END