It has been a while since the last post, but here is the continuation of the blog series on the tools of the trade for piano tuners. This edition starts with the basics and covers the tuning lever, the tuning fork, and felts and wedges.
Tuning Fork
Tuning forks are used to tune the very first
note of a piano, they are normally tuned to
A440, which means that it is set to the A note at 440 hertz (vibrations/cycles per second). In some special cases a piano will be tuned to A435 (435 hertz). This is typically done on antique pianos since an A tuned to 435 hertz has less tension than 440 hertz and places less stress on fragile antique pianos. A is the first note that is tuned and all the other notes are based on that first A note. Since all the notes are based on the first A the piano will not only be in tune, but it will also be in tune with itself and all the octaves and intervals will sound right.
Felt Mutes and Wedges
Each note on a piano has multiple
strings that are played at the same
time, some of the bass notes have two, but most of the notes on the piano have three strings. Having multiple strings for the same note adds depth and richness to the sound. Since each note is played on multiple strings, each one must be isolated to accurately tune them. Mutes and wedges are used to isolate the string that the tuner is working on and prevent the other strings from being played. Mutes are made of felt and allow two of the strings to be muted at the same time, so they work best on the triple strings in the mid-range and upper register of the piano. Wedges are made of rubber and are mostly used to isolate the double bass strings for tuning.
Tuning Lever
A tuning lever is the most important tool for a piano
tuner. A wrench that has a special socket that is designed to fit tuning pins in pianos. The tuning lever is used to adjust the pins in a piano by tightening or loosening the piano strings. It is essential that tuning lever is used to adjust string tension since a regular socket wrench may strip and ruin the tuning pins.
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