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music    1/6/2024

Piano tuning holds up fairly well, but every few months, I tweak whatever pin(s) to get each note’s strings back in unison.

The Scheidmayer piano used to be tuned about twice a year which is the recommended interval. However since it retained its tuning so well, I had not bothered to have it tuned for over twenty years. However all notes were consistently ¼ interval flat! It would take two tunings - a pitch raise followed by a regular tuning. I would do the pitch raise, wait a while, and then call my piano tuner. The supplies would cost about half the price of a tuning session. I studied the Youtube videos from Howard Piano Industries and the forums at Piano World.

I ordered a tuning hammer from Howard Piano with a #2 tip, muting strip, and 4 rubber mutes with handles. TuneLab 2.3 was installed on my Android tablet, an 8" LG v520. With the app, almost all of the keys were flat by 25 cents. That is about 1/4 of the way to the next lower note. I had a difficult time getting some tuning pins to stay, even though I knew to go past slightly clockwise and then back off even less. After many attempts, I needed to go a little bit more and then back off.

One string in each of the 12 notes in the C4 octave was tuned. I then tuned each of the unisons to that first string making certain I was in the ballpark with TuneLab. But I still verified by ear. As long as it did not sound dissonant, it was good - for now. Next the octaves below and above were tuned against the C4 octave. As I was playing during the next few days, certain pins would loosen, so it was back to retuning those. It held after those were redone. That was April 2018.

In November 2018, G3 and G#4 were not repeating, but they were worse when the sustain was on. I wiggled the jack, jack spring, key, key pin but nothing appeared stiff. To see if it was a humidity problem, I clamped a 60 watt light bulb to the middle pedal cable. Within a couple of hours, the keys were back to normal. The C4 octave had become flat from the previous tuning, so it was retuned. Since I have gain some experience, it takes a few minutes to get each key tuned. It is still not perfect, but it plays wonderfully.

With the higher humidity in winter months, a 60w incandescent light bulb was placed inside the piano and is on for a couple of hours each day.

August 2012 - Since there were too many violins at the Fremont High orchestra, Chris decided to play the double bass. He was in jazz band in his junior and senior years - this was the first time the bass was integrated into the band. He was voted most inspirational, best orchestra participant in his last year.

We got a morin khuur from eBay in February 2011. He also made an erhu from a Cetaphil cream container, 2 old violin strings, chopsticks, and gray PVC pipe.

July 2010 - Chris has a Beijing made violin imported by Moon River Music Instruments. Their website, based in Dublin, CA no longer exists, but this is fascinating. On the label, it says "Hand-crafted in the workshop of JIE SHENG VIOLINS"

We have a Scheidmayer upright piano. What’s that you ask. It is not the original model made in Germany, but licensed to Kawai to build. It does not have the longer strings of a studio but is a 47” tall contemporary.

In September 2010, I had Fry’s match a 10% off Guitar Center coupon for a Casio PX-130 digital piano. The pedal included does not do a true sustain. Another $45 is needed for a sustain pedal. The keys are weighted to play like a grand piano. It’s great for practicing without disturbing others.

There is also a cheap department store acoustic guitar, Marquis by Harmony #HM250 purchased in the early 1980’s.

At Amazon and Barnes & Noble , there is quite a selection of discounted sheet music books. At both places they have no clue how to pack books. Over 1/2 of our shipments have bent corners, but at least B&N accepts returns and exchanges at their retail stores.

Hal Leonard has an excellent website with search capabilities and full listings of titles within books.