The Hobby, Skill, and Career of Piano Tuning

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PART A
This section deals with conceptual ideas with how the Go APE system deals with hammer technique

#1: Why does the Go APE system say you do not need a tight fitting tuning tip?

a) Because a tight fitting tip is needed when you are searching for the correct pin position.

b) Because the Go APE System approaches the correct pin position from only one direction; no back and forth searching needed.

c) Tips never fit tight anyway.

d) The Go APE System actually DOES say you need a tight fitting tip!

#2: Why does the Go APE System say you do not need a stiff hammer shank?

a) We remove the hammer force before the friction breaks which means no slingshot so no over shooting the correct pin position.

b) Weak hammer shanks bend.

c) The pin and shank get spring loaded, so a stiff shank prevents over shooting the correct pin position.

d) You actually DO need a stiff hammer shank!

#3: Define Slow Pull.

a) Slowly pulling the hammer toward you on an upright to gently bend the pin.

b) Impacting the hammer with slow impulses.

c) Getting the pin foot moving in a smooth motion and stopping when the target pitch is reached.

d) Impacting the hammer to make slow clicking noises.

#4: What is the advantage of using an Impact/Impulse technique?

a) It makes it easier make small changes in pitch.

b) When the pin foot finally moves, the hammer force is gone.

c) It makes it easier move the pin foot a small amount.

d) All of the above.

#5: Why does an unstable string change pitch on hard playing?

a) The pin wasn't set properly.

b) The Non-Speaking Length Tension wasn't equal to the Speaking Length Tension.

c) The hammer was not at 12:00.

d) None of the above.

PART B
The following questions have to do with the Tension Band and the Non-Speaking Length (NSL) Tension.

#6: Define the Tension Band

a) The Tension Band is the range of tensions that the NSL experiences.

b) It is the band of tension around the tuning pin created by the piano string.

c) It is the range of the NSL tension that produces no string slippage.

d) None of the above.

#7: What happens to the Tension Band on hard blows?

a) It gets wider and follows the NSL tension.

b) It drops with the NSL tension.

c) It causes the pitch to change.

d) It narrows and rises.

#8: Where is the NSL tension while you are raising pitch?

a) At the top of the Tension Band.

b) At the bottom of the Tension Band.

c) It doesn't change.

d) It's impossible to know.

#9: Where is the NSL tension while you are lowering pitch?

a) At the top of the Tension Band.

b) At the bottom of the Tension Band.

c) It doesn't change.

d) It's impossible to know.

#10: Why do strings rarely go sharp when they are unstable?

a) Because the tension is always pulling them down.

b) They often DO go sharp!

c) The Tension Band stays high on hard blows.

d) None of the above

PART C
These questions have to do with After Tuning.

#11: What is After Tuning as defined in the Go APE System?

a) The pitch of the string after you have tuned it.

b) The unbending and untwisting of the tuning pin after you remove the hammer from the tuning pin.

c) The unbending and untwisting of the tuning pin after you remove the hammer force from the hammer.

d) The unbending and untwisting that happens to the pin over time.

#12: What is the real reason why we put our hammer at 12:00, if we do?

a) We need the bending and unbending of the tuning pin that happens at 12:00

b) It gives the best stability

c) It is easier to hold the hammer.

d) The bending and unbending of the tuning pin doesn't affect the NSL Tension.

#13: What happens to the tuning pin when you remove the hammer force after raising pitch?

a) It twists clockwise all by itself.

b) You have to twist it clockwise

c) You have to twist it counter-clockwise

d) It untwists counter-clockwise all by itself.

#14: If I lower pitch with my hammer at 3:00 on a grand piano, what can I say is happening?

a) During tuning, the NSL Tension is at the top of the Tension Band.

b) After I remove my hammer force, the pin unbends all by itself, toward the string.

c) During tuning, the pin is twisted clockwise.

d) After I remove my hammer force, the pin unbends all by itself, away from the string.

#15: What can I say is happening when I raise pitch on an upright with the hammer at 3:00.

a) The NSL Tension is at the top of the Tension Band and after I remove the hammer force, the tuning pin untwists clockwise all by itself, and the pin unbends away from the string.

b) The NSL Tension is at the top of the Tension Band and after I remove the hammer force, the tuning pin untwists counter-clockwise all by itself, and the pin unbends away from the string.

c) The NSL Tension is at the top of the Tension Band and after I remove the hammer force, the tuning pin untwists counter-clockwise all by itself, and the pin unbends towards the string

d) The NSL Tension is at the top of the Tension Band and after I remove the hammer force, the tuning pin untwists clockwise all by itself, and the pin unbends towards the string

PART D
Troubleshoot the following stability problems using the Go APE System.

#16: You raise the pitch of an upright piano string with your hammer at 12:00 using slow pull. It goes flat on the first hard blow. What can you try so it has a better chance of not going flat?

a) Try bending the pin up after you reach pitch.

b) Try lowering pitch using Slow Pull with your hammer at 3:00

c) Try raising pitch using slow pull with your hammer at 9:00

d) Try raising pitch using slow pull with your hammer at 3:00

#17: After tuning an upright piano string, it goes flat on hard blows. What can you try that will safely improve stability.

a) Try gently bending the pin up and away from the string to get it back to the right pitch.

b) Try tuning the string sharp and hit the key very hard to settle the string down to the right pitch.

c) Try turning the pin foot counter-clockwise and retune using a gentle massage or bend towards the string.

d) Try turning the pin foot clockwise and retune using a gentle massage or bend towards the string.

#18: While trying to turn the pin foot on a grand without changing the pitch, you hear the pitch change. What can you do to safely make the string stable?

a) Start all over.

b) If the pitch fell below your target, go sharp and whack it hard to settle pitch.

c) Try gently bending the pin towards the string.

d) Try gently bending the pin away from the string.

#19: A "Go-Sharp-Ease-Flat" technique doesn't work. What could be the problem?

a) The NSL is too long.

b) The pins are not tight enough in the pin block.

c) You didn't bend the pin enough toward the string while tuning.

d) All of the above.

#20: A technician watches you tune and tells you, you are doing things all wrong. Your stability will be bad. What do you do?

a) Tell them all about the Go APE System.

b) Tell them to mind their own business.

c) Thank them kindly and continue tuning.

d) Use your intuition. If you feel safe - a). If they have been harassing you for a while and are the kind that need to be told what's what - b). If you do not know them well - c)

Results will be displayed below.

​​​​NSL Stability Quiz #1

NSL Stability Quiz #1