[ Home | Contents | Search | Post | Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Wayland
Production: JHG2005
Date: 1/26/2006
Time: 5:45:58 PM
While grinding on the tongue of your best trump might be a mistake, it is possible to lower or raise the pitch as much as a whole step. Adding mass at the trigger end will lower the pitch, and removing mass will raise the pitch. Usually there is enough metal at the trigger to grind some off the sides thus raising the pitch. Gordon suggests adding mass to lower the pitch and this is a good method but not the only way to lower the pitch. If you remove metal near the base of the reed, it will become less ridged and the pitch will go down. If you make the reed too flexible the instrument will lose volume and punch and may be ruined. Proceed carefully and check your progress often. I use a quality electronic tuner with lights and a needle so I can see that I’m approaching my goal. Metal can be removed from the face of the reed but it is safer to remove from the edges with a needle file or emery board. Tuning will affect more than just pitch. The timber and sustain may, or may not be improved upon but I guarantee something is going to change with every alteration you make. Practice on a replaceable trump. I have on occasion brought an instrument back up to pitch. I believe that metal fatigue can soften the reed making it less ridged and lowering the pitch. If the pitch has fallen way off, the trump is most likely on the way out and no amount of tuning is going to fix it. One of the best uses I’ve made of my tuning efforts is with the bamboo Kubings. A sharp razor blade can be used to scrape away from the base of the reed (on the undecorated side) to lower the pitch as much as a half step. Scraping the knuckle in the reeds center will only raise the pitch a little. I have ruined several Kubings in the process but now have a few well-tuned instruments. Wayland