e 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 draw