jim mcavoy Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 (edited) I use a 'home brew' hard felt hammer at about 7 grams +/- ..it is non resonant and won't mar the finish ... a striking mallet from a piano would also work ...the convention is to soften it with olive oil on old mallets (I like 3 in 1 oil...it doesn't harden up as much) The thinking is that with a hard mallet you also hear the striking head resonance (and the impact) I find a knuckle to be variable Edit...I use this for evaluations mostly Jim Edited December 19, 2015 by jim mcavoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~ Ben Conover Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Middle finger, right hand. Actually, I haven't tuned a plate for 21 years since apprenticed to Harris days. Then, I found that it depends very much exactly where you hold the plate,as much as where and how you tap it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle duke Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 I use a 'home brew' hard felt hammer at about 7 grams +/- ..it is non resonant and won't mar the finish ......I use this for evaluations mostly I thought you were making a new violin. Or are you going to use the hammer after the violin is finished with varnish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim mcavoy Posted December 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Middle finger, right hand. Actually, I haven't tuned a plate for 21 years since apprenticed to Harris days. Then, I found that it depends very much exactly where you hold the plate, as much as where and how you tap it. yup....my knuckles tend to be a little tender ....arthritis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim mcavoy Posted December 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 I thought you were making a new violin. Or are you going to use the hammer after the violin is finished with varnish?sometimes working on an old Junker too ....it is, for me, an 'in situ' application Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davide Sora Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Speaking of free plates, I use the tip of my ring finger (not all the fingertip, only the very tip) Knuckles are harder and excite too many high frequencies that disturb listening. What could be better than the ring finger in order to hear the "ring" of modes...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael_Molnar Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Surface noise can be an issue. Knuckles work in the hands of an expert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Noon Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 5g wooden "hammer" with a self-stick vinyl button damper... from Home Depot for snubbing cabinet doors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim mcavoy Posted December 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 5g wooden "hammer" with a self-stick vinyl button damper... from Home Depot for snubbing cabinet doors.not bad, if I do say jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~ Ben Conover Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Actually depends which mode you're testing for.....If ring mode then knuckle in the middle quite hard several times will do. If X mode then gentle tap on the lower edge, listening for the deeper note. Hold the plate with left fingers lightly in upper bout centre, bit difficult with Cello. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim mcavoy Posted December 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Speaking of free plates, I use the tip of my ring finger (not all the fingertip, only the very tip) Knuckles are harder and excite too many high frequencies that disturb listening. What could be better than the ring finger in order to hear the "ring" of modes...... This also works when using a little skill and is equal to a light tap with a felt hammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davide Sora Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 This also works when using a little skill and is equal to a light tap with a felt hammer Yes, eraser of various hardness according to modes also work, or vinyl rubber as Don said. But with a little practice the tip of fingertip is all you need, or at least may be enough for what I need to hear from free plates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Burgess Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Nobody uses this method for tapping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addie Posted December 19, 2015 Report Share Posted December 19, 2015 Nobody uses this method? No doubt related to the rhythm method... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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