A Day Off

[Michael Jorgensen]

Hi Avery,
     Sounds like you need a full time partner.  The booklet "Guidelines
Effective Maintainance for Institutional Pianos" says about one tech for
every 60 to 80 pianos (depending on standards and other conditions). 
This weekend the one piano did six student recitals untouched by me and
all is just as I left it.  Too much tuning wears out the pins, hammers,
tuner and everything else, and doesn't really make any difference if the
original tuning is solid.  For guests whose contracts require multiple
tunings, all I do is check and rarely change anything after the first
tuning.  Infact, to change something hints to them that your tuning is
unsolid.  Overtuning creates instability.  The quickest check is to see
if the lowest tenor string F is out. If it's not out, the overall piano
hasn't changed so I do only a two minute check of unisons. 
     Your life is worth too much to donate to any university, for
they'll take it, burn you out till you die, and then just get another
one.  (like they do to their pianos). If they demand more, they should
pay for it.  Don't worry about tuning for every concert, they won't hear
any differences cause I don't hear any differences and I'm the tuner.
-Mike Jorgensen  RPT