Tuning Exam Problems

[Ron Torrella]

On Thu, 18 Feb 1999, Jim Coleman, Sr. wrote:

> A series of these kinds of tests could be presented. An entire class of
> applicants could take the test at the same time. We would have to have
> more than one of these prepared tests recorded so that if one failed, there
> would be a slightly different test the next time.
> 
> I can envision using this as part of the written test. Then we could 
> streamline the hands-on tuning test and save additional time.

I see a move from individualized examining to a more generalized,
mass-proctored exam, which may or may not be desireable. But I like the
idea. If you're talking about dropping part of the tuning exam, perhaps
this test interval test can be inserted. If this part of the exam (I might
call it the "wide/narrow test") were given first, then the examinee could
continue with the actual tuning part of the exam. The examinee would
learn, quickly, whether she/he answered the "wide/narrow test" portion
correctly.

I don't suppose that failure to pass the "wide/narrow test" would be
considered grounds to halt the rest of the tuning exam, would it? If
stability were the tenor of the tuning exam, probably not.

The single experience I have in assisting with a tuning exam was a little
frustrating ('tho not enough to turn me off of the idea of assisting
again) because the examinee didn't demonstrate even a basic knowledge of
test intervals. Several years ago, a local CTE wrote an article for the
Detroit-Windsor Newsletter on the subject of ill-prepared tuning
examinees, so I know this wasn't an isolated case. My inclination is to
suspect that reliance on an ETD (I think the exam subject was an ETD-user)  
is partly the problem, but I know that that supposition will fill the
skies over Ann Arbor with flaming arrows in a hurry, so perhaps I won't go
there. Nonetheless, is there any anecdotal evidence to support this
under-developed suspicion?

I'm not suggesting that using ETDs is bad, but I wonder if it impedes
one's curiosity about the results one gets harmonicly if one doesn't
bother to stop and aurally check their work.

Ron Torrella, RPT
Piano Technician		"And like that...he's gone."
University of Michigan		     - Roger "Verbal" Kint (Kevin Spacey) 
School of Music			       The Usual Suspects
734/764-6207 (office/shop)	
734/763-5097 (fax)
734/572-7663 (home)