A-440 Policy?

[Richard Moody]

----- Original Message -----
From: Rolf von Walthausen & Nancy Larson <pianos@traverse.net>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, October 28, 2000 4:32 PM
Subject: Re: A-440 Policy?


>.  Maybe I'm alone in this, but most of the performing
> venues I service on a regular basis are not climate (humidity)
> controlled.  Which means between the time one tunes in the morning
> prior to rehearsal and returns that afternoon following sound check, the
> overall pitch can easily vary 4-5 cents in either direction.  Add to the
> mixture hot stage lights and the dumping backstage of hot/cold outside
> air to help control the on-stage comfort levels for performers, the
> overall pitch level could vary as much as 7-8 cents over a period of a
> few hours
> Rolf von Walthausen
> Interlochen Center for the Arts

FYI.  4 or 5 cents is  441.02  or 441.27
7 - 8 cents is 441.78 or 442.04.

Back around 1985 I was contacted by telephone to tune the pit piano to 441.
Even though  this was a show that would give me two tunings a week,  I
arrived armed with all the arguments I could think of to tune to 440.
Before I could start the Musician's Union rep told me the reason for 441 was
so that the piano at performance would be 440.  That they noticed the piano
was dropping after the audience had come in and the theater warmed up.  It
turned out a Korg needle type tuner was used to determine this.  I  happened
to have the same model because another group I tuned for regularly  used
that instead of a tuning fork.    We then saw that the pit piano as we spoke
was 439-.   I told him I would have to raise the piano to 442 and it should
be at 441+ after two tunings.   He said OK and I said that if the pit piano
was ever at 440+ for one week I would raise it back to 441.5 but that would
involve two tunings.  He agreed I could  bill for two tunings when that
happened.    The show ran for 9 months before I had to raise it again and
that was because of the dry season.  This was on the West Coast.  The show
got extended six more months but do you think I dropped it from 442 when the
rainy season came in? Of course not, I was not asked.  So I concur with Rolf
that the pitch should be within 1 cps and better if it is above, if below 1
cps  the musicians will notice and might request an adjustment. ---ric