standards

[Otto Keyes]

It seems to me we have a case where objective standards apply to, and are
modified by, individual instruments.  I am not a relativist, but standards,
be they absolute or defined by culture (or lack thereof), apply differently,
depending upon the context.  So perhaps they are more contextual than
relative.  Every piano is different, whether it is individually crafted or
pumped out of a rubber-stamp chipboard factory.  But assuming high quality
instruments, there are still small differences, brought about by everything
from wood, to wire, to sheep dip, to the quality and quantity of libation
the "craftsperson" indulged in the night before, to.......the list is
endless.  The remarkable thing is that they are as similar as they are.

The 2 D's in our recital hall can use the same tuning with out deleterious
effects, but the two instruments are different beasts.  The tuning
differences are slight....but they are different.  And they do, indeed,
change slightly with voicing.  Ever notice how a bright piano is harder to
tune & goes out much more quickly than one with a more mellow tone?  Do I
change the tuning every time I do a little voicing?  No.  To the ear in the
audience, the difference is imperceptible.  Unless the voicing change is
extreme, the performer will not even notice it.  If anything, they will more
likely perceive a change in touch, though nothing was done to the
regulation.  Even different tuning styles may elicit that response, or
describe a fuller or tighter sound, rather than the critique of any specific
intervals.

Now if your unisons are off, that's another matter altogether....  Tuning
them clean gets one past a lot of hurdles.  If this business can be reduced
to a bunch of formulaes, let's just sell strob-o-tuners & tuning hammers to
all our customers.  We'd probably make more money & do less work....at
first.  But then we'd have to go out & clean up all the messes, & I'm not
sure that would be much fun!  :-)

Otto


----- Original Message -----
From: "David M. Porritt" <dm.porritt@verizon.net>
To: <rwest1@unl.edu>; <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2003 1:30 PM
Subject: Re: standards


> Richard:
>
> I think I understand what you're getting at here, but is this not
> trying to fully objectify art (and I mean that as a sincere question,
> as I don't really know)?
>
> dave