Yamaha C7 tuning instability

Wimblees@aol.com Wimblees@aol.com
Thu, 17 Jun 2004 11:06:36 EDT


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In a message dated 6/16/04 9:27:49 PM Central Daylight Time,  
mark@nhpianos.com writes:

I take  care of an older Yamaha at a recording studio that has a tuning
instability  problem that I've never encountered on any other piano - the
pitch  fluctuates by as much as 3 or 4 cents over the course of only a
few  minutes. It took me quite a while to realize that this fluctuation
ran in  sync with the forced hot air heating system. Now that it's
summer, the  air-conditioning from the same vents is having the same
effect. The piano  has a complete DC unit installed with a bottom cover,
is tuned at least 20x  annually, and is very pitch-stable in the long
term. It is not located in  direct sunlight and the temperature doesn't
vary much, certainly not within  seasons. In the winter there is a
humidity control system adding moisture  through the hot air ducts. The
studio is in an old New England barn that  had several hundred thousand
dollars worth of renovation, and so is very  well finished and insulated,
but in the time that it takes me to work  through the temperament the
first notes tuned have already moved  substantially. Once after chasing
the pitch all through a tuning I repeated  A4 for several minutes and
watched the pitch rise about 2 cents above the  starting point then fall
about 2 cents below. This cycle kept repeating as  I watched. Has anyone
ever seen such a problem? Did you find any  solutions?

- Mark



Mark
 
I would start by tightening as many plate screws/bolts as possible. Also,  
even though you might not hear it, check to make sure the soundboard is tight  
all around the edges. 
 
Wim 

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