The only thing wrong, with turning the air off, while you tune, is, it will go wonky, when they turn the A/C back on. It would be better to face the problem, and have a stable, environment for the piano. Regards, John M. Ross Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kent Swafford" <kswafford@earthlink.net> To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org> Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 5:14 PM Subject: Re: Yamaha C7 tuning instability > Um, I'm a little surprised no one has suggested that you inquire if the > AC could be turned off while you tune. If the problem is the stopping > and starting of the air flow, this should solve the problem and let you > tune without having to hit a moving target. > > Kent Swafford > > > > On Jun 17, 2004, at 2:31 PM, Mark Dierauf wrote: > > > Thanks to all for the responses. I did check the plate screws, but even > > my biggest square-shanked screwdriver with a wrench on it couldn't do > > more than just crack a few of them a hair. The studio is not large and > > there are vents everywhere, so I don't think that it's possible to get > > this piano out of the line of fire. The blanket is a good idea for > > tuning, but it doesn't help once I'm gone. The engineer usually either > > removes the lid altogether or else raises it until it is vertical and > > leaning against a piece of foam that he has located on a wall for that > > express purpose. I was thinking about trying one of the Edwards wool > > string covers, but I assume that this would change the sound (and > > volume) and throw off his miking procedure. Has anybody used one of > > these covers who could comment? Would a DC bottom cover across the top > > of the case (in place of the lid) be likely to help? > > > > - Mark > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Don Mannino [mailto:dmannino@kawaius.com] > > Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 1:24 PM > > To: 'College and University Technicians' > > Subject: RE: Yamaha C7 tuning instability > > > > Mark, > > > > As you surmised, this problem has nothing to do with the piano, and > > everything to do with the air changing the string's temperatures. > > > > The best approach is to move the piano so that it is not in a drafty > > spot > > during tuning, then move it back when you are done. Make sure the > > studio > > owners are aware of the draftiness problem - you can demonstrate it for > > them > > using your tuning machine easily. Simple zero out the display, then > > 'huff' > > hot air on the strings while playing it - the display will begin to > > move > > right away. Well, at least it works well with my unusually large > > quantity > > of hot air ;-) > > > > This problem could possibly be solved by redirecting a heating vent, or > > getting air deflectors for one or two vents that are blowing on the > > piano. > > > > A blanket or cover draped over the piano could help during tunings, > > too. > > > > Don Mannino RPT > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of > > Mark > > Dierauf > > Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 7:27 PM > > To: caut@ptg.org > > Subject: Yamaha C7 tuning instability > > > > > > > > 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 > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > > _______________________________________________ > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >
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