[CAUT] tuning frequency

[Bob Hull]

> Wim asks: 
> << There is minor argument between the piano faculty
> and myself as to how  
> often 
> their pianos should be tuned.> 
>      
--- A440A@aol.com wrote:


  I usually tune the piano instructors pianos
> at Vanderbilt 3 times per 
> year,unless we have problem with the HVAC system. 
> The practise rooms are 
> tuned each semester. I don't find more than a couple
> of cents movement over the 
> whole piano in the three month period of use.  
>    I find that my unisons will go the distance,
> unless the piano moves with 
> humidity swings more than 5 cents, then the unisons
> begin to wake up, and it is 
> the norm that all the right hand strings of the
> trichords move more than any 
> of the others.  
>     How are the pianos going out?  If it is unisons,
> then I have to suspect 
> hammer technique. If it is the whole piano moving
> around, with the bass break 
> octave really getting out of shape, I suspect it is
> the humidity control 
> system.  
> Regards,
> > Ed Foote RPT 

I am coming at this discussion from a little different
angle than most of the people who have replied because
they are full time techs and I am a contract tech. The
two universities and one junior college that I take
care of constitute about 25% or less of my total
business each year.

The frequency of tunings requested by the universities
is two per year.  The recital hall pianos are an
exception and receive more. The problem with letting
the faculty say how often the tunings should be done,
Wim, is that they do not have the ear or knowledge
that you have and may let the pianos go too long
thereby setting up a cycle of unstable tunings.  Then,
you are the one who looks bad! I can see giving them a
little leeway but not too much.   

The pianos at my universities obviously go through
major humidity fluctuations because I always have to
correct the pitch by about 10-12 cents and sometimes
more.  Like Ed said, the unisons have begun to wander
significantly by this time, the octave in the bass
break is bad, and the right string of the trichords
(usually in middle upper treble) has moved the most.  

Then, after I have pitch corrected and tuned these
puppies, they are subjected to all of that playing and
continuing humidity changes, as well as people
fiddling with the HVAC thermostats; and the cycle is
repeated over and over never acheiving stability
because a follow up tuning is not in the budget.  I
let the pitch float a little to try to compensate.  

With all that said, I don't know that I would really
be able financially to do another round of tunings if
requested because I do not charge any extra for all of
these pitch raises.  It would take time away from my
tuning for the general public where my rates are
higher!   


Respectfully,

Bob E. Hull


		
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