Geoff, "Stable" is the right word. I've found that stable relative humidity is the primary key to a stable fortepiano tuning. However, in concert/recording situations that feature these instruments (of which I've done enough to pull just about every hair out of my head...) the reality is that you must work with what you have. The next word that comes to mind is "grooming". We're talking about trying to reason with a moving animal here! Grooming the tuning requires a slightly different thought process (and technique/s) than locking-in a tuning on a modern concert grand. Here's a general approach I take to fortepiano/harpsichord tuning in concert situations. 1. Get the instrument(s) into the hall - at least back stage - no less than a full day before the performance (2 days is better). In a pinch, tuning an instrument in another room and moving it on stage within an hour or less of the performance can do nicely if the hall's environment is extreme from the where the instrument came from. 2. I agree with Steve - see if the stage crew can "go easy" on the spot lights shining directly on the instrument. 3. Approach tuning a fortepiano like you would a pitch-adjustment on a modern piano (i.e. go as fast as you reasonably can on the 1st and 2nd passes and refine things only on the 3rd and subsequent "groomings"; take mental notes of what the tuning as a whole is doing - is treble going sharp and bass flat, or vice-versa? - then compensate a little for this movement in your next pass) 4. On final pass, unisons are more important than octaves... or any other interval for that matter. If working on a 5-octave instrument, on the final pass switch to a T-hammer (if you've been using a goose-neck up to this point) and "flick" or tap the hammer back and forth to help lock-in the unisons. Also, when setting the string I find a quick double- or triple-strike on the key works better than a single hard blow. 5. When really pinched for time, concentrate your final passes on the temperament octave and then move from there to the the very top of the instrument. The tenor and bass can drift quite a bit without being unsettling to 99% of the audience. 6. Pitch is relative. If the instrument is drifting wildly, go with the median pitch that the instrument seems to be happiest with (any large pitch adjustment of over a couple of beats per second should have been done the day before the concert tuning). 7. Temperament is also relative. In a less-than-ideal humidity setting, chances are good that your tuning will pass through SEVERAL temperaments during the performance... 8. PRAY! Lastly, in your particular situation, if they can't give you a minimum of 1 hour per piano (40 minutes might suffice if you have a really stable RH) then see if they can move an instrument to the green room where you can tune while whatever else is scheduled is happening on the stage. Then move it back on stage just before your scheduled time and tweak it after you've gone through the other instruments, first. My 2-bits... Robert ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------- Robert A. Murphy Piano Technician & Curator of Fortepianos Oberlin Conservatory of Music cell: 517.285.3269 shop: 440.775.8275 On Nov 14, 2006, at 11:20 AM, Stephen E Kabat wrote: > Geoff- I've found that temperature is a big factor. Try to kept lights > down, and stabilize the temperature as much as possible. I don't think > it's your tuning technique at all- I've found these instruments to be > less stable than harpsichords. > Good luck > Steve Kabat > -----caut-bounces at ptg.org wrote: ----- > >> To: "'College and University Technicians'" <caut at ptg.org> >> From: Marcel Carey <mcpiano at videotron.ca> >> Sent by: caut-bounces at ptg.org >> Date: 11/11/2006 08:22AM >> Subject: [CAUT] RE : Fortepiano stability >> >> Hi Geoff, >> >> I'm no expert, but I find that some instruments don't respond so well >> to hard blows. If you find that your unisons are going sharp, you may >> be hitting too hard and creating stability problems. Or is it just >> the temperature change... This is a major factor with these >> instruments. >> >> Marcel Carey, RPT >> Sherbrooke, QC-----Message d'origine----- >>> De : caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] De la part >>> de Geoffrey Pollard >>> Envoyé : 11 novembre 2006 07:37 >>> À : College and University Technicians >>> Objet : [CAUT] Fortepiano stability >>> >>> >>> Hi all from Oz, >>> >>> I'm tuning 3 fortepianos for the Mozart triple piano concerto series >>> this week and next, here in Sydney, for the leading baroque >>> orchestra. Have just staggered home from Sat night after Friday >>> night's first concert. Tuning stability was not good - and I am >>> looking for any help from fellow CAUTs on techniques to nail tunings >>> that will last more than one movement. I have about 2 hours >>> pre-concert for tuning - 40 mins each. I'm hitting hard, and the 3 >>> are becoming more obedient, but the arrival of 1.500 audience seems >>> to unsettle them! Unison and octave drift. Any advice from >>> fortepiano gurus out there? >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Geoff Pollard >>> Sydney Conservatorium of Music >>> University of Sydney >>> -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 7338 bytes Desc: not available Url : https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/caut.php/attachments/20061114/3c613856/attachment.bin
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