[CAUT] professor tuning variables

[G Cousins]

Ric, and listers,

Great input!!  Thanks everyone.

I have always attempetd to make the most of every situation and to cater (of course within reason)to the "clients" needs.  In my brief toying (and not telling)with the ET's and UET's here at WCUPA, I have found that some of the profs' comments have been on the very positive side. They actually prefer my tuning musings. In that vein it would be my humble opinion that (during thisw brief analysis) perhaps ET provides too much E and not enough T for the human (analog) ear.    ET,of course, for Jazz and balanced sound standards but, for orchestral, chamber, harpo's and maybe even Piano & instrument (flute, viola,violin etc) it may be worth it to have a piano "properly tuned" for that particular setting. I think it may benefit all and, as an added benefit (?) I would be doing my part in the process to maximize the experience of the listner as well as the performer(s). This may be a simple justifying of the term "Professional". Not, by ANY strech of the imagination to infer anyone in the gang is anything different. 

 

In regards to my original query, I was simply asking the list as to any experiential findings present or past on variables of tuning for the professors. I totally concur that having several "tricks" in the bag always benefits everyone involved. 

Of course, the discussion of ET,UET,MT etc as well as aural tuning vs ETD tuning borders on similar sort of debate of Digital vs Analog sound bantied about in the recording engineers arena. Both sides of the discussion are warranted and both sometimes agree that the other side might need to be "warranted" by the authorities.  hehehe.  

 

Thanks again to you and all who comented.

Gerry Cousins

Lead Musical Instrument Repair Technician

West Chester University


 
> Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2009 18:21:49 +0100
> From: ricb at pianostemmer.no
> To: caut at ptg.org
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] professor tuning variables
> 
> "I've long suspected that the impossibility of meeting everyone's
> requests for something different in temperament and pitch is what
> was originally responsible for the shift to ET and a nominally
> standard pitch. Administrative streamlining."
> 
> Tuning requirements follow closely the development in composition. Its 
> got nothing to do with streamlining. At some point in the last century 
> however it started to dawn on some folks that perhaps tuning for period 
> music in temperaments that were common for the day was an good idea. 
> What resistance this relatively new idea has met (which seems 
> increasingly weaker and more difficult to justify for each passing day) 
> has been probably more a matter of ignorance, laziness and old fashioned 
> just plain being set in ones ways then anything else. Setting a new 
> temperament for any given concert is less of a job then your average 
> pitch shift from 440-442 and back again. And for the record.... there is 
> no nominally standard pitch evident in the world today. Much of the US 
> operates at 440, much of Europe at 442, a significant part of Europe 444 
> and some orchestras require 445. Japan is also split. //
> / /
> 
> "If not for ETDs, it wouldn't be an option today. How about a show
> of hands for those offering a plethora of alternative temperaments
> tuned aurally."
> 
> 
> This is just plain wrong. There are lots of folks out there who have 
> provided aural instructions for UET's for quite some time now. And as 
> it turns out... ET is the most difficult by far to become accomplished 
> at. If any tuner doesn't know how aurally set a couple UET's its only 
> because they haven't bothered to try. As for how large an UET 
> repertoire anyone has... well historically (until more recent history) 
> there was a reason to have more then one or two bearing schemes. As for 
> myself, I do three UET's aurally now. I found in the end I didn't 
> really get the same result musically always using and ETD. Harpsichord 
> players have as a rule several UET's in their bag of tricks. Anyone 
> wanting to learn a few new tricks can easily hunt this stuff down.
> 
> To each their own as it were. Personally, I find it to be excellent PR 
> to be able to execute an UET and be reasonably well versed in 
> tempermenalila as it were. Just another tool to keep in ones bag.
> 
> Cheers
> RicB
> 
> 
> /
> /
> 
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