[CAUT] A440, once again...

[Paul T Williams]

I like that idea, Jim!

Now....who can tell without a measuring devise can actually tell 440 from 
441??? Remember.  No reference...fork. ETD or otherwise!!!   Really!?!?!?! 
You must be God!  Very few, if any... I can assure...especially non piano 
technicians.  I'm sure there are some, (but I doubt it sincerely!), so 
I'll get some discussion on this for the 1,000,000th time!  I think that 
441 might be a brilliant idea!  Sound octaves and unisons with a really 
solid pitch will win every time....  Of course a great temperament as 
well, I should add with great emphasis!!

Paul




From:
Jim Busby <jim_busby at byu.edu>
To:
"caut at ptg.org" <caut at ptg.org>
Date:
11/10/2009 07:56 AM
Subject:
Re: [CAUT] A440, once again...



Thanks Dave.
 
You know, maybe A441 would give us the best of both worlds. Leave it 
there! A440s are happy, A442s too. In fact, we have unintentionally had 
that happen and no one EVER said “hey, this piano is 4 cents high!” 
 
Best,
Jim
 
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of 
Porritt, David
Sent: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 6:20 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] A440, once again...
 
Jim:
 
Just in the past 2 weeks our orchestra conductor has asked me for 441. I’m 
currently keeping our concert hall pianos at 441 and I’ll see what 
comments (if any) I get.  The percussion instruments are all set high from 
the factory.  Our double reed teachers (both  principals in the Dallas 
Symphony) want their studio pianos at 441 since that’s where the DSO 
lives.  Actually though they get a 441 from the principal oboist everyone 
else in the orchestra hits that a little high.  The organ in the symphony 
hall is tuned at 443.5. 
 
When we tune a piano we set A at one place and carefully tune everything 
else to match as perfectly as possible.  The symphony is not that way.  In 
reality, if all the violins played exactly in tune it would sound like one 
violin but louder.  Since that isn’t (can’t be) done that mixing of the 
slightly different pitches and varying vibrato speeds gives the sound 
we’re used to hearing.  When hearing a solo piano played, we expect these 
beat free unisons and virtually beat free octaves or we’re in trouble. 
With orchestras it’s not that way.
 
I love standards too and have toed the line on 440 but I think in some 
ways it’s a lost cause.  It’s been going generally up forever and I can’t 
see that stopping.  My theory is that these people with super accurate 
pitch recognition perceive 440 as boring and the “new” 442 is exciting. 
When that becomes boring, they (or their successors) will want 444 or 445. 
 I work for Director of the Music Division.  If he says 441 I’ll tune 441. 
 It’s his school.
 
dp
 
PS Oh, that requirement for 440 in guest artist’s contract is just so the 
piano is tuned!  I don’t think the vast majority of them would know nor 
care. 
 
David M. Porritt, RPT
dporritt at smu.edu
 
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Jim 
Busby
Sent: Monday, November 09, 2009 9:07 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] A440, once again...
 
All,
 
Once again there is a push here at BYU to set A442 as our pitch standard. 
The Director of the School of Music is behind it, and is also the 
Philharmonic Orch conductor. The problem I see is that most guest artists 
specify A440. Sooooo… if someone visits we’ll have to drop down, then back 
up, back down, up, down… I’m getting dizzy just thinking about it.
 
Any strong arguments against? Or am I just “bein’ contrary” as my kinfolk 
would say?? 
 
Thanks.
Jim Busby BYU


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