[CAUT] Piano Storage Room

[Susan Kline]

Hi, John

The University's D sits in a fancy climate-controlled room, while the Newport
Arts Center's is in a box backstage. Left to my own devices, I'd choose the
box backstage. The piano moves with the ambient changes, which aren't that
severe in Oregon, but the changes are slowed by the lack of air exchange in
the box. There will never be a big fluctuation when the piano is brought
out to use, unless the lights are cranked way up.

On the other hand, the climate controlled room leaves the piano tuning
nearly completely unchanged over the summer when the piano never 
leaves the room.
It's very steady in there, and if conditions on stage aren't too different
from the room (which happens some times of year) it's a good situation.
However, I'm glad that when the piano is used for several rehearsals
and a concerto performance, it stays on stage for a few days, with a
light cover on it, instead of back in the room. I particularly like tuning
it after the artist has practiced on it for a few hours, with the stage
lights on. Duplicates the conditions it will have for the performance,
more or less.

Confession time: <blush> --- there's a short Baldwin kept with the S&S D
in its storage room, sort of brash but playable, which some groups use
instead of the elegant piano, also for less money, no doubt. One day
in early summer I was supposed to tune the Baldwin, but forgot and put
a very thorough tuning on the Steinway instead -- remembered in a nick
of time before I left -- went ahead and tuned the Baldwin, somewhat
faster than usual, shook my head.

The first piano performance in the fall, the artist came and practiced
on the Steinway ... three months after I'd tuned it in the box. 
Tuning was still
immaculate. He was very impressed by the piano's stability! ... <sick grin>
"Well, we try to keep the tuning close," I said. <blush> That is what a good
climate-controlled room does well, IMO.

Susan Kline .....................................the absent-minded



---------------
>Sometimes I feel that we should just turn off the climate control, and
>we would be better.
>
>We had a Steinway D that is stored in a box on stage, and it was close
>when tuned.
>
>The climate control is at 70F and 45% RH.  The stage was 73F and 29% RH.