[CAUT] Piano Storage Room

[Ed Sutton]

John-
Dampp Chaser Corp. has recording monitors which they sometimes loan to 
institutional technicians.
They might be interested in getting some numbers from Nova Scotia.
Ed Sutton
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Ross" <jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca>
To: <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 3:26 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Piano Storage Room


> Hi Susan,
> Unfortunately, the Physical Plant does not check the controlled room 
> enough, even when it is suggested.
> So I feel that the room is not consistent.
> I put one of the registering hygrometer/thermometers in the room, and 
> when I checked it, the humidity, had apparently gone to 69%.
> I can't remember when I reset it.
> It is just a contract where I tune all the pianos (40) twice a year,  and 
> the 3 concert grands 10 times through the school year.
> They only let me do extra, when they have no choice, saying they can't 
> afford it.
> They are checking the controlled room today.
> The D in the box on stage, was really close.
> Thank you for the reply, obviously, mine isn't a good controlled room.
> Best,
> John Ross
> Windsor, Nova Scotia
>
> On 15-Mar-10, at 3:28 PM, Susan Kline wrote:
>
>> 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
>> 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.
>>
>>
>