Keith, Concerning humidity control, at Berry we have complete 5 part systems (or more) on every instrument. These were by installed by my predecessor, but I can't think of a better setup to inherit. With 100% rh in the summer and rh in the teens in the winter months they are an absolute necessity. However, even with the systems, and student workers to keep the reservoirs filled, we have still been having as much as a 50 cent swing from August to January. At last physical plant is installing new whole building dehumidifiers and seeting up to run the humidifier in the winter months. As long as this doesn't break down we shuold be in a much better state. As to tuning scheduling, the faculty and students seem to be happier when they return to freshly tuned pianos. Of course the performance and piano faculty get their instruments tuned more often. I feel that this is a case where first impressions are very much in effect. If they return to good sounding instruments which gradually get out of tune, they think of them as good. But if the instruments sound bad when they return (first of all they complain as I found out one time when I didn't have everything ready), and then they are tuned further into the term, they seem to be fixated on the idea of things sounding bad. Either way I think we all have more to tune than we will ever get around to. Have a good fall term. Allan Gilreath Gilreath Piano & Organ Co. Berry College Gilreath@aol.com
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC