CAUT in Dearborn: Institutional Software etc (Long)

[Scott Thile]

Hi Dave and list,

Dave asks:
>Welcome back all.  When time allows, can anyone summarize, in tremendous
>detail of course,  the discussion regarding institutional software?
>....and anything else that was of interest?

The software presentations at the CAUT forum were great!  There were three
different options demonstrated.  Here is an outline from my very poor notes
and even worse memory:

Presenter          Platform        Program used
______________     ________        _____________
Bill Schneider     Windows           Paradox
Michigan State
Bill's program was the only one of the three that was "relational", which
means that it uses several different databases linked together in a "set"
that interact with one another. For instance he has a "faculty directory"
database, a "room and instrument usage" database, and a "service history"
database that share information. Service information is gathered via a
service record "form" which is then posted to the various databases.  He
has designed several different reports which can be generated from all the
compiled information from these databases which cover almost anything you
would want to know about your inventory, faculty, room and usage, budget,
venders, and of course tuning schedules. I think Bill's database looked
great and seemed to accomplish most everything you would want to track in
an institutional setting.

Newton Hunt         Windows           Lotus 1-2-3
Rutgers
Newton's program is a "spreadsheet" type flat file.  It was the simplest of
the three programs and would be the easiest to set up.  Among other things,
it generates a printed report prioritizing pianos needing service, their
locations and other pertinent information.  Newton  then works from this
list, making notes on the list itself which he latter enters into the
spreadsheet. He prints an updated report every couple of weeks.
        Newton pointed out that a very important aspect to any system is
actually keeping your data current.  The temptation we all face is to let
our record keeping slide.  This could then make it much more difficult to
demonstrate our effectiveness to faculty and administrators.

Don McKechnie      MAC              FileMaker Pro
Ithaca College     (There is also a Windows version of FileMaker Pro)
Don's program is also excellent and accomplishes many of the same functions
that Bill's Paradox program does only in a non-relational "flat file" type
database. (The newest version of FileMaker is relational and Don plans to
explore the expanded possibilities.) Don's program featured many reports
that not only help him to track his work, but also help to justify his
effectiveness and his budget, and a "way cool" report that shows how many
technicians *should* be working at Ithaca based on the criteria in the
"CAUT Guidelines".

I have just barley touched on the capability of each of these customized
applications and I would encourage anyone interested to contact the
presenters directly for more information. I am not aware of any "canned"
program geared toward institutional piano maintenance. Like these
presenters, we are all faced with customizing a database or spreadsheet
program to fit our unique needs. These presentations were a great place to
get ideas for our own customized databases.
      Thanks to Bill, Newton and Don for all the great ideas!

Ron Berry's Software Review was also of interest.  I had to miss Ron's
class but have his hand out where he outlines the various software programs
and on-line resources for piano technicians.

Also at the CAUT forum was Bill Brandon updating us on the use of the
Yamaha Disklavier and Silent pianos in academia. Bill's presentation was
partly a pep talk to any of us that might have been worried about working
on these "high tech" pianos.  Bill stressed that the mechanisms themselves
are relatively trouble free and fairly easy to adjust. Action regulation
and other "regular piano" service is virtually the same on these
instruments as their "low tech" models. Bill reported that many of these
instruments are being placed in institutions so we will likely see them
soon if we don't already have them.  Bill assured us that Yamaha will give
CAUTs the support needed to effectively service these instruments.

Finally, in the second half of the forum, was an extremely interesting
presentation by Stephen Birkett "From Hammer to String".  Steve outlined
the many gaps in "scientific" research that could impact piano design and
is in the early stages of developing a computer model which he demonstrated
at the forum.  The complete model he is proposing to develop (pending
funding) would be extremely interesting and very useful in evaluating the
effects that changes in a piano's design would have on its performance.
Here is the abstract from Steve's presentation:
----------------------------
    "From Hammer To String"
While much attention has been focused on investigating the mechanical
properties of piano actions, comparatively little has been directed at
studying how energy is transferred from hammer to string during, and after,
impact. The initial few milliseconds after the hammer contacts the string
are examined via a computer simulation in which many important physical
parameters can be varied: hammerhead mass, material, geometry; hammerhead
covering material, layer thicknesses and distribution on the head; shank
geometry and physical characteristics; pivot friction; string diameter,
tension, material, strike point and scaling; overall geometry of the gap
layout. Data from specific pianos can be incorporated into the model to
determine how the physical parameters and characteristics used by different
builders affect the efficiency of the impulse, by changing the compliance
and inertia of the components that make up the hammer system.
---------------
If anyone is interested in Steve's proposal an ASCII version is now
available on The Piano Page via the WWW.

Among the other excellent programs I attended this year were two of David
Stanwood's presentations.  I am about to order my digital scale and start
evaluating some of our pianos using the "New Touch weight Metrology". I
also enjoyed seeing Owen Jorgensen's temperament recital as well as his
class on tuning historical temperaments. In fact all the classes I attended
were great!

Another big hit this year was the unveiling of "CyberTuner" (Dean Reyburn's
new generation of ETD which runs on the MAC PowerBook) I have worked with
CyberTuner for a week now and am completely impressed with it. In fact with
CyberTuner I am actually looking forward to the impending before school
tuning crunch.

Sorry for the length of this post.... but I had a great time at the
convention this year, and I had way to much coffee today besides.

Scott


Scott E. Thile, RPT
Piano-Instrument Technician
___________________________
Department of Music
Murray State University
PO Box 9, Murray, KY 42071
Phone:(502)762-4396,Fax:(502)762-6335
Email: sethile@msumusik.mursuky.edu