SATs

David Porritt dporritt@post.cis.smu.edu
Tue, 30 Jul 1996 05:53:22 -0500 (CDT)


Jim:

I'm very interested in the October "tune off."  For one thing Virgil
was very much an inspiration to me back in 1962 when I worked in
Chicago (tho he'd have little reason to remember it.)  I have since
also adopted the SAT as a valued tool.  I have tuned 49 pianos in the
past week getting a school district ready to open on August 5th.  I'd
have zero chance of doing that without "Sandy."  I know that if I ever
loose my hearing Sandy will not be a help.  Listening is the essential
skill in our work.  But while I can hear well the SAT is a tremendous
tool.

Your analogy of the Dr. and the x-ray is very appropriate.  There are
many of us who date back to the days of the Strobo Conn who bashed
electronic tuning aids.  We told customers that electronic tuning was
bad.  What we _should_ have said was, current electronic technology is
inadequate for fine tuning work.  Someday machines will be better.
None of us were that insightful.  As a result tuners are more or less
divided into two camps...those who feel they have to maintain their
prior misgivings about electronic tuning aids, and those who have tried
the new tools and found them helpful.

dave

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David M. Porritt, RPT
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, Texas
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