At 10:35 PM 7/30/96 -0500, you wrote:
>-- [ From: ALLAN DAY * EMC.Ver #2.10P ] --
> I can see the practical application in a university setting or other
>multiple piano circumstances. I fight fatigue at the end of a 5 tuning
>day. I assume the machine cuts down the fatigue factor. And then there
>are the wild pianos that just can't seem to be tamed aurally. A
>colleague says its for those pianos and easy pitch raising that he
>bought the Accu-tuner.
I tune for a University here in Rochester and with my preset
programs for U1's, Sohmer 45's and Young Changs can tune 10 pianos a day
during my practice room marathons 4 times a year, this would not be possible
without the accu-tuner.
Also, 75% of my tuning is done for average people on moderate to
cheap pianos who are not really aware that their tenor section is 1/16 sharp
or flat in relation to the bass, let alone the finer points of a concert
tuning. They are very happy with a machine being used to help tune their
pianos', as a matter of fact, I can only recollect 4 times in the past 18
years that someone has asked me if I used a machine in my tuning process and
did not use my services because of my machine use. The man I bought my
business from started using a machine in 1949 and always claimed that a good
pin set and solid unisions where what made people happy.
One Eastman School of Music Professor, (acting chair of the Theory
Dept last year), advocated the use of my services to many of his
professional acquaintances and friends because I used an accu-tuner and he
found the tuning so consistent.
> 2. A recent graduate of the N. Bennett St. School brought his machine
>over to show me. He said that the instructors at the school advise that
>one should always check or proof the accu-tunings aurally to make sure
>it sounds correct. If you know what's correct to begin with, why use
>the machine? He couldn't give me a satisfactory answer. Or at least one
>that justifies the cost of the machine.
With 75% of my tuning being on these average to cheap pianos an
extensive checking procedure would be a waste of time. If I can save 20
minutes by using a preset tuning (I have 100's) on a Grinnel (or even a
Grand) spinet I can tune more pianos in a day which offset the cost of an
accu-tuner in a very short time many years ago. I own two so that I always
have a backup should I need one.
Not buying a machine because of the initial expense would be like
picking up pennies as dollar bills are blowing by.
Rob Edwardsen
21 Courtenay Circle
Pittsford, NY 14534-2101
edwardsn@rpa.net
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