Tuners who don't play

[Ron Torrella]

On Mon, 21 Oct 1996 JIMRPT@aol.com wrote:

>   I don't know if playing makes a tuner a happier tuner, but I do know that
> teaching a player to tune just enough to smooth out unisons, and temperament
> basics, usually makes for a very unhappy player. When this person starts
> listening to the individual notes of his music rather than the music itself
> they have lost something of their ability to enjoy their own music.  How
> about some of the 'players' commenting on this ?

Good point, Jim.  As a formally trained pianist (B.Mus., Univ. of
Cincinnati/College Conservatory of Music, 1983) and somewhat active
concert pianist, I do, indeed, find it frustrating to play when I can
clearly hear beating unisons--sometimes even the wavering ones annoy.  I
don't find this to be so overwhelming, though, that I either want to quit
playing or quit tuning.  Overall, I believe I have a genuine advantage
especially in troubleshooting those odd quirks that some professors (and
other clients) complain about.

			       Ron Torrella
			Assistant Piano Technician
			  University of Michigan
			      School of Music