Duo Piano

[Guy, Karen, and Tor Nichols]

Bob,
	I generally use a technique like Jim's. I have to agree that the results
are just fine, and it's the least time-consuming method (for me). Any thing
else strays away from habit and the comfort zone.
	I'm not sure about "color" if there's a really wild unison, especially in
octaves 5&6. Seems like a lot of duo repertoire "lands" on unisons in that
area, so I will compromise the second piano a little to get a better match.
The second piano is usually a mismatched Asian piano, and wants to be
sharper than the D or SD that we're matching with. The old "I" word strikes
again. Like David i points out, the musicians aren't comparing, either, and
likely don't want to think about it.
	I find that teaching studio matches are more demanding than concert, and
firmly believe that it has alot to do with the fact that nested pianos
blend better than side-by-side. The nested piano's output isn't affected by
"phase" differentials, and acoustically are much more...."user friendly".
The studio pianos are fighting for airspace, with unequal distances between
the source(s), and the nearest wall. Good time for plugs. 
	For funnsies, I'll mute-wedge the sustain pedal on one (when I'm done),
and play something pre-20th on the other. Can you say "cacophony"?
	Back to individual technique...... it's probably safe to say that so long
as the results are favorable, whatever flips your switch.

Guy 

At 06:52 AM 11/3/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Bob, David;
>  My technique comes down somewhat in the middle between the techniques that
>each of you have described and is as follows.
>  I tune the lead, or primo, instrument as solid as I can, then tune the
>second instrument to the first making any needed compromises in the second
>instruments tuning. This gives good sounding duplex unisions, notes played on
>each instrument, and both instruments sound very nice by themselves.  This is
>a very good procedure to follow when you have two mismatched instruments, say
>a 
>5'1" grand and a 7' thingee.
>Works for me.  :-)
>Jim Bryant (FL)
>
><<"I tune both pianos to A440 and I don't compare anything. The 
>musicians are making music together not comparing unison to 
>unison. 
>David ilvedson. RPT">>
>
><<"Here's mine (I tune aurally).  I like the pianos keyboard to 
> keyboard, strip both, and tune back and forth. 
>Bob Hohf">>
>
>
Guy Nichols

"All the water in the world can't sink a ship.......unless it gets on the
inside."
						
							Ed Foreman