Tuning

[Howard S. Rosen]

----------
> From: DGPEAKE@aol.com
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Tuning
> Date: Monday, September 29, 1997 8:17 PM
> 
> Howard,
> 
> I guess we all come up with different terminology but that fact that we
have
> passed our exams and went on to become good tuners.........
> 
> I did not get the idea that I should tune any other way, but how I
describe
> it below definately made me a better tuner by dividing the temperament in
> equal 3rds as you described.
> 
> Stacking 3rds:  Tune A4 to fork, A4 to A3 beatless, set an F3-A3 about
7bps,
> then stack C#4 to be slightly faster than A3-A3, and stack C#4 to F4
slightly
> faster (the F4 to be beatless to F3), then check F4-A4.  Each interval
should
> be slightly faster.
> I then start from C#4, go down a 5th, and then stack the next two major
3rds,
> then down a 5th, etc.  Each time I go up or down and interval, I check
the
> 4ths. In fact, this method creates automatic checks, the more you
progress,
> the more checks you have. 
> 
> I then go outside the temperament using octaves, 10th and 17th
comparisons,
> as well as parallel progressions in 3rds (as long as I can hear them),
10ths,
> and 17ths.
> I am a firm believer that your octaves outside the temperament should be
an
> extention of your temperament.  
> 
> Hope this clears things up.
> 
> Dave Peake, RPT
> Portland, OR
> 

Hello again Dave,

I was under the impression that what precipitated our discussion was your
questioning of Jim Coleman's pure 5th concept of tuning. I believe it was
you who asked how it could be equal temperament etc. I was merely trying to
answer your question and support this new and very different approach to
tuning.I  had no intention of putting you in the position of having to
defend your own approach. On the contrary, your description above is
classic in nature and probably utilized by many technicians.

It was my impression from your questions and comments, that you did not
think much of this new concept. My response only attempted to justify, from
a musical standpoint, the validity of stretching octaves much more than
what we are accustomed to doing. (I was never happy with my triple octaves
tuning with a beatless, or slightly expanded, octave in the temperament.)
The trade-off, of course, is that all traditionally expanded intervals are
expanded even more.

I have been practicing this new temperament for 2 weeks now, and with 25
years of experience I can say that for me, tuning a piano is still just
about impossible. I am still looking for the best way and haven't found it.
But I keep trying new things.

Being on this list and writing more is good practice for everyone
(especially me), because it is so easy to say things negatively or in an
impolite way. So, I apologize if I seemed overly argumentative. I just
welcome intelligent exchange of ideas. Hope to talk to you soon.

Sincerely,
Howard S. Rosen, RPT
Boynton Beach, Florida

hsrosen@emi.net