pitch raises

[Newton Hunt]

Jeff, all you say is true.

My contention is that two trips are wasteful and leaving a piano not in tune
because of a pitch change is also wasteful.  Yes it will not be as stable as
when tuned again next month, but it will be no more or less stable in six
months than if all tunings were done at the first visit.

I have no choice to tune and stabilize a piano for a concert if they want 442
instead of 440.  I can also do the same with a home piano regardless of it's
pitch.  I will not tell them I have to come back next week and charge them for
an additional trip.

            Newton

Jeff Tanner wrote:

> Newton Hunt wrote:
>
>  What is involved
> is compression of the plate so stability is only a matter of getting the
> stress on the plate.
>
> A recent presentation by Jim Ellis, RPT, Knoxville, TN Chapter,
> demonstrated quite effectively that changing the pitch of strings on the
> piano involves quite a bit more than the compression of the plate.  He
> demonstrates, using his model, that no matter how much you turn that pin,
> the string takes its own sweet time in moving through the bearing points,
> especially across the bridge, and that even with the hardest test blows,
> the strings continue to move for quite some time afterwards until the
> tension evens out.  "This is the best reason I can think of for having your
> piano tuned regularly." - Jim Ellis, (paraphrased to the best of my
> recollection).
>
> Other factors include the changes in pressure on the downbearing and
> soundboard as you move up the piano, effectively undoing, to some degree,
> what you've just done.
>
> Regarding all of these discussions:
> I have always been taught that the piano is constantly changing and moving
> and that no matter how well you set those pins and strings, the piano will
> begin coming out of tune (to some degree) as soon as you leave.  I believe
> it is vain for any of us to think that we can tune a piano and it won't
> change.
>
> As an aside, I have been told for years that my tunings hold longer than
> "the last tuner's did."  I approach my work with humility and with great
> respect for the piano and for the work of others and that I know that if I
> pretend I know everything, the next piano might prove me wrong.
>
> Jeff Tanner
>
> Jeff Tanner, Piano Technician
> School of Music
> University of South Carolina
> Columbia, SC 29208
> (803)-777-4392 (phone)
> (803)-777-6508 (fax)