analogies

[Joe & Penny Goss]

Hi John,
Good ones to ponder.
Pitch raising is like trying to hit a moving target. The flatter it is 
like the faster the target is moving.
I use my false beat eliminator that has a bend in it to explain how the
wire will react to the pitch raise. Not wanting to go in a direct line
after the termination point but rather a small curve then to the next
termination point where there is also going to be a small curve. The term
that I use is "pitch stabilization process" which needs to be done to
achieve piano stability.
And especially working here in a farm community they understand the concept
of making a barbed wire gate. Ever try making one? Tightening one wire
changes the stress on the others. A four wire gate is harder to make than a
three wire gate.
Joe Goss
----------
> From: John M. Formsma <jformsma@dixie-net.com>
> To: PianoTech <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Subject: analogies
> Date: Thursday, August 12, 1999 5:38 AM
> 
> Hi List,
> 
> I like to use analogies so that the customer will better understand what
> needs to be done to his piano.  For instance, when considering the
effects
> of a pitch raise on a piano, the customer usually does not care about the
> force exerted by a soundboard and the force exerted by the strings
causing
> the piano to be somewhat unstable after a pitch raise and tuning.  In the
> past, I have explained it scientifically only to see the eyes glaze over
as
> they nod in feigned agreement---saying "Whatever you think needs to be
> done."  :-)  For that reason, analogies at the customer's level of
> understanding are helpful.
> 
> Here are a couple of analogies that I have thought that might help
explain
> why a piano goes out of tune faster after a pitch raise, and why a pitch
> raise is necessary before fine tuning at A-440.  I don't know if the
average
> 25-cent flat customer understands why a piano needs to be reasonably well
in
> tune to be fine tuned.
> 
> 1.  If you stretch a rubber band, it's tendency is to return to its
> unstretched state, which is similar to what will happen when we "stretch"
> these strings to a higher tension.
> 
> 2.  A piano needs to be in good tune to be fine tuned.  It is like
washing
> and waxing a car.   You wouldn't try to wax the car before washing it,
but
> you wash the car first, then wax it to give it that brilliant shine.
> Similarly, the piano has to be at pitch first before it can have that
> "brilliant" sound.
> 
> What do you think of these analogies?  I have used the first, but not the
> second.  Also, what have you found useful in explaining these and similar
> concepts to your customers.
> 
> Ever the curious one,
> 
> John Formsma
> 
>