analogies

[Ron Nossaman]

Hi John,

I like analogies too, but I haven't come across any I really like for the
pitch raising thing, so I fall back on diversionary anthropomorphism instead. 

Justifying the pitch raise in the first place, with minimum glaze...
"Raising the pitch this far will add over a TON of string tension to the
piano (raise eyebrow(s), and pause for effect (oooh, aaah)) with the piano
fighting me all the way (customer nods in recognition of the concept,
having, herself, been fought) and the tuning I've already done changes as
the tension is increased in different parts of the piano." (more nodding,
the rules always change in mid-fight for her too, and the kids have tracked
up the area of the rug where she started, before she gets to the other end
of the room with the vacuum) "So I have to start at a higher pitch, so the
piano will be just about at the correct pitch when I've finished with the
pitch raise." Dreaming about pitching her kids by now, she nods and says go
ahead, but you had better hurry and get done before the kids get home.  


For follow up tunings after pitch raises, I seem to get minimum glaze my
just saying something like... "I've just added over a TON of string tension
to this piano, and it's going to take it a while to get used to the idea. We
ought to tune it again in (insert time frame of choice) after it settles
down." "Then we can get on a regular (insert time frame) maintenance schedule."

The "learning to drive in a car that won't run" analogy seems to work when
they want to get a crappie shelter with a keyboard for little Quincy to
learn to play, and they want YOU to try to tune it. I've also found the
descriptive phrase "crappie shelter" to be of use in this situation. Hey,
gimme a break, my father in-law used to tell them "If it was a horse, I'd
shoot it!"

Back to work.
  
 Ron N