tuning exam what it *is* and what it *is not*

[Don]

Hi All,

The exam is *not*:

a tuning 
	-when did you ever come accross a piano that was sharp flat sharp flat?

	-when were you *limited* as to the time you wanted to spend in real life
(yes I know concert situations--but in a home)

	-done on a grand piano--many tuners make their living from uprights (why
not use a good quality upright?)

	-subjective

	-stress building to the MAX! I am sure most people who fail do so because
of panic. If doing a tuning caused this much stress I would recommend
finding another line of work before it *kills* you.

The exam is:
	-not subjective--the numbers *don't* lie.

	-shows the ability of the technician to recreate (or perhaps reinvent?) a
particular pattern which shows the potential for good tuning ability.

At the same time I recently heard a tuning by a competitor of *great*
repute. His tuning ability is *quite* modest and if this tuning had been
for an exam he would have failed with a mark below 60%. He is *not* an
associate (nor an RPT, nor is he a *beginner*). Yet musicians are *quite*
pleased with his work, or is his *price*? His unisons sound good. Perhaps
he unwittingly uses some form of unusal temperament (I was going to say
historical--but *accidental* would be more accurate).

Conclusions? All that matters is unisons. Stabilty is a close second.






Regards,
Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.M.T., R.P.T.

Tuner for the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts

drose@dlcwest.com
http://www.dlcwest.com/~drose/
3004 Grant Rd.
REGINA, SK
S4S 5G7
306-352-3620 or 1-888-29t-uner