Multiple pianos and pitch raising

[Kent Swafford]

Jim Coleman, Sr. wrote:

>I do not think that situations like this should exist. Those who plan these
>gala affairs should plan time for the tuners. Those who rent and tune for
>these affairs should plan ahead and work their plan. A technician has every
>right to walk away from being involved in a pressure attack like this.
>On the other hand, there may be times in your future where you may be called
>upon to rescue the perishing and care for the dying. If you are a compulsive
>rescuer and find satisfaction in this, you may also find some direction from
>this article in how to approach the situation.
>
>Jim Coleman, Sr.

For several years I have headed up the tunings of a yearly multi-piano 
concert here in KC. Two dealers provide 18 grand pianos for this concert, 
a mix of Steinway, Boston, Yamaha, Baldwin, Bosendorfer, Petrof, and, um, 
Wurlitzer pianos of various models. I tried a number of techniques as to 
how to coordinate these tunings. What I have hit on (that actually works) 
is to simply recruit the finest tuners I can and let them tune each piano 
individually, the only spec being A=440. This 440 requirement can be 
difficult to hit because each year 2-3 of these pianos are fresh from the 
crate and need 75 cents of more of pitch correction. An entire day is 
allotted in the concert hall for the pianos to be moved in, set up, 
temperature acclimated, and tuned. We can work as late as we are willing 
to work, so there is always time to do good tunings, and do the odd 
repair needed by new pianos, that is, adjusting the wires of the few 
dampers that are hanging up, and/or adjusting a damper upstop rail or 
two. We were particularly happy with the results this year; the weather 
was moderate during the time the pianos were moved, and the 3 tuners all 
worked hard to do good work. I might add that we have a very egalitarian 
arrangement with regard to tuning techniques of the three techs; one of 
the tuners tunes strictly aurally, one uses an SAT, and I use RCT.

I don't believe that in this situation it is of any benefit to try to 
tune different pianos to the same VTD numbers. The unique sound of the 
chorus and orchestra is the result of different voices and instruments 
sounding with slightly different pitches. If you have ever heard concerts 
where two or more pianos of exactly the same model are tuned exactly 
together the result sounds to me like _one_ piano, not many. This 
phenomenon was also discovered early on in electronic music, where "in 
tune" sounds are thin and weak, and "out of tune" sounds are big and 
strong. The technique of deliberately detuning for the sake of a bigger 
sound has a name, which is choral-tone tuning.

Anyway, multi-piano concerts are great fun and a tremendous experience 
for the kids. And the big orchestral sound achieved when many different 
models of pianos have been individually tuned can be just plain thrilling.

Kent Swafford