Different Pitch Raising Sequence

[Richard Brekne]

Stephen Airy wrote:

> Wow, 350 cents!  Hey, I've been wondering -- what's the flattest anyone has
> seen, and how long does it take typical pianos under typical conditions to
> go 50, 100, 50, 200, 250, 300, 400 cents flat?
>

Being an aural tuner I never have had much use for the concept of Cents in
everyday work.  So I will relate my answer in terms of semitones. The worst case I
have ever run into was a piano that was a fith flat. Thats right... 7 semitones. I
suppose thats 700 cents. It was about 90 years old, and probably hadnt been
tuned... or used since it was delivered to the house it was in. Lots of fine grey
dust everywhere inside... no rust, a few cracks in the panel and bridge.. rather
loose tuning pins... and almost no signs of use.

Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway
mailto:Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no