Tune it where it is

Richard Moody remoody@midstatesd.net
Thu, 13 Jan 2000 00:54:25 -0600


Newton writes.... 
> If you are doing concert work and you need to change a nine footer
> from 440 to 442, a change of 8 cents, the piano will have to be tuned
> twice for a stable and correct tuning.

If I didn't know the piano, I would allow 4 hours divided up between two,
three or four tunings over at least 24 hours. This is for, as Newton said,
"concert work"  If it  could be done less than that it would depend on the
piano and or how "less the concert is". But in the interests of "precision
tuning made possible by 20th century tuning theory" I would give all
pianos in all situations that consideration. 
  
If musicians really care,  they will come to appreciate the stability and
tonality  that is possible with an instrument that has been at 442 for 3
months as opposed to the one raised only in the last 3 days or less.  The
issue really is 440 vs 442, but until that is decided, the solution seems
to be having some pianos at 442 and the rest of pianos at 440; not using
some for both.  If "they" really care, they would realized that taking a
piano designed at 440 and raising it to 442  is a compromise, not an 
"improvement". ---ric  

 


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