Variation on a Theme by Virgil

[John M. Formsma]

List,

Some of you probably have taken Virgil E. Smith's class at the convention.
I was privileged to be in attendance at the 1999 convention.  It was a
unique experience, with a great blend of science and art.

Rather than go through all his techniques, I will just say that he takes
into account that a 3-string unison is flatter than just one string.
Therefore, he tunes the entire piano with two mutes to account for this
difference.  (Yes, even the temperament.)  I have been using this method
with a few variations, and have noticed excellent results.

Virgil uses a D3-D4 temp.  I have not had the time to devote to learning his
method, so I tune the temperament that I am comfortable with, which is an
F3-F4.

Rather than using only two rubber mutes to tune the temperament, I strip
mute the temp section, from F3-A4, leaving two strings of each note open.
Doing it this way will allow one to insert rubber mutes as necessary, then
tune the unison after the middle is tuned and the mute removed.  Then
manipulating two strings (rather than three) can be done, a la Virgil's way.
This way allows for easier temperament changing in case you mess up or need
to alter a note, since changing a 2-string unison is quicker than changing a
3-string unison (less mutes movement, hand movement, etc).  While I try to
get it right the first time, sometimes it just doesn't work out!  :-)  After
I am satisfied with the temp with two strings of each note tuned, I tune the
third one to the other two, and proceed to the octaves, having all three
strings in the temperament tuned and sounding together.

At this point, I use Virgil's way, tuning with two rubber mutes, and tune
up, tuning the middle string first, then the left.  (Going down from the
temp, I tune the right after tuning the middle, and usually tune down to
where the wound strings begin before I tune up from the temp.)  However, I
do this with grands only.  In vertical pianos, the dampers and hammers get
in the way of rubber mutes, so for treble tuning, I strip mute everything
from the break up, leaving the middle strings open.  Then, as I tune
octaves, after tuning the middle string, I unmute the left string, tune it,
check the octave, then move up to the next middle string.  Doing it this way
eliminates those complicated mute manuevers in order to avoid knocking the
mute down to the bottom board.  Not that it takes all that long to get it,
but it just ticks me off that I have to stop tuning to pick up a dang mute!
:-)  I also have one of those mutes slit in the middle, which will mute the
middle string.  Moving it up to the next note will then leave the left
string to be tuned to the middle, while muting the upper adjacent middle
string.  I have just started to use this, having finally figured out what
those type mutes were useful for.  I have not yet seen if this is faster
than using the strip mute.  I think it's a matter of what a person get used
to.

Tuning Virgil's way is a superior way of tuning, IMO.  It might not be the
absolute best way, and other ways might accomplish the same thing, but it is
a fine method, and I have not yet seen its equal.  These variations have
helped me, and I thought I'd share them with those of you who are
interested.

One caveat though....  It only works for me if the piano is already at
pitch, and in pretty good tune throughout.  It has to be stable before I put
that kind of effort into it.  Otherwise, you will be constantly chasing
unisons, and the effects of your work will be quickly erased by instability.
I still use strip muting for cheap pianos and older uprights, due to the
falseness that they have, although I tune the wound strings after the plain
wire strings have been tuned because of the pitch difference with the three
strings of a tuned unison.

Thank you, Virgil, for enlightening me to your method!

Best regards,

John Formsma
Blue Mountain, MS