pitch change

[John M. Formsma]

Don,

<<Clearly the most unstable note on a piano is the lowest plain steel wire.
It would make sense to measure this note and its octaves.

Another "weird" note is the first string after the treble break. It behaves
differently than the note just below the break. Again, I extend by octaves.

These measurements give me a far better *feel* for the pitch  condition of
the instrument than measuring all the A's. The second measurement tends to
give me a *feel* for the design of the instrument and how this particular
piano will react to pitch correction.

I am curious if any aural tuners do these sort of "checks" and if so what
notes they choose.  >>

I use the Sanderson Accu-fork, so it is easy with the "slider" to get a
general idea of where the pitch change occurred most. I usually measure A4
first. Then I check A3 to see if there has been more change in that area.
Then, I will check the lower plain wire, then A2. By this time, I have a
pretty good idea of the amount of pitch correction necessary, but I go to
the treble and quickly check by octaves, using the 10th-17th test. E.g.,
F3-A4, A5 on up to about Db4-F5, F6. This gives me an idea how flat or sharp
the treble is compared to the rest of the piano, and I adjust pitch
correction there accordingly. The amount of adjustmest is by "feel" or
experience, but it usually comes out OK.

Not much discussion on this thread. Maybe this is what you were looking for.

John Formsma
Blue Mountain, MS

mailto:jformsma@dixie-net.com