Effect of moving the piano on tuning

[Z! Reinhardt]

Well ... look at it this way.  The rectangular base of an upright can flex
diagonally, and it wouldn't surprise me if this particular piano was built
with minimal consideration for rigidity, being a spinet [cheap] piano to go
into a situation where people most likely won't be too fussy about its
ability to hold on to a tuning.

Grand pianos, being basically triangular, have no diagonal flexing
capabilities.  That's why they can put up with a lot more abuse in being
moved around than an upright.

Z! Reinhardt  RPT
Ann Arbor  MI
diskladame@provide.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "Clyde Hollinger" <cedel@supernet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2001 9:23 PM
Subject: Effect of moving the piano on tuning


Friends,

I know we oldsters know this, but this may be helpful to some
"newsters."

I was scheduled today to tune a spinet piano in a choir room.  I've been
tuning this piano every six months, and it seems reasonably stable.  But
this time when I arrived it was in the middle of the room, not where it
was the last time.  When I checked the pitch, the tenor and treble was
up to 7 cents sharp (more than usual, but well, ok, that's the way it
is).  But the bass was to 6 cents flat, which I didn't expect and which
made for some pretty awful-sounding octaves.  Why?

Yes, moving the piano really can change the pitch that much, if the
weight distribution on the four legs is different after the move.  I
noticed the left leg was not touching the floor.  I used my knee to
exert upward pressure under the left side of the keybed and could get
the bass octaves to come into pitch with the rest of the piano.  I
assumed the piano was going to stay in the middle of the room, so I put
shims under the left leg to get the tuning close, then tuned the entire
piano.

Sometimes I get a call whether the piano will need to be tuned if the
client moves it to the other side of the room.  My answer?  Generally
no, but if it sounds more out of tune to them after the move, then they
should call me and I will tune the piano.

Regards,
Clyde