self-tuning piano?

[Ron Nossaman]

>Doesn't a higher-tensioned string produce better sound?  If his auto-tuning
>mechanism slackens the tuning from its normal rest state (realistically by a
>half step or so???), then won't the piano's tone suffer?

In order for the pitch to be lowered by heating the string, the cold string 
would have to be tuned sharp. Since the speaking length doesn't change, 
tension at pitch should be pretty much the same cold or hot.



>Tuning pins do slip, and if even a couple of pins slip enough, there are
>sure to be a couple of very sour notes.  You'll get a telephone call at that
>point.

Yes, they do slip. But if they do, something is wrong other than tuning.



>When repeatedly heated and cooled, the strings will become overly hardened
>and brittle.  Surely there are extra service calls ahead.
>
>Hundreds of heated strings will be like a Dampp Chaser gone nuclear.  What
>will that do the sounding board?  What will that do to the glue joints?
>Will people want a piano that tunes itself but self-destructs in the
>process?

The strings reportedly only get up to about 100° F, and are maintained at 
that temperature constantly between tunings. It's not like a barbecue, at 
least in theory.



>  Service calls will be few,
>even if the piano *needs* service (e.g. regulation, voicing).  (If I paid an
>extra $1000 for some feature that would spare me some other cost, I would be
>very reluctant to swallow that other cost anyway.  I'd feel like a sucker.)

One nice thing I could see is that the piano could be much closer to being 
in tune 99% of the time than with a more standard once or twice a year 
tuning and pencillectomy on a normal piano - whatever that may turn out to be.



>Now ten years later, someone is interested in buying a piano and compares a
>meticulously maintained conventional piano with his/her friend's
>"self-maintaining" piano that has never been professionally serviced.  Which
>piano do you think that pianist will want to buy for him/herself?

The one with the prestigious name on the fallboard, no matter how expensive 
it is, or how bad it looks and sounds.



>Autotuning is a very cool idea, particularly if it can be used to maintain
>the perfect custom tuning, but I'm not satisfied the bugs are worked out,
>and as a consumer/pianist, I don't think I'd touch it with a ten-foot pole.
>
>Peace,
>Sarah

So far, I agree. Better the bugs we know...

Ron N