6:3 bass octaves---why?

[Alan R. Barnard]

At a decent piano, tune it 4:2, play, listen. Same piano, tune it 6:3, play
listen.

The 6:3 is a tad more stretched, cumulative down to A0.
Most people like the bigger sounding base.
On most small pianos, the beat at the quint (Octave + 5th) is louder, more
pronounced, and more objectionable than a beat at the double octave (which
ends up about 2 bps in a 6:3 tuning).

With a 6:3 the 5ths get "almost pure" very quickly going down--you can
actually use 5ths as a bass tuning check unless and until the bass strings
themselves start getting noisy false beats ("longitudinal
inharmonicity"--work that into a party conversation, the blank stares are
fun)

The real test for me is that most smaller pianos just sound bigger. I've had
several clients comment on how much better their bass sounds than the way
previous tuners have left them. One client, a conservatory-trained concert
artist, has a very nice grand but also has a Wurlitzer console that she
teaches kids on. After I tuned the Wurly--not explaining how I tune the
bass--she played it and exclaimed: "Oh, it sounds like my grand!"

THAT's why I aim for 6:3 in most pianos.

Notice I say "aim for." Reblitz says "... in the bass, each octave has two
or more prominent beats of different speeds that occur simultaneously. If
you eliminate one beat, the other is offensive, so the place to tune the
string is between those beats ..." On a really poorly scaled piano, or
crummy little spinet, etc., that can be true so you just have to "even out
the growls" as the late, great Mr. Defebaugh said.

Also, I watch for smooth progressions (3rds, 6ths, 10ths) across the tenor
break and adjust that, where necessary. But generally my octaves are 6:3

2:1 is just way to shallow for the bass. Experiment a little, you'll get
beats at the double, the double +5th, and some other hash.

2:1 in the temperament is also two narrow--your inside intervals just won't
fit. Save the 2:1 for the high treble.

I don't have very many years of experience but I have read and experimented
quite a bit. Yet I will be delighted to hear comments on your question
and/or my answer from the long-time pro's out there.

My two pennies. Happy T'day, Everyone!

Alan Barnard
Grateful for Much in Salem, MO

----- Original Message -----
From: <Tvak@aol.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2002 10:52 PM
Subject: 6:3 bass octaves---why?


> OK.  I can tune a 6:3 octave in the bass.  But why?  Musically speaking,
why
> a 6:3 octave?  Why would we choose to make sure that THOSE two partials
are
> in tune?  Why wouldn't the single or double octave be more important in
> musical terms?
>
> Musically speaking, why wouldn't the 2:1 octave rule throughout?  I could
> even see the musical rationale for a 4:2 octave in the bass, making sure
that
> the the double octave is clean, but why make the octave + 5th be the
> determining factor in that area of the piano?
>
> When I think about this as a musician, it doesn't add up to me.
>
> I do it.  But I don't know why...
>
> Straighten me out,
>
> Tom S
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives