Learning Aural Tuning

[Joe And Penny Goss]

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Listening here with the same questions<O:)
and wanting answers.
Joe Goss
imatunr@srvinet.com
www.mothergoosetools.com
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Alan R. Barnard=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Sunday, September 22, 2002 6:14 PM
  Subject: Learning Aural Tuning


  This is addressed to all the truly skilled aural tuners out there. I =
hope I can word this so it makes sense. It's been a real "stopper" for =
me in trusting my aural tuning.

  I can set A440. I can set a good 4:2 A37

  I can fit D42 and E44 in that octave pretty well (match the ETD I =
check with)

  Jim Coleman Sr., Randy Potter, Geo. Defebaugh, and others are pretty =
persuasive for using the faster beating intervals (3rds and 6ths) to set =
temperament.

  They all say "Tune F33 from A37 about 7 bps flat ... " and they take =
off from there. I like and use Randy's pivot tone thirds, i.e., after =
tuning F45, tune C#41 to get an even progression of =
F33-A37-C#41-F45-A49. Theory is, if you can get a good progression, you =
have good A-A and F-F octaves and a good relationship between those two =
octaves, i.e., the F33-A37 third.

  All of these descriptions of temperament setting use, and I am =
quoting, terms like "about 7 bps," "close approximations," "actual beats =
will vary from one piano to another," etc.  Vague as He**...

  This is also a quote "While tuning we constantly compare one interval =
to another, listening for the sense of the beats, the feel of the beat =
speed."

  I have no problem with any of that and I understand and can actually =
do it all. BUT ...

  HERE THE QUESTION (Looks like several questions, but really asking the =
same thing each time ...)

  How do you really know that your A-A is ideal? That it isn't a smidge =
two narrow or wide for the inharmonicity of that particular instrument? =
That you have even started the temperament "correctly" for that piano? =
How do you KNOW that your F33-A37 is ideal for that particular =
instrument?

  This talk about Franz Mohr, etc., highlights the point: A lot of you =
folks can--in your sleep--set a really sweet temperament on any decent =
piano you face, Yet the starting intervals seem arbitrarily set, to me! =
"About 7 bps ..."=20

  So what the heck does "about" mean?  Do you have to set the whole T. =
before you "know"?=20

  (Is this making sense?) I'm not talking about getting just a useful =
temperament, as I believe the "about" thing will do that every time. I =
am talking about getting a really good temperament for each piano.

  'Preciate some comments.

  Alan Barnard
  Listening in Salem


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