New to Tuning-Book Recommendations?

[Dave Nereson]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <brf7@juno.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2004 12:19 AM
Subject: New to Tuning-Book Recommendations?


>
> Wow. There is an unbelievable wealth of information
> here. I am new to piano tuning and am very much
> interested in it. I am 21 years old, living in the
> State of Oregon, and am going to school for land
> surveying. Anyway, my grandfather tuned for much of
> his life, and that is what sparked my interest. He
> gave me a book, "The New Tuning", by Lucas Mason, in
> which the piano is tuned using perfect fifths. This is
> a method that he said he tried, but could never get to
> work. I have also read the book, and have practiced
> tuning my piano 4 or 5 times and a few other pianos
> using this method, but always come out with distastful
> results, mostly in that the M3rds, and the 10ths in
> the bass, sound terrible. But, as I said, I am a
> rookie, and so, am obviosly unskilled and doing
> something wrong. I am aware that there are many
> various ways to tune the temperment, so I was hoping
> that I could get some book recommendations from anyone
> here. I dont have time to take classes on piano tuning
> at this point in time, but will consider doing so in
> the future. Thanks for any responses.
>
> Brett Flippo
>
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives

    Probably the two most common books for learning piano tuning are "Piano
Servicing, Tuning & Rebuilding" by Arthur Reblitz and the older "Piano
Tuning and Allied Arts" by William Braid White.
    Do not use the method in "Piano Tuning" by J. Cree Fischer which for
some weird reason is still found in many bookstores.  It's copyrighted 1907
and tho' some of the repair & regulating info. is valid, the method of
setting the temperament is quite outdated.
    Also, the "new tuning" is something you can try later, after you've
learned more conventional methods of setting a temperament which are
accepted widely by the general piano-playing public.  The "new tuning" is
not.
    "On Pitch" by Rick Baldassin is very good for the theory of tuning and
relation of electronic tuning to aural tuning.
    And, since there's so much other information on all aspects of piano
servicing in them, you might as well get the 20 years of PTG Journals  on CD
and read (and try on an actual piano) some of the articles on setting a
temperament and basic tuning.  If you join PTG, all those back issues on CD
are only $35, but for non-members, it's $295.
    Books are good, but if you can get an experienced tuner to mentor you,
you'll probably make faster progress.
    --David Nereson, RPT