But Is It Proven was How to explain a pitch adjustment..and!

pianolover 88 pianolover88@hotmail.com
Wed, 21 Dec 2005 12:05:54 -0800


"Jump in" all you like; the water's fine! We ALL have our opinions, just as 
you do. I'm not saying you're wrong, but I still respect your personal 
view(s). To me, in a nutshell, it just makes good sense to do a follow-up 
tuning after a substantial pitch raise within 1-3 months. But in many cases 
I will just schedule the next and futures tunings at 6 month intervals; the 
recommended MINIMUM.

Terry Peterson



----Original Message Follows----
From: "Alan Barnard" <tune4u@earthlink.net>
Reply-To: tune4u@earthlink.net, Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Subject: But Is It Proven was How to explain a pitch adjustment..and!
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2005 13:30:48 -0600

Gotta jump in, again.

Terry said "... the iron plate takes more time to distribute and adjust to 
the added tension than does the soundboard."

Does it really? Or is that another example of supposition, assumption, 
passed on lore, etc.

Why would it?

It seems to me that in the time it takes to do a pitch correction and 
tuning, assuming a constant temperature/humidity, any mechanical system 
would have plenty of time to react, adjust, and stabilize.

I'm not really picking on this for its own sake, and I certainly am not 
challenging Terry's long experience and much knowledge, I'm just bringing up 
a larger point (again) ...

I know that the actual experience of so many, so talented tuners cannot be 
discounted: There are observable phenomena that need explanation. But I'd 
like to know that explanations are based on demonstrable scientific 
principles. In the art of our craft, we have passed on a great deal of lore 
that is "common wisdom". But is it science?

"Everyone" knows that a piano must not be placed on an outside wall. Once 
true, not now, thanks to better home insulation. I'll bet all tuners who've 
been in business more than a year have run into pianos that are horribly out 
of tune, haven't been tuned in 8 years, and the owner says "How could it be 
so bad, we haven't moved it?"

Such examples of false beliefs and old wives' tales among the populace of 
piano owners can be understood and excused. But I like to know that I am on 
solid ground when I talk to customers, newer tuners, etc.

Alan Barnard
Salem, Missouri


 > [Original Message]
 > From: pianolover 88 <pianolover88@hotmail.com>
 > To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
 > Date: 12/21/2005 11:47:44 AM
 > Subject: RE: RE : How to explain a pitch adjustment..and!
 >
 > << the wire bends at the bridge pins and under the capo will be
 > moved toward the tuning pins. These bends will take more time to stretch
 > and will make the tuning go out within a few days/weeks/months.>>
 >
 > you beat me to the punch on that one! Yes, that is a factor, plus the 
iron
 > plate takes more time to distribute and adjust to the added tension than
 > does the soundboard.
 >
 > Terry Peterson
 >
 >
 >
 > ----Original Message Follows----
 > From: Marcel Carey <mcpiano@videotron.ca>
 > Reply-To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
 > To: "'Pianotech'" <pianotech@ptg.org>
 > Subject: RE : How to explain a pitch adjustment..and!
 > Date: Wed, 21 Dec 2005 07:03:24 -0500
 >
 > I think there is a factor that was not mentioned. For large pitch
 > raises, the wire bends at the bridge pins and under the capo will be
 > moved toward the tuning pins. These bends will take more time to stretch
 > and will make the tuning go out within a few days/weeks/months. The
 > soundboard movement will settle faster than these wire bends IMHO.
 >
 > Marcel Carey, RPT
 > Sherbrooke, QC
 >  >
 >  >
 >  > <<Are you suggesting that tuning pin movement is the source
 >  > of pitch instability after pitch correction?>>
 >  >
 >  > Nope. It's the change in TENSION precipitated by the
 >  > excessive pin movements
 >  > (during the PR) that cause instability. When large amounts of
 >  > tension are
 >  > added,(which can and often is THOUSANDS of pounds!) the piano must
 >  > distribute this tension; it does not do so immediately, as we know.
 >  > Similarly, after installing a DC I will always let the piano
 >  > aclimate for at
 >  > least two weeks before tuning, as the pitch will almost always drop,
 >  > sometimes substantially). IF the client is going to play the
 >  > piano only
 >  > occasioanlly, I will then schedule the next tuning in 6 months .
 >  >
 >  > Terry Peterson
 >  >
 >  >
 >  >
 >  > ----Original Message Follows----
 >  > From: Don <pianotuna@yahoo.com>
 >  > Reply-To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
 >  > To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
 >  > Subject: Re: How to explain a pitch adjustment..and!
 >  > Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2005 21:53:44
 >  >
 >  > Hi Terry,
 >  >
 >  > Are you suggesting that tuning pin movement is the source of
 >  > pitch instability after pitch correction?
 >  >
 >  > At 04:24 PM 12/20/2005 -0800, you wrote:
 >  >  >Depending on the amount of PR, ususally more than 12C, I
 >  > always schedule a  >"follow-up" tuning in 1-3 months,
 >  > explaining that after restoring all that  >loststring
 >  > tension, the piano now must "settle" and adjust to that added
 >  >  >tension, and it some shifting of will occur. So the
 >  > follow-up is crucial
 >  > in
 >  >  >building long term stabilty. And that tuning will leave the
 >  > piano much
 >  > more
 >  >  >stable because tuning pin movement will be much smaller
 >  > than during the  >initial PR and tuning. Again, never a
 >  > problem.  >  >Terry Peterson
 >  >
 >  > Regards,
 >  > Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.P.T.
 >  > Non calor sed umor est qui nobis incommodat
 >  >
 > mailto:pianotuna@yahoo.com http://us.geocities.com/drpt1948/
 >
 > 3004 Grant Rd. REGINA, SK, S4S 5G7
 > 306-539-0716 or 1-888-29t-uner
 >
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