Tuning a concert piano with humidity control

[Alan]

1. The undercover material, I am 99% sure, is speaker cloth. I don't  think
anyone would notice a difference in tone or volume.

2. You can put an undercover on a piano with low-slung tank by putting a
couple of the Velcro stips on the tank sides and adjusting for that extra
dimension with you cut the cloth. Alternatively, I've considered having a
tank-shaped cutout in the cloth and let the tank hang through. That might be
the neatest and easiest way to do it--maybe with flaps of the material
hanging down loosely, on each side, to cover the area between the top of the
tank and the rest of the undercover. Wouldn't that work? Sure seems like it
would.

Other than the light-heat issues that will affect any piano regardless of
the humidity control system, keeping the underside of the piano, at least,
stabilized as to humidity will surely help. 

It's kind of scary to think of it this way, but if 200 people come to a
concert there will be 200+ 98.6 degree heat-radiating high-output
humidifiers going full blast in that room--beginning maybe a half-hour
before the show. And let's not even talk about the obnoxious and toxic fumes
eminating from those same humidifing systems: hydrogen sulfide, carbon
dioxide, salami and onions, etc! 

Alan R. Barnard
Still Smilin' in Salem, MO


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Jerry Cohen
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 10:18 AM
To: 'Pianotech'
Subject: RE: Tuning a concert piano with humidity control


Thanks for the reply, Don.

The piano will be a Bosie 225 (7' 4"). The piano has not been delivered yet,
so I am trying to think ahead.

This piano requires a dual tank system, and because of the complex beam
structure, the tanks must be mounted below the beams. Actually, one of the
tanks would just fit, but the other just misses. Therefore a bottom cover is
not an option. That is why I am requesting a custom floor length cover. 

With no bottom cover, does it make sense to keep it plugged in during the
concert? They do mostly chamber music, so the piano gets repositioned
depending on the number of instrumentalists for each work.

With all this in mind, what is the best timing sequence for removing the
cover and tuning?

Thanks,

Jerry Cohen, RPT
NJ Chapter

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Don
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 8:58 AM
To: Pianotech
Subject: Re: Tuning a concert piano with humidity control

Hi,

I would arrange for it to stay plugged in during the concert, or else add an
uninteruptible power supply (like the ones for computers) to it.

I'd add a bottom cover to the piano immediately. I recently measured a 5'10"
(175 cm) grand. Room was 16% and humidity at the controller above the beams
was 18%. This was in a classroom so there was no lighting to deal with. As a
bonus, the instrument will also look esthetically more pleasing with a
bottom cover.

In an ideal world the piano would be under performance conditions (full
stage lights etc) for 8 hours before the tuning began.

At 10:32 PM 3/5/2005 -0500, you wrote:
>
>
>If a Dampp-chaser system is installed in a piano that is only used for 
>concerts, what is the best schedule to observe for unplugging the 
>Dampp-Chaser, moving the piano on stage, and tuning?
>
>Here is the problem I see. The Dampp-Chaser will maintain the piano at 
>a fairly constant humidity, especially with a floor length cover over 
>the piano. But when the piano goes on stage, the lid is raised, and the 
>lights are on, the humidity as well as the temperature will change. I 
>understand that the effect of temperature change, especially from the 
>lights striking the strings is almost immediate, while the plate takes 
>longer to warm up. The effect from the humidity change is much slower 
>since wood takes longer to change its moisture content.
>
>As a practical matter, how soon before the concert should the 
>Dampp-Chaser be disconnected, and the piano moved on stage? And when 
>should it be tuned?
>
>Looking forward to your responses.
>
>Jerry Cohen, RPT
>NJ Chapter
>
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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
306-352-3620 or 1-888-29t-uner

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