Temp and Pitch

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

At 22:45 3/30/2005, you wrote:
>Gretings,
>
>           When your tuning fork is 98.6 from keeing it in your pocket, is 
> it higher or lower in pitch than if you had kept it in the car on a 
> winter night, overnight?
>Is a piano higher or lower in pitch when it is cooler? I was told the 
>answers for these questions, but I cannot remember.
>
>Thanks in advance,
>Julia
>Reading, PA


Julia,

The metal of the pitchfork expands with higher temperature. (within range 
of temp we're discussing)
An expanded fork is longer.
A longer fork is flatter.

i.e. - for a fork, pitch varies inversely with temperature.

If you leave a piano in the car overnight, you need a large car.

Since all pianos are not equal, different materials in plate/strings/case 
and throw in a time factor - it's hard to anticipate.  Plate/case shrinking 
would tend (eventually) to slacken (flatten) strings, while shrinking 
strings would (initially) tend to go sharp.  Ya pays yore money an takes 
yore cherce. ;-}



Conrad Hoffsommer
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