Rookie tech learns valuable lesson

Norma Neufeld normajneufeld@shaw.ca
Wed, 02 Nov 2005 23:49:43 -0600


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Alan,
Thanks very much for your detailed reply.  That's great stuff, please =
see comments interspersed...
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Alan Barnard=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2005 10:53 PM
  Subject: RE: Rookie tech learns valuable lesson


  Okay. Take a deep breath and let your pulse slow down a little .....

  Ah, that's better. Now ...

  Best advice

  No 1: Find an aural tuner willing to spend some time with you so you =
can see, hear, and try with the voice of experience in the room.

  I have  two great guys offering to help with this.  Roger and Ron both =
have many years experience.=20

  No 2 (and I never really had much of number 1, myself, since I live =
where the population density is about the same as the average IQ and =
population "density" can take on a whole new meaning. But I digress:
  Attend every PTG tuning class you can get into and your local...

  I've been to California's Conferences, they put on a great one, almost =
like the national which, this year, is a long way from your house but =
still would be worth it --Rochester, NY,  in July.
  My "local" chapter is a 6 hour drive away.  But I will definately be =
at the convention in Calgary in February, and possibly the national =
(only a 3 or so hour flight) in June.

  No 4: Read articles related to temperament setting, etc., WHILE =
SITTING AT A PIANO and trying what you are reading. There have been many =
excellent positings here. Search google with appropriate key words and =
put this in the searth window, too, without the quote marks =
"site:ptg.org"=20

  I've read alot of the archives...


  No 7: Be patient and persevering. You will wake up one day and say =
"Why did I ever think a had a problem with that?" Promise.

  I believe you, it's happened with a few things...but patience in not =
my forte....

  No 8: The following tips will save you immense struggling to =
understand and much frustration. Ready? Pay attention: The various tests =
for octaves and intervals are ALL for one basic purpose, and that is to =
tell you if you are on the correct side of the interval, e.g., a =
slightly wide 5th can beat at exactly the same rate as a correct, =
slightly narrow 5th. And it's the same for all intervals. You can tune =
D4 to F3, perhaps, and say, gee, that's a nice marching tempo 8 bps, =
even though it just happens to be a little narrow instead of a little =
wide. Getting on the right side of intervals is about half the battle.=20

  I do understand this - no problem-

  Learn to hear the correct beat for tuning. Sometimes, playing the =
interval more softly or ghosting it will prevent false beats from =
confusing you. Sometimes you have to listen a bit until the strings =
settle down from the initial shock of the hammer to be sure you are =
hearing the right beat.

  Yes, this is especially true on my pos with rock hard hammers...


  No 9: Potter's temperament is as good as any, for a new tuner, and =
easier than some. You might stick with that. OR you might find it easier =
to tune with 4ths/5ths, some people do, and he has, if I remember right, =
a variation allowing that. I would also recommend studying and =
practicing the Sanderson 2-Octave temperament as you will learn a lot =
about inharmonicity compensation across the tenor break and a lot about =
contiguous thirds, which can be immensely helpful in setting a solid =
you-can-trust-it foundation for the remainder of the temperament.=20

  Okay, I think I'll have to go with the 4ths & 5ths, seems easier to =
hear for me.

  Learn to set a note (string and pin) so that it stays where you put it =
BUT never trust it completely as you are learning. Always backtrack a =
little and double-check as you tune.

  I don't have too much trouble setting the string and pin at this =
stage.


  And when things just aren't working, I will bet dollars to donuts that =
you have an interval on the wrong side of wide/narrow. Check, check, =
check.

  I'll remember that.

  Bonne chance, cher ami, vous serez merveilleux!=20

  You'd have better luck speaking German....

  Alan Barnard
  Salem, Missouri

  Thanks again Alan, This has been very encouraging,
  Norma Neufeld
  Saskatoon, Sk




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