Do I really have to? David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, California ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "Alan Barnard" <tune4u@earthlink.net> To: "ilvey@sbcglobal.net, Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org> Received: 1/6/2006 1:04:06 PM Subject: RE: Cracking the unisons >I'd be happy to comment on this heresy if I understood it. Let me just say, >"Huh?" >Describe Snap and Pop, please. >BTW, do you know how you can tell your breakfast cereal is stale? It goes >snab, crabble, bah. >Alan Barnard >Salem, Missouri >> [Original Message] >> From: David Ilvedson <ilvey@sbcglobal.net> >> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> >> Date: 01/06/2006 12:54:00 AM >> Subject: RE: Cracking the unisons >> >> OK, I've got add something to this idea. There are three methods of >hammer technique in this same vein...the first and less understood is >"snapping" the unison. This is accomplished with very quick hammer >movement, ala snapping...Cracking the unison is the 2nd technique as stated >below...well put. The third technique is popping the unison, where you >hold the pitch above and "pop" it down into a heavenly unison. Many >technicians use all three with "snap, crackle and pop the unison" >> >> You may banish me from the List... >> >> David Ilvedson, RPT >> Pacifica, California >> >> >> >> ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- >> From: "Greg Graham" <grahampianos@yahoo.com> >> To: pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org> >> Received: 1/5/2006 2:13:51 PM >> Subject: Cracking the unisons >> >> >> >I'm hoping someone will take a stab at a detailed >> >definition of "Cracking The Unisons". >> >> >I've checked the archives, and lots of people mention >> >Virgil Smith's technique, some claim to use it, only a >> >few have partially described it, and I suspect I'm >> >still not getting it. >> > >> >As I understand it: If a three-string unison is found >> >to be slightly flat or sharp compared to a test >> >interval or two, you adjust the first string without >> >muting the other two, then adjust the remaining >> >strings to clean up the unison. >> >> >Reasons for doing this: It's faster than messing with >> >mutes, it produces better unisons, it avoids the >> >"Virgil Smith Phenomenon" of a unison going flat when >> >all three strings are vibrating compared to a single >> >string of the unison by itself. (Please, let's not >> >debate the phenomenon. I'm just asking about >> >cracking.) >> >> >Is this all there is to the technique? I presume the >> >hard part is being able to hear the beat clear up on >> >the 2nd string while the 3rd is still beating away, >> >akin to dealing with false beats. >> >> >Some of the unanswered questions (in my mind): >> >> >1. How big an adjustment to the unison are we making >> >when using the cracking technique? One BPS? Half a >> >beat? One beat in 15 seconds? >> >> >2. Do we move the 1st string to create a beat rate >> >matching the out-of-tuneness of the unacceptable test >> >interval, or is there some other method at work? If >> >the 5th is beating about 1/2 BPS too fast, do we >> >create a 1/2 BPS unison, then move the other two >> >strings to eliminate the beat? >> >> >3. The single vs. three string pitch change "Virgil >> >Smith Phenomenon": How big a change are we talking >> >about? I've read 0.1 to 0.3 cents. >> >> >How close is "close enough"? I know I'm not yet good >> >enough to hear some of these small errors in unison >> >tuning. I don't know if I could tune two strings to >> >0.25 cents accuracy while the third was 1.0 cent out. >> >Heck, who am I kidding? Sometimes I don't hear the 1 >> >cent error, especially in upper octaves. 0.25 cents >> >mid keyboard is about one beat in 16 seconds, right? >> >Is that the kind of accuracy we are talking about >> >here? >> >> >I need to see and hear this demonstrated someday, but >> >I'm hoping someone on the list who is a "crack addict" >> >can help me with a better written description. The >> >archives need clarification, as do my unisons. >> >> >Thanks, >> >> >Greg Graham >> >Brodheadsville, PA >> >One tuning exam (and several months) away from >> >RPT-dom. >> >> >> >> >> > >> >__________________________________________ >> >Yahoo! DSL – Something to write home about. >> >Just $16.99/mo. or less. >> >dsl.yahoo.com >> >> >_______________________________________________ >> >pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >> _______________________________________________ >> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >_______________________________________________ >pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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