Susan, Very well said! Thank you very much. Horace At 08:07 PM 1/10/2006, you wrote: >Dear Ed, > >Most graciously written, though my ego was not pricked by what you >were saying -- >well, not much ... > >I find it encouraging that several of the people writing most >earnestly about this supposedly crucial inaccuracy had the direction >of it wrong ... good for Bob Davis! > >Tuning a couple of not-so-hot pianos since we had this discussion, I >tried the A4 after I finished my usual procedure -- it seemed >beatless with the fork. So, wondering how I ended up awfully close >to where I should be by the "wrong" method, I started thinking about it. > >I don't set the A4 from F3 and the A-440 fork. I set A3, using the >fork and F3. Once A3 is beatless to the A440 fork, and F3 is a >reasonable beat rate from A3, I tune F4 to a pleasing octave (well, >pleasing to me ...), and then fiddle with C#4 till the contiguous >major thirds proceed pleasantly, changing the F's if needed. Then I >lay the rest of the temperament -- if all goes as I expect it to (I >have been doing it this way for 28 years, after all ...) the G# at >the end of the sequence will be happy with the C# from the beginning >of it, and I move on to octaves, after running fifths and fourths to >see that they are equally happy or unhappy, depending on the >instrument. I march upward, treating A4 just like all the other >notes ----------- and there may lie the saving grace. I make all the >octaves just slightly wide of what your machines might consider dead >straight perfect. And this stretch may be just the amount needed to >get the A4 fundamental beatless against the fork. > >I do them this way because I like the sound better. It's less >stretch than would yield a noticeable beat, short of holding, >waiting ... waiting .... waiting ....................... etc. > >So, if when I check the A4 against the fork it is okay ------what is >all this worry about? I mean, the world really doesn't need any more >slipshod piano tuners than it already has, but is it slipshod if my >ear, listening to the note and the fork together over several >seconds, can't tell the difference? What earthly harm is that small >a discrepancy (if even worth mentioning) going to do to anyone? > >There are so many undesirable aspects of pianos which are plainly >audible to an unaided ear, and which often just go by the wayside -- >why not pay more attention to them, and not worry about the >"Nano-Issues"? I don't really see the point of spending so much time >dissecting gnats. > >On the other hand, I (sometimes) am happy that people with minds put >together somewhat differently than mine enjoy taking unreasonably >exact technical devices, and working out _exactly_ where the gnats >like to hang out. It's nice, on general principles, to know these >locations, and have a grounding in general gnat-anatomy, though I >will always depend on my ear instead -- so it ends up as kind of an >academic pursuit. Never mind, we all have our roles in life ... we >all make our various contributions. > >Regards, >Susan Kline (oh, yes, RPT, and I tuned A4 on the test using F2 ...) > >At 10:32 AM 1/9/2006 -0500, you wrote: >>Dear List: >> >>I see that my most offensive comment was that anyone who tunes A4 >>to F3 does not know how to tune a piano. >>That was not a correct statement. I see that there are >>circumstances in which a person using this method may produce a >>very good tuning for that circumstance. >> >>Since this list is provided by the Guild, I assume that all folks >>here intend to become RPTs, so that when we talk about tuning we >>are referring to the Guild Exam as a minimum standard. >> >>I had to work very hard to pass that exam. Becoming an RPT was the >>most significant confidence building act of my life. I hope for >>others to have similar life building experiences, and so I express >>an understanding of piano technology based on the values implicit >>in the RPT exams. >> >>My intention was to help a new learner focus on those facts and >>actions which would most advance and accelerate his long term >>growth. If anyone feels personally demeaned by my statement, I >>think you have probably misunderstood my intent, but I can >>understand that, and hope you will accept my apology. >> >>Sincerely, >>Ed Sutton >> >>"If there is anyone here I have failed to insult tonight, I hope >>you will accept my sincere apology." >>Johannes Brahms >> >> >>_______________________________________________ >>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > >_______________________________________________ >Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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