frequent tuning - floating pitch? was tuning

[Dean May]

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I ditto what John has said here mostly. 
 
Sometimes even in a church where it is playing with other instruments I
will float the pitch. If I am seeing summer/winter swings of +/- 20
cents I will tune it to +/- 10 cents accordingly. I explain to the music
minister as I am giving the DampChaser pitch that this will keep the
piano closer to pitch most of the time. I show them my record of the
wild pitch fluctuations their piano is experiencing (obviously this only
works if you have been tuning it for a couple years and have a record)
and explain that it makes no sense to bring it up from -20 cents to 440
when that will mean it will go that much sharper in the Summer. If he
wants the piano closer to pitch we either have to go to monthly tunings
or install a full DampChaser system. 
 
But it the piano is in an environment where 440 is not critical, and if
it is a piano I have a history with so I have hard data on how it
responds to our seasons around here, I will float the pitch all the
time. I don't ask, I just do it. I may give a little explanation after
tuning as to what and why I did it along with a soft sell DampChaser
brochure. 
 
Dean
Dean May             cell 812.239.3359
PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272
Terre Haute IN  47802
 
-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
Behalf Of John Formsma
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2006 8:17 AM
To: 'Pianotech List'
Subject: RE: frequent tuning - floating pitch? was tuning
 
Jason,
 
I float the pitch all the time. Stability is my goal rather than having
the piano "dead-on" A440 all the time.
 
Here's the typical scenario.it's winter now and the piano is 4-5 cents
flat in the bass, -12 in the tenor, and -5 in the treble. So, I do a
one-pass tuning to A439. This way, in the summer, things will be a bit
sharp of A440. If you pitch correct all the time, the piano is not as
stable. In the summer, when the piano is sharp, I'll tune to A440 or
A441, whichever will give the best stability.
 
Now, if the piano is in a church that uses other instruments, it gets
tuned to A440. However, in certain less "critical" situations, I'll get
within 2 cents of A440 depending on the season. Most people don't ever
notice that difference. Again, the goal is stability rather than being
at A440 all the time.
 
>From the perspective of most customers, they want a piano in tune with
itself, and don't really care if it's at A439 or A441. They do care
about paying extra for pitch corrections every season to have it right
at A440. If I see other instruments like a guitar or violin near the
piano, I'll ask the customer's preference first. Yes, I do offer DC
systems.
 
John Formsma
 
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From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
Behalf Of Jason Kanter
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2006 1:22 AM
To: 'Pianotech List'
Subject: frequent tuning - floating pitch? was tuning
 
I imagine that if you "recently" tuned the piano (last week or last
month or two months ago) and now it's still "in tune" but a couple of
cents sharp, you tune it where it lies? That makes it a half-hour tuning
instead of an hour and a half, and the following week (or month or
couple of months) you again tune it where it lies, and within six
months, when you have the couple of hours, you bring it all to 440
again. Yes? Or do you keep adjusting it to 440 every time? Or sell
Dampp-chasers?
 
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Jason Kanter . jkanter@rollingball.com
Piano tuning, regulation, repair
Serving Seattle and the San Juans
425.830.1561  
 
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From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
Behalf Of PJR
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 5:16 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: tuning
I tune cruise ship pianos once a week.  On them you have the problem of
rocking, vibrations, salt air, hard players and continuous playing
(mechanisms).  Comes down to the fact that you tune a whenever it needs
it.

Phil Ryan
Miami Beach

pianotune05 wrote: 
Hi everyone,
How often is too often to tune a piano?  I typically see twice a year,
or even every three months.  Is anything less than that necessary such
as once a month or even once a week which I 've heard of?
Marshall
 

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