Tuning sequence question

[John Formsma]

Geoff,

It is my opinion that tuning unisons as you go gives a more accurate
and stable tuning. However, the piano must be very close to pitch
before the fine tuning. Otherwise, you have to compensate for pitch
change, and you sacrifice some accuracy.

I find two main things about the quality of the tuning: 1) my unisons
are generally more stable this way. It's probably mostly because I
work on them AS the octaves above are being tuned. I.e., making slight
adjustments to the unisons below as they drift a tad. 2) The exact
place for the upper note of the octave seems to "come in" clearer when
the unison below is precisely tuned. This might be because all strip
muting allows some bleedthrough from the muted strings. We generally
learn to filter this out. But when you're working without a strip, you
eliminate this "junk" noise.

I find two main things about the procedure: 1) It makes you get great
unisons b/c you can't hear the octave perfectly without great unisons
2) It takes longer, so be prepared to spend a few more minutes, but
also enjoy the sweet sound that is not generally attained the other
ways.

Tuning the temperament with unisons as you go will also produce an
incredible tuning...if your skills are sufficient, of course. :-)  I
find that for practical purposes, stripping the temperament then
bringing the temperament unisons in is good enough for most
situations. But, when I have time, or just want to, I'll tune all
unisons as I go even in the temperament. It's fun, and you get better
and faster. And there is a difference in the sound, too. It's there,
and you know it when you get it. It's not worth the effort on every
piano (spinets, etc.). But on those quality pianos, whether a grand or
vertical, it will make them sing.

I bet Maestro David Andersen would let you observe his tunings.

JF

On 7/8/07, Geoff Sykes <thetuner at ivories52.com> wrote:
>
>
> Greetings all --
>
> I know that when using an ETD the preferred method of tuning is from the
> bass up to the treble, tuning unisons as you go. Tests have apparently
> proven that this provides a more accurate and stable tuning when completed.
>
> Traditionally, aural tuning means strip muting the entire piano, and after
> setting the temperament, all the center strings are then tuned moving
> first down into the bass and then up into the treble. After the center
> strings are tuned then unisons are set starting in the bass and moving up
> through the treble.
>
> In doing an aural tuning, is there any reason why one could not, or perhaps
> should not, strip mute just the middle section of the piano, in order to set
> the temperament, then immediately set the unisons in the temperament,
> pulling out the strip mute as you go, followed by moving down into the
> bass tuning the first string and setting unisons as you go and subsequently
> up through the treble?
>
> In other words, which aural tuning method of the two described above, would
> produce the more accurate and stable tuning when completed?
>
> -- Geoff Sykes
> -- Los Angeles