Blind Pitch Raises

[John Formsma]

Like Terry, I've tried the blind (shouldn't it be deaf?) pitch raises,
and ended up with wild results. It's probably me, though, and I'm sure
with enough practice one could get reasonably close.

However, if you can raise pitch in 15 minutes or less, I don't really
see why you'd want to do it blindly.  For me it's just not a skill I
think I really must have.

As others have suggested, if I were doing a 100+ cent pitch raise, I'd
do two or three quick pitch raises, then come back later and do a fine
tuning. Unless the piano was to be used for some event that
necessitated a fine tuning, of course...then I'd fine tune it as well.

JF

On 6/30/07, Farrell <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com> wrote:
>
>
> I'm another one who believes that one can utilize this technique, has tried
> it, and has gotten nothing but a wild piano of higher pitch.
>
> Take your semi-tone-flat piano and do a blind one-pass pitch raise. Now go
> through the piano and measure strings with an accutner (or whatever ETD).
> What is the extreme range of the wildest strings? And how close to target
> pitch is the "average" string?
>
> Just ballpark answers are what I am looking for. Keeping in mind that
> ideally, no string is more than two cents away from target pitch (or maybe
> five cents in extreme cases like this) to get a good fine tuning on the next
> pass, it is difficult to do a significant pitch raise slowly and carefully
> measuring each string and getting those kind of results - let alone whaling
> through the piano blindly turning pins. And if the blind pitch raise
> optimistically gets most strings within 10 or 20 cents of target - then you
> need to do a second pitch adjustment anyway.
>
> I can see a blind pitch raise for a 100 cent flat piano followed by a second
> careful pitch raise and then a tuning pass. But then again, if you start the
> second PR with a piano that is sharp and flat all over the place, it is very
> difficult to know how much overpull/underpull to apply. If I did the first
> PR carefully, things may still not be within 2 cents of target, but at least
> pitches are consistent sharp or flat and I can accurately calculate for the
> next small PR.
>
> I just don't get it I guess. I may just be that I'm blind-PR-challenged.
> Don't jump on me - I'm sure someone out there does this will excellent
> results. But I have never seen it done. 'Course, I've never seen anyone tune
> a piano either.....
>
> Comments?
>
> Terry Farrell
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: ITUNEPIANO at aol.com
> To: pianotech at ptg.org
> Sent: Friday, June 29, 2007 8:59 PM
> Subject: Re: Blind Pitch Raises
>
>
> Hi Mark.  First practice by muting the entire piano with  temperament
> strips  Raise the center string by ear, paying attention to how much you
> just moved the pin, then raise the other two strings of the note the same
> amount.  This does take practice.  Pay attention to how far the pin moves
> for different amounts flat.  In time, you will be able to raise a piano 20
> cents , 30 cents, 40 cents, whatever amount you want without listening to
> the tone.  Note - use both hands on the tuning lever to control the
> movement.   You should limit pitch raises to 100 cents at a time.  Bob.
>
>
>
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