[pianotech] Another Cruise Ship Piano Tuning Question

[David Ilvedson]

It's almost like a pressure release valve...one string sacrifices so the other 2 can stay in tune... </'-]=

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Dean May" <deanmay at pianorebuilders.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 2/14/2010 6:21:52 PM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Another Cruise Ship Piano Tuning Question


>Hi Terry

>I've noticed that phenomenon cropping up also on pianos that are regularly
>tuned. I attributed it to the differing lengths in the front scale and
>backscale. It's the only thing that made any sense to me. 

>But I'm probably wrong. Again. 

>Tuning cruise ships sounds awfully exotic. Do you ever get free tickets?

>Dean

>Dean W May                (812) 235-5272

>PianoRebuilders.com    (888) DEAN-MAY

>Terre Haute IN 47802


>-----Original Message-----
>From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
>Of Terry Farrell
>Sent: Sunday, February 14, 2010 8:21 PM
>To: pianotech at ptg.org
>Subject: [pianotech] Another Cruise Ship Piano Tuning Question

>I have about 18 Yamaha C3s I tune on three cruise ships. Most of these  
>pianos are played every day for several hours. I see them every two  
>weeks. Each one gets a pretty thorough tuning every six weeks or so -  
>the other visits they will get some level of touch-up. The environment  
>on these 1,000-foot-long, ten story ships is VERY stable as there are  
>very few doors and windows opening to the outside and the AC runs 24/7.

>When I come to each piano, it will have been reasonably well tuned two  
>weeks prior. With respect to unisons, I'll typically see (well,  
>hear...) one string out of every six or so half-steps beating and more  
>whining a bit. What I find 95+% of the time is that if the pitch of a  
>string has moved at all, the right string has gone a little bit sharp  
>and the left string has gone maybe twice that amount flat. I'll be  
>like that on virtually every single note that is making some noise.

>What on earth would cause such a phenomenon?

>Terry Farrell
>Port-of-Tampa

>PS:  For any of you with tooooo much time on your hands, you can see  
>my cruise ship (Carnival Legend was today) at the Port of Tampa on  
>live streaming video - the cam is mounted atop the county building  
>downtown Tampa. Go to  http://cam01.hillsboroughcounty.org/user/JViewer.html

>   and click on "Control" and click about a quarter inch away from the  
>upper left hand corner of the grey mesh area that appears after you  
>get control of the camera. Way cool, IMHO. The ship was late today and  
>I could simply periodically check my computer to look at this webcam  
>to see when the ship was approaching!