[pianotech] How we hear - was Customer Complaint

[Joseph Garrett]

Dave Renaud said: 
"I have a hypothesis that we become accustomed to what we are exposed to.
It is 
Sneaky. Yes, any big jump to a lower standard leaps out to us, but if left
exposed to 
Gradually deteriorating Pitch and tone, not listening to other players,
instruments, recordings,
And points of reference. If our only point of reference is what we are
exposed to, standards 
Slowly drop, and expectations devolve.
Teaching wind instruments, it is amazing how many high school clarinet and
saxophone
Students don't listen to professional players of their own instrument, and
how many have never 
Been to a live concert featuring their own instrument. One of the most
important things to do
As a wind teacher is to get them listening to professionals of their
instrument, so their 
Point of reference is not high school amateur players around them. Whatever
our concept in our brain, we will find a way to sound like that. Amazing
how clarinet and sax student 
Suddenly can change their sound when they start listening, (and have a few
techniques to work with) the techniques with listening and points of
reference don't do much)
 
I think here we had a case of isolation, and gradual deterioration over
time, over years.
 
Still, yes I hear you. 
This was a good one for the book; classic. 
 
Cheers"
Dave,
I would agree with you. However, there is simply the case of not paying
attention.
 Example: (Telling stories on myself<G>) When I was first in college, as a
Music Education Major, (Tuba being my Instrument), I was given assignments
of composition that needed to be done on the weekend(s). Every monday, for
several weeks, I got poor grades for that effort. The week-time
assignments, I got good grades. Finally, my instructor took me aside and
asked my why I thought I was not getting good grades for my weekend
assignments. I really did not know why. We discussed the issue for a while
and finally he asked me about my Home Piano. "When did you have it tuned?",
he asked. I said I hadn't had it tuned and didn't realise that it needed
it, as it sounded adequate for the job I wanted it to do. I could go into
the background of the piano, etc., but I won't. Suffice it to say it had
been eons since it had seen a tuner. And, to add insult to injury, it was
on an unheated back porch, because my wife didn't want it inside, because
it smelled of smoke and beer. (It had been owned by her alcoholic Father).
Once, I moved it inside, (after some serious fumigation<G>) and had a local
tuner take care of the tuning, I began to get much better grades on my
weekend assignments! Go figger.<G>
Regards,
Joe


Joe Garrett, R.P.T.
Captain of the Tool Police
Squares R I