more on floating pitch

[Richard Brekne]

Hi Mike.

Those RH numbers look fairly similar to what we operate with over her. 
My usual is to tune at A 442 in the fall and allow the pitch to drop to 
440 during the winter but no lower. This is on pianos I tune for the two 
University level schools in town and I am on each piano 4-5 times a 
year.  For a regular private job I dont see much point in floating 
pitch... grin it float quite naturally enough on its own during the 
average of 3-5 years in between the tunings most folks give their 
pianos.  I use a fixed pitch for concert and recording work as well, or 
any teacher who requests it for that matter.  I have one teacher who 
wants 438 all the time because she plays Recorders of various sorts.

Floating pitch is not really all that time consuming for a single 
isolated tuning IMB. But if you are visiting a piano 3-4 times a year 
and have very good tuning technique it can save you some time in a 
climate like the one you mention below.

Cheers
RicB


    List,

    I need to go back through the archives and see where all the
    proponents of floating live and work.  Surely not in the temperate
    zones of North America.  Today I tuned a Yamaha P22 at the local
    elementary school.  It was last tuned in March, to A=440 at about
    38%RH.  Piano pitch at 68% RH today was:  A0 +0, A1 +3, A2 +5, A3
    +18, A4 +12, A5 +24, A6 + 35, A7 +20.  No matter where I decide to
    set the pitch of this piano, it's going to require a pitch
    correction.  Floating wouldn't save me any time or effort, nor would
    it improve the stability of the piano.  This is the norm for the
    upper midwest, and I suspect for much of the country.  Floating
    might work on the coast or in the desert, but not here.

    Mike