We're talking Wurlitzer studios here guys! Otto Piano Technician University of Idaho 208-885-7918 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Greg Newell" <gnewell@ameritech.net> To: <caut@ptg.org> Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2002 6:00 PM Subject: RE: Floating pitch -- & ear plugs > Mark, > Do you then float up or down within this 4-5 cent window? If so > why? Do you really find that the piano is unstable when correcting for this > minor amount? What if the orchestra is also using some other fixed pitch > instrument? What if you really don't know how the piano will be used? or > with what other instrument? String segments and wire tension > notwithstanding the judgement call being made is that it's not important to > maintain standard pitch? is this the call your comfortable deciding for > yourself? > > respectfully, > > Greg Newell > > > At 06:30 PM 8/28/2002, you wrote: > >In leveling, seating and straightening of strings, I try to have the piano > >(as I understand most of you do) at pitch. i.e.: settle the coils, re-tune > >to A:440, seat at the bridge, re-tune to A:440, lift at the agraffes, > >re-tune to A:440, etc. > > > >The rational for this (I believe) is to have all the string segments bearing > >or terminating their very best, when the piano is at pitch. And this is > >where it gets a bit murky,.. or not. > > > >I guess it depends on your mental image of what happens to the string > >segments during a (climate-induced) pitch change. I see the strings as > >changing tension 'most' along the speaking length rather than at my > >carefully straightened little segments at the capo, around the hitch-pins, > >etc. > > > >This comfortable delusion permits me to see things as returning pretty much > >to normal, after permitting a minor "pitch float." Whereas lowering or > >raising string tension, in reaction to (climactic) pitch change, presents > >the picture of hauling string hand-over-fist, through every termination and > >bearing point,... then, back again kinks and all, in the other direction a > >few weeks later. It seems alot like running to the other side of the boat > >with every wave. (Which presents another picture; summer is almost gone and > >I haven't had the sailboat out once! :>( > > > >In response to Greg, climate control has brought most of our instruments to > >within a 4 or 5 cent window, which we can easily deal with. I think it is a > >good idea though to consider what all is going on in the piano when climate > >moves the pitch, other than just a change in string tension. > > > >Mark Cramer, > >Brandon University > > > > BTW, I hope you have all had a nice summer, and wish you well during > >the fall season! > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: owner-caut@ptg.org [mailto:owner-caut@ptg.org]On Behalf Of Greg > >Newell > >Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2002 4:30 PM > >To: caut@ptg.org > >Subject: Re: Floating pitch -- & ear plugs > > > > > >Otto, > > First I want to make clear that I'm responding to the thread in > >general and not just your post. I clearly understand why those who do, > >float pitch. That having been said I would try all I could to not do it. I > >can forsee a situation where someone knows the piano has "just been tuned" > >and yet another instrumentalist who just happens to have good pitch memory > >(Perfect Pitch) will remark to his or her group that the piano is flat. > >perhaps even significantly. For those who do float pitch why is it that you > >can't simply explain to whatever institution that the temperature and > >humidity fluctuations are simply too great and that Dampp Chasers must be > >installed to maintain anything resembling correct and stable pitch? Money > >is always an issue but if we always give them a way out will they not > >always take it? My two cents. > > > >Greg Newell > > > > > > > > > > > > > >At 02:57 PM 8/28/2002, you wrote: > > >Several years ago I tuned for North Park College in Chicago. We had a > >bunch > > >of Wurlitzer (Squirrelitzer) studios in the practice rooms of a building > > >that kept the rain off. The pitch went up & down like a yo-yo on a long > > >string. Initially, I spent many a day in those concrete cubicles, > > >de-stabilizing those percussion, stringed instruments. Aug. to Dec. could > > >see a 40 cent pitch drop in certain areas of the scale. While they were > > >still cantankerous, floating the pitch a reasonable amount preserved my > > >sanity (such as it is) and the departmental budget. > > > > > >On another note: > > >It was in those bunkers that I learned to tune with ear plugs as well, > > >though I did quit using them for several years after I left there, for fear > > >that customers might mistrust a piano tuner with ear plugs. In recent > >years > > >I have gone back to wearing them, educating my customers of the decibel > > >levels I generate, & reminding them that one may be a visually-impaired > > >tuner, but there is not a lot of call for deaf piano tuners. I have found > >I > > >can concentrate better anyway, since it decreases the db level & cuts out > > >much of the distracting backgound noise. Some poorly scaled pianos will go > > >muddy in some sections, particularly the upper treble, but you can always > > >pop them out for the offending note(s) & back in again. I always do a > >final > > >check, sans ear plugs, anyway. Good customers understand the rationelle & > > >are supportive. Those who don't can always be referred to the sleazy > > >"competition". We make our living with our ears -- best preserve them as > > >long as possible. > > > > > >Otto > > > > > >Piano Technician > > >University of Idaho > > >208-885-7918 > > >----- Original Message ----- > > >From: "Vanderhoofven" <dkvander@joplin.com> > > >To: <caut@ptg.org> > > >Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2002 9:16 AM > > >Subject: Floating pitch > > > > > > > > > > Dear Friends, > > > > > > > > In past years I have attempted to tune pianos in the colleges I tune for > > >to > > > > A-440 each tuning. This has caused me extra work (usually unpaid), and > > > > mental stress. > > > > > > > > This year I have floated pitch on every piano I have tuned, and I feel > >so > > > > much happier! No one has complained about the pianos being at A-442 or > > > > A-443, and the pianos are behaving better. When the temperature is 72 > > > > Fahrenheit, and the relative humidity is 83% indoors in the music > > >building, > > > > floating pitch is the only way to go. > > > > > > > > Thanks to Kent Swafford, I have finally seen the light! > > > > > > > > David Vanderhoofven > > > > Joplin, MO > > > > > > > >Greg Newell > >mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net > > Greg Newell > mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net >
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