Mac Frampton

[Horace Greeley]

Ray,

I suspect you'll get lots of opinions on this...here are mine:

At 11:23 AM 11/3/2003 -0600, you wrote:
>I have received a request from Mac Frampton to tune the Steinway D with
>no stretch in the upper registers so it will be in tune with a
>synthesizer.  Has anyone on this list tuned for him?

Yes.  A number of other folks who are heavily electronics-dependent ask for 
this.

>   Can you tell me if
>you had a similar request, and how you dealt with it.  I sent an e mail
>to his agent just now, but thought someone on the list might have a
>better answer than I may get from the agent.

The agent may only be/get confused.

>
>I usually tune this piano with a lot of stretch (7 or 8 on RCT) for
>concerts.

I tune strictly aurally, so cannot comment on what to do with an RCT.

Tuning with almost any stretch will annoy folks who depend on 
electronics.  Tune the single octaves dead on; try not to get wrapped up in 
making things sound "musical".



{Sorry - bad editing on my part...}

  - "I'm thinking it will sound pretty dead with no stretch."

Yup.  Try not to listen.

At the same time, please note that this has nothing at all to do with 
legitimate use of non-stretched octaves for historical/etc work.  This has 
only to do with making sure that the electronic beasties are kept at 
bay.  I have worked with a number of highly respected performers who prefer 
that earlier literature be performed on instruments with no or very limited 
stretch....it is an appropriate request, with lots of historical weight of 
reason behind it.

  - "Can anyone give me some direction here?  The concert is coming up this 
Sunday, Nov. 9."

Again, strictly my $0.02....If you normally and regularly tune this 
instrument with a fair amount of stretch, it may well not like going to a 
non-stretched tuning in one pass (unless you have lots of time - not 
usually the case).  If you can, try to do a couple of tunings each way: one 
to remove the stretch, the other to put it back in.  A good deal depends on 
how much elasticity is left in the strings.  No, the changes are not very 
big; but they can be noticeable, nonetheless.  YMMV.

Hope this helps.


>Thanks!

Sure!  It's not really a big deal - just a little daunting the first time 
out.  You'll be just fine!

Best.

Horace