I will read your article, but I still say the tuning will change, when the A/C comes back on. Obviously, it will be better than it was, otherwise, they wouldn't need it tuned. Wonky, was perhaps, not the best term to use. Regards, John M. Ross Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kent Swafford" <kswafford@earthlink.net> To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org> Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 9:18 PM Subject: Re: Yamaha C7 tuning instability > No, I disagree completely. Well, I disagree about the piano going wonky > when the AC comes back on. It is true that it would be better to > arrange for the AC to never again blow on the piano, but in a situation > where the AC is cycling the movement of the piano is mostly from the > change in temperature of the strings, a short term phenomenon. The > amount of time it takes to do a tuning is not enough to make a > significant change in the environment; just turn the darn thing off, > you'll have no changes in the tuning from the starting and stopping of > the airflow while you are working, and when the AC is turned back on, > you'll have a better result than if the AC had been going on and off > the whole time. > > For a better explanation, see my September 1994 Journal Article, The > Long and Short of Temperature and Humidity. > > Kent Swafford > > > > > > On Jun 17, 2004, at 3:20 PM, John Ross wrote: > > > The only thing wrong, with turning the air off, while you tune, is, it > > will > > go wonky, when they turn the A/C back on. > > It would be better to face the problem, and have a stable, environment > > for > > the piano. > > Regards, > > John M. Ross > > Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada > > jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Kent Swafford" <kswafford@earthlink.net> > > To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org> > > Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 5:14 PM > > Subject: Re: Yamaha C7 tuning instability > > > > > >> Um, I'm a little surprised no one has suggested that you inquire if > >> the > >> AC could be turned off while you tune. If the problem is the stopping > >> and starting of the air flow, this should solve the problem and let > >> you > >> tune without having to hit a moving target. > >> > >> Kent Swafford > >> > >> > >> > >> On Jun 17, 2004, at 2:31 PM, Mark Dierauf wrote: > >> > >>> Thanks to all for the responses. I did check the plate screws, but > >>> even > >>> my biggest square-shanked screwdriver with a wrench on it couldn't do > >>> more than just crack a few of them a hair. The studio is not large > >>> and > >>> there are vents everywhere, so I don't think that it's possible to > >>> get > >>> this piano out of the line of fire. The blanket is a good idea for > >>> tuning, but it doesn't help once I'm gone. The engineer usually > >>> either > >>> removes the lid altogether or else raises it until it is vertical and > >>> leaning against a piece of foam that he has located on a wall for > >>> that > >>> express purpose. I was thinking about trying one of the Edwards wool > >>> string covers, but I assume that this would change the sound (and > >>> volume) and throw off his miking procedure. Has anybody used one of > >>> these covers who could comment? Would a DC bottom cover across the > >>> top > >>> of the case (in place of the lid) be likely to help? > >>> > >>> - Mark > >>> > >>> -----Original Message----- > >>> From: Don Mannino [mailto:dmannino@kawaius.com] > >>> Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 1:24 PM > >>> To: 'College and University Technicians' > >>> Subject: RE: Yamaha C7 tuning instability > >>> > >>> Mark, > >>> > >>> As you surmised, this problem has nothing to do with the piano, and > >>> everything to do with the air changing the string's temperatures. > >>> > >>> The best approach is to move the piano so that it is not in a drafty > >>> spot > >>> during tuning, then move it back when you are done. Make sure the > >>> studio > >>> owners are aware of the draftiness problem - you can demonstrate it > >>> for > >>> them > >>> using your tuning machine easily. Simple zero out the display, then > >>> 'huff' > >>> hot air on the strings while playing it - the display will begin to > >>> move > >>> right away. Well, at least it works well with my unusually large > >>> quantity > >>> of hot air ;-) > >>> > >>> This problem could possibly be solved by redirecting a heating vent, > >>> or > >>> getting air deflectors for one or two vents that are blowing on the > >>> piano. > >>> > >>> A blanket or cover draped over the piano could help during tunings, > >>> too. > >>> > >>> Don Mannino RPT > >>> > >>> > >>> -----Original Message----- > >>> From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of > >>> Mark > >>> Dierauf > >>> Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 7:27 PM > >>> To: caut@ptg.org > >>> Subject: Yamaha C7 tuning instability > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> I take care of an older Yamaha at a recording studio that has a > >>> tuning > >>> instability problem that I've never encountered on any other piano - > >>> the > >>> pitch fluctuates by as much as 3 or 4 cents over the course of only a > >>> few > >>> minutes. It took me quite a while to realize that this fluctuation > >>> ran > >>> in > >>> sync with the forced hot air heating system. Now that it's summer, > >>> the > >>> air-conditioning from the same vents is having the same effect. The > >>> piano > >>> has a complete DC unit installed with a bottom cover, is tuned at > >>> least > >>> 20x > >>> annually, and is very pitch-stable in the long term. It is not > >>> located > >>> in > >>> direct sunlight and the temperature doesn't vary much, certainly not > >>> within > >>> seasons. In the winter there is a humidity control system adding > >>> moisture > >>> through the hot air ducts. The studio is in an old New England barn > >>> that > >>> had > >>> several hundred thousand dollars worth of renovation, and so is very > >>> well > >>> finished and insulated, but in the time that it takes me to work > >>> through > >>> the > >>> temperament the first notes tuned have already moved substantially. > >>> Once > >>> after chasing the pitch all through a tuning I repeated A4 for > >>> several > >>> minutes and watched the pitch rise about 2 cents above the starting > >>> point > >>> then fall about 2 cents below. This cycle kept repeating as I > >>> watched. > >>> Has > >>> anyone ever seen such a problem? Did you find any solutions? > >>> > >>> - Mark > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > >>> > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > > _______________________________________________ > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >
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