[CAUT] tuning frequency

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

Jeff,

At 15:23 2/28/2005, you wrote:
>This is an interesting thread with some great responses.
>
>Yes, Julliard can get weekly (I thought it was daily according to an 
>article I have) tunings on teaching instruments because they have 5 full 
>time technicians and 4 part timers for, what is it, 247 pianos?

1 tooner/96 pianos/40 studios here - not quite Julliard...

>I got my daily recital tuning time moved to afternoons after my first year 
>here because of the 10 to 12 percent humidity changes that were happening 
>between 9 am and recital time making the tunings unstable. My predecessor 
>had had trouble with the vaccuming staff in the room. I fixed that with 
>the time change.  And my concert tunings are MUCH more stable now.  No, I 
>don't tune the recital pianos every day, but I do have time in the hall 
>every day in case I need it.  It is much more difficult to schedule a 
>tuning time AFTER the recital schedule has changed than it is to be the 
>daily stronghold they have to schedule around.  But, that said, the tuning 
>will move around from day to day. The one thing I DO try to give our 
>students and faculty here is the best professional performance situation I 
>can give them.

Real world in small college:

Today, they get what they get.
-Guest piano recital of some ilk or other.
-Artiste swoops in some time this morning for rehearsing (7:30 recital).
-Hall booked solid from 0930 until 2300.
-Two Ds on stage, no indication of preference, but probably will chose the 
hamburger.
-68° 29% @ 0600 - no idea what it will be by showtime or how many times 
pianos will be moved on and off stage for various rehearsals.
-Touched up both this morning - will have to do WHATEVER happens during the day

Tomorrow,  I get to throw a harpsichord into the mix on stage. Does the fun 
ever end??


>So, what do I do?  Well, I try to encourage my piano faculty to keep their 
>pianos watered.  Some pianos are on their third tunings this semester, 
>WITH Dampp-Chaser systems.

I have a student worker attending to water levels twice a week. (60+ D-C units)




Conrad Hoffsommer, RPT, MPT, CCT, PFP, ACS, CRS.
Decorah, IA

- Certified Calibration Technician for Bio-powered Digitally Activated
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