I think I may have inadvertently cast myself as the token skeptic in the use of the Accu-tuner. NOT! Please, all those that use and love their Accu-tuners accept my apology if I have sent some sort of implication that aural tuning is superior. As many of the participants in this E mail discussion have contended (myself included), a good aural tuning and a good Accu-tuner tuning with the appropriate aural adjustments are one in the same. What I have heard from the proponents of the Accu-tuner -- and please correct me if I am wrong -- is that it provides you with a vehicle to get more information about tuning in general and a chance to escape some of the fatigue and concentration drain associated with aural tuning. I, however, have chosen to not use an Accu-tuner beacause I feel that I can get enough information to make good choices about the piano I am tuning with appropiate checks. As far as the fatique and concentration drain factors, they have diminished with the gradual increas in my skills to the point where I don't feel a need to seek some sort of remedy. And with pitch raises, I actually would be curious to compare the end result of my aural pitch raises with those done with the use of an Accu-tuner. But I would once again like to emphasize that I know many excellent tuners (have worked with them on administering tuning tests) that swear by their Accu-tuners. I think that that alone is endorsement enough for the machine. Ken Sloane, Oberlin
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