Re Tuning Instability

[Kenneth Sloane]

                      Subject:                              Time:  5:29 PM
  OFFICE MEMO         Re Tuning Instability                 Date:  2/6/96

---------------ORIGINAL POSTS-----------------
>...Here at Oberlin, we
>quantitate test blows on the "Strichter Scale" of one to five, with number
>five test blows being necessary to stabililize a piano for a weekend Liszt
>festival. On our concert pianos, our motto is, "If you aren't committed to
>stabilizing it, don't change it." Also, if you haven't broken strings
>occasionally with test blows, you haven't reached grade five on the
"Strichter
>Scale".
>
>Ken Sloane, Oberlin Conservatory

Another thought occurred to me about unions going out in a concert
situation which happened to me sometime back.  I personally got lazy,
didn't keep my attention on the job, let my mind wander during the tuning;
causing, as you can imagine, instability.            * And I did receive
feedback. *

I knew I couldn't blame it on the piano or the artist because it happened
within the time frame of one program of about 1-2 hours.  The simple fact
is, I just didn't do what needed to be done...focus my complete attention
on the task at hand and implement the philosophy you mention above.
Hopefully, never again will I let this happen.

Just where did this Strichter Scale originate, please?

Keith A. McGavern, RPT
kam544@ionet.net
Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee

-----------------REPLY-----------------

The "Strichter Scale" is a  play on words, referring (irreverently as all puns
do) to the Richter Scale which is, as you probably know, the system for rating
earthquakes. Strichter is a cross between strike (a note) and Richter. (Ha
Ha?)