I am now using foam type ear plugs I get from Harbor Fraight, 24 set for $5.00. For years I have been a soft bloow, semi hard blow tuner because the super hard blow is painful to my ears. I tuned seven pianos from 8:00 to 1:00 (not by choice I assure you) and found I was far less tired because I used plugs. At this point I find that I tune better (i.e. more stable) with than without plugs. No one has asked me why I use plugs but if they do I will say that I can tune better, with less fatigue, faster, and more stablely with than without. I have found that the SAT helps in the high treble. I know how much stretch I would like to have in the higher octaves so I am looking at the second partial of the lower and the first of the upper note. I did with when I used no plugs as well since the SAT wants to stretch more than I like in the top half octave. I have also found that I dislike tunings where I have a C6 value much above 5.5 cents. I just do not loke C8 above 30 or 35 cents. I have found no argument with the SAT's values for low bass and middle section, except when I get A4 values above 7 cents. I like to use the foam plugs because I loose things, like my marbles, and when they no longer expand quickly I throw them out and get another pair. I have thought of the fitted plugs, but I will loose them and be out more than a tune fee. Ear plugs are essential for sanity, health, longevity, job security, financial gain, filtering extrainious noises like a load in and stage activity. I have found that I can tune more solid unisons because I cannot hear the distracting beats of higher harmonics and noises from the duplex scales. After tuning I check without plugs and when I find a busy unison 99% of the time it cannot be improved, go figure. I don't think that plugs are a matter of choice, but a matter of survival. Newton nhunt@rci.rutgers.edu
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