Pitch Raising (was Otto Higel)

[Ty Fairchild]

On Tue, 12 Mar 1996 22:59:13 -0700 (MST), you wrote and I quote:

:Ty Fairchild writes: ( I think it was Ty)
:>:> This technique [tuning just the center string, then one edge, then
:>:the other edge]  results in less strain on the plate as the tension is
:>:> distributed more evenly and gradually, which is surely a comfort when
:>:> pulling up old pianos. It also results in far fewer strings breaking,
:>:> and perhaps more importantly, ends up with a vastly more stable
:>:> instrument.
:>:
:Allen Leigh writes:
:>:Ty, I can understand why that technique reduces the strain on the
:>:plate because, as you said, the stress is distributed more evenly,
:>:and I can understand that this would give a more stable tuning.  I
:>:don't understand why this would result in less string breakage.  If
:>:you could elaborate on this, I would be grateful.
:>
:Ty Fairchild writes:
:>Ummm.  I was hoping no one would ask. ;-) It is a cold stone fact that
:>using this method results in less string breakage, but I have no clue
:>as to why. Sorry. But if any one else knows, I, too, am all ears.  :-)
:>
:I have been doing research for some time on pitch raising with the
:Accu-Tuner, and have to disagree strongly with Ty Fairchild.  My study
:shows that the best method is simply to start at the lowest note on the
:piano, and move up the piano chromatically, pulling the unisons up as you
:go.
:
:Dr. Sanderson did some extensive research a number of years ago that
:showed this to be true.  Pulling up the unisons as you go will actually
:result in a _lower_ maximum overpull!  This of course lowers the chances
:of string breakage.  My own experience of thousands of pitch raises here
:in Michigan bears that out.  I switched to this method (chromatically
:pulling up unisons) in 1990, and the number of broken strings went way
:down after the switch.
:
:My experience, and that of many other RPT's indicates that raising the
:center strings first, and then the left and right strings later results
:in *LESS* tuning stability than if you just pulled up the unisons as you
:go.  I have not researched the stability aspect with hard data though.
:
:As to plate stress, plates break because of flaws in the casting.  If you
:have ever been to a piano factory, they pull the full tension up as they
:string the piano!  Think about that, there is absolutely no tension on
:the unstrung part, but the part that was just strung is pulled to full
:tension.  If a plate is going to break, that is when it will happen if
:this puts undo stress on the plate, *not* when you or I pitch raise the
:piano.
:
:It was hard to re-train myself to tune unisons-as-you-go since I had
:tuned and pitch-raised aurally for so many years before.  The Sanderson
:Accu-Tuner is simply the best system there is for pitch raising, bar
:none.  It is a stable target, while the piano moves around on you.  Pitch
:raising aurally simply can't compete, since your ear is not absolute like
:the SAT.
:
:Dean
:
:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
: Dean L. Reyburn, RPT                    Sanderson Accu-Tuner
: REYBURN PIANO SERVICE, INC.             Authorized Distributor
: 2695 Indian Lakes Rd, NE               "Software Solutions
: Cedar Springs, MI  49319  USA           for Piano Technicians"
: 616-696-0500  Fax: 616-696-8121         email:  dean@reyburn.com
:
:          See our software at our new Web site:   www.reyburn.com
:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
:
:
Dean,


Please read my follow-up response to Vince in the original thread.  It
has application to your posting.

                               ##


I would like to make the following points that may assist you in
understanding my position:


First of all, the technique I referred to can be applied both aurally
*and* with the SAT, and if I remember correctly, that is exactly what
they did during the demonstration class at the convention. George
tuned by ear and Jim tuned with the machine.

Second.  It is not my place, nor ever my intention to promote or
defend any particular technique of pitch-raising, tuning, repair et
al, nor would I denigrate, as others are wont to do, any singular
methodology; if you P/R in a certain way by machine and the end
results satisfy the customer well and good; I would encourage you to
continue doing so.  I am familiar with the technique you described,
but have always maintained that a technician should use that which
he/she is comfortable with and go on from there as long as ultimately
the customer is satisfied.

Third.  The only reason I even bothered to present this information in
the first place was  a.) to offer my experience to anyone who *might*
benefit from it, not as a panacea for pitch-raising.

Fourth. My sole purpose in posting anything is knowledge/experience
dissemination.  *My* knowledge and experience.  If someone benefits
from what I say -- great; if not, no problem.  I would at no time hold
up myself or my methods as a guiding-light example for all to follow.
Far from it.  I am just an ordinary person toiling in a profession
that makes me glad to greet each new business day with its attendant
challenges.  I am very happy for you to do your own thing.

Fifth.   I contribute because it makes me feel good to know that
perhaps someone, somewhere, may find what I say useful. I have no
doubt that many will find what you say quite useful.   I have no axe
to grind, no pianos to sell, and no equipment to flog.

Ty Fairchild


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Ty
     "Pain validates life."   Tudor Williams (1941 -   )