Fork or Float

[S. Brady]

	After observing the discussion on floating pitch and 440 vs other
pitches, I thought I should weigh in with my 1/12th ditonic comma on this.
It was I who coined the term "to fork or to float" as a title for the
symposium at the 1994 convention in Kansas City, in hopes of getting some
good discussion going on the topic, and I'm very happy to see this
dialogue develop.
	I think it's obvious that both the decision to "float" pitch vs.
pitching to the fork every time out, as well as the decisions about *how*
to float the pitch once you've made the first decision--all these things
hinge on where you live, what kind of work you do, and what kind of
musicians you work for or with.
	Here in Seattle, I can float pitch up to 8 cents either way in
most settings, and not get complaints. Even in most concert situations, I
can float up to 4 cents either way and not get complaints. But I don't
automatically let the piano float to these limits. Each case requires
analysis: who's playing, what will the coming months or weeks bring in
terms of humidity changes, what is ultimately going to be best for the
piano and for the musicians? I agree with whoever said that there isn't a
great time to tune a piano, and I'm sure that this holds even truer in
other climates than it does here in mild Seattle. I have one client who
just can't bring himself to have his 7'4" grand tuned, because the
humidity in his house is always changing (he has a humidity gauge on the
wall). I tell him, "just have it tuned four times a year and don't worry
about it," but he seems obsessed with maximizing the value he gets from
the tuning fee. We'll set up appts. and he'll call to cancel because x, y,
or z happened or is going to happen the next day. The suggestion to sell
the client a humidity control system is a good one, and I'm going to try
that with this guy soon.
	Regarding wind players, I think it really depends on who the
player is, and maybe more importantly, what the specific head joint or
mouthpiece is like. I agree that double-reed players tend to like the
pitch sharper rather than flatter, but flute players and clarinetists, at
least the ones I work with, don't like the pitch to get too sharp. It's
easier for them to tune flat than sharp. Where wind players are involved,
I try to stay as close to 440 as humanly possible.
	I do have to tune to 442 for an international music festival
each June. Some of the musicians have very discriminating ears, and can
actually tell by how their violins sound when tuned to my piano, whether
I've pitched it at 442 or something flatter. Other than that one festival,
I'm able to discourage would-be 442ers by explaining the extra cost
they'll incur, like Newton does.
	Thanks for all the great input.
Steve
_____________________
Steve Brady, RPT		"Chaos is the law of nature; order is the
University of Washington	  dream of man."	--Henry Adams
sbrady@u.washington.edu