> Use the 8' Principle on the Great on an Allen. We've been an Allen dealer > for 23 years, I verified this with one of our organ technicians. As I said > before though, since an Allen digital organ is always tuned to A-440 > (unless it was purposefully tuned sharp or flat), you don't need to worry > about tuning the piano to the organ. > > This whole subject comes up since in the past it is a common problem with > pipe organs and to a lesser degree, some non-digital organs that weren't > kept tuned to A-440, If you wanted to use the two together you'd have to > tune the piano to the organ. > > Glenn Grafton > Grafton Piano & Organ Co. Glenn & all, Contrary to popular belief, ANY electronic device with an oscillator with a capacitor in it, even digital instruments, will drift in frequency over time. Therefore, even an Allen digital organ will not necessarily stay at A=440 hz forever. A computer will tolerate minor changes in the actual frequency of the oscillator but the same change will mean a difference of several cents pitch for audio frequencies. Just last Friday a regular church called at noon needing their piano tuned to an electronic keyboard by Sunday (of course). The piano was down 8 cents the keyboard up 12 cents. I find Allen organs all the time that are not at 440. All other electronic organs do go out of tune. If the organ has one master oscillator the general pitch of the organ will drift - usually sharp - over time but the temperament will remain as it was made. If the organ has twelve independent oscillators - one for each pitch of the chromatic scale - the temperament will change as well, usually sharp. Older Conn and Gulbransen organs have separate oscillators for each pitch on the organ and obviously go out of tune - some flat some sharp. It is my practice to never tune the piano to an out of tune electronic organ. Being both a piano technician and electronic organ technician for 20 years plus - I simply tune the organ properly. Of course I have no control over pipe organs. I believe most organ technicians don't know tuning from angel hair even if they have frequency counters they ignore the tuning of the organ. In that case, you'll need to be there when he is - or - have him get a Korg electronic tuner. If he gets it close with that you'll have a fighting chance at making the two instruments sound good together. Whoops, long post. Sorry! Del Gittinger, RPT delgit@acc-net.com Marion, OH (Also a charter member of MITA, the Music Instruments Technicians Association)
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