Tuning Invention Idea

[J Patrick Draine]

>   Does anyone have any comments or reactions to the idea of building a
>battery operated or electrical  tuning hammer which could be interfaced
>with a SAT or other computerized piano tuning program to slowly  tighten
>or loosen the tuning pin of the note you are playing until the red
>lights are stopped?  Would such an invention be possible, feasible or
>desirable?  Or is there such an mechanism out there?  I'd love to hear
>your comments.
>
>Phil R.
It's already been done. An engineer from Lincoln, MA demoed such a machine
at the New England Regional Seminar when the Boston Chapter hosted it in
Natick, MA  several years ago, May 1990 or 1991. No, it wasn't fast, or
practical, but the engineer proved to himself and those technicians
interested enough to watch, that it could be done. The demo was not done on
a real piano, but a monochord setup similar to what we use in the technical
exam.
I think the guy was just a bit obsessed; I don't think he had big dreams of
immediate commercial sucess.
Trem Parsons knew the guy when he lived "back East"; you could check with
him for details.

Patrick Draine, RTT