Perfect Pitch Update

[Richard Moody]

Robert, 
	Thanks for sharing the illuminating experinece you had. I was asked to
tune to 441, and ended up complying, which was posted.  The reasons had to
do with orchestra members using "pocket tuners" and noticing the pitch
change of the piano before and into the performance. Also I was paid
accordingly. However I find your experiences very interesting. To which I
would like to add for what it may be worth.  On public TV there was a
concert with the Korean violin prodigy.  The camera was on the orchestra
tuning.  I grabbed my Korg tuner and set it to audio, and the A 440
matched the oboe.  The TV sound was not enough to activate the needle. 
But it was close, very close, the experience being similar to sounding an
A440 tuning  fork and comparing it to the TV sound.  I was wondering if
they tuned to 440 or 442.  It sounded like 440 to me.  
	However during the perfomance I checked pitch again. I would find the
pitch on the Korg and listen as the orchestra played. I could hear
definite beatings some times.  However these were on different notes than
A.  But of course we must remember the orchestra plays in a different
intonation than Equal Temperament. Perhaps the difference were hearing
just intonation compared with ET. Or did they stray?.  One cycle two cycle
per second, or three? 
	As you mention, I also thought I heard a section out of tune. The violins
of all things.  Sure enough after the first movement the conductor had the
violins do some tuning. 
Richard Moody 
----------
> From: robert sadowski <rls@ncinter.net>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Perfect Pitch Update
> Date: Monday, April 06, 1998 7:15 AM
> 
> Dear List,
>       After the request from the conductor to tune to A441,  I tuned to
A440
> as always.
> After rehearsal, he told me to bring it down to 440, the oboe player was
> having trouble with the higher pitch.  When I checked it, it was
actually
> closer to 438.  I then realized it's best to let customers operate in
> whatever reality they wish and just do the best tuning I can. The irony
is
> that this particular orchestra's brass section was playing so out of
tune it
> was making my skin crawl but didn't seem to bother the conductor with
> perfect pitch.
> 
> Later,
> 
> Bob Sadowski
> Erie, PA