Temperaments

[Richard Moody]

----------
> From: Billbrpt <Billbrpt@aol.com>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Temperaments
> Date: Monday, January 26, 1998 8:31 AM
> 
> In a message dated 98-01-26 07:32:08 EST, Micheal Jorgensen writes:
> 
> <<...though I certainly respect ET and think it is remarkable
>  how close tuners actually come to it in practice.  >>
> 
> In a message dated 98-01-25 16:18:10 EST, Jim Bryant writes:
> 
> << b.  If the 'contract', as agreed to did not specify a
temperament to use
> and you used a temperament that was not the 'norm' of the community
then the
> contract would not have been fulfilled faithfully.  {snip}


Bill B replies...   
> There are no statutes on the book here in Madison that state what a
"normal"
> piano tuning is.  I doubt if there are anywhere else either. 
{snip}

	You have a right to trumpet  temperaments other than ET.  But to
deny that ET is not the standard (or normal as you say) because
"there are no statues on the books" does not negate the fact that ET
is considered by  practicing and competent piano tuners,  the
accepted standard of practice in the music industry.  That makes ET
the legal standard whether you like it or not, and should you choose
to tune in a music industry venue, you are expected to conform to
that standard, unless a contract states otherwise.     

Richard Moody 

ps  I have heard the show "what do you know" on PBS, in particular
the one in Rapid City SD since a friend was in the audience. I don't
remember the piano, but still I am interested in hearing how a piano
sounds in non ET over the airways.  Are there any shows comming up
that have a piano with your tuning? rm 






> "Don't ask, don't tell, just do it."
> 
> Bill Bremmer RPT
> Madison, Wisconsin

Perhaps part of the "Big Picture" is not being seen, or is being
ignored.  We as piano tuners are part of a service aspect of the
music industry.  The standard tuning for the music industry is Equal
Temperament.  Whether you agree or dis-agree that Et should or should
not be that  standard it doesn't matter.  The fact is that 99.9
percent of all music played with keyboards by professional musicians
is and has to be in ET.  If a piano is not in ET, it cannot be played
with synthesizers, or guitars, or in recording studios.  Now we are
down to the .1 percent of music that can be played with a non ET
temperament.   
	The reality is is if you tune a piano to something other than ET in
a professional situation, and that tuning causes loss of time on the
part of recording studio, and the musicians being paid scale,  you
run the risk of being held liable.

Richard Moody