Hi John, Good ones to ponder. Pitch raising is like trying to hit a moving target. The flatter it is like the faster the target is moving. I use my false beat eliminator that has a bend in it to explain how the wire will react to the pitch raise. Not wanting to go in a direct line after the termination point but rather a small curve then to the next termination point where there is also going to be a small curve. The term that I use is "pitch stabilization process" which needs to be done to achieve piano stability. And especially working here in a farm community they understand the concept of making a barbed wire gate. Ever try making one? Tightening one wire changes the stress on the others. A four wire gate is harder to make than a three wire gate. Joe Goss ---------- > From: John M. Formsma <jformsma@dixie-net.com> > To: PianoTech <pianotech@ptg.org> > Subject: analogies > Date: Thursday, August 12, 1999 5:38 AM > > Hi List, > > I like to use analogies so that the customer will better understand what > needs to be done to his piano. For instance, when considering the effects > of a pitch raise on a piano, the customer usually does not care about the > force exerted by a soundboard and the force exerted by the strings causing > the piano to be somewhat unstable after a pitch raise and tuning. In the > past, I have explained it scientifically only to see the eyes glaze over as > they nod in feigned agreement---saying "Whatever you think needs to be > done." :-) For that reason, analogies at the customer's level of > understanding are helpful. > > Here are a couple of analogies that I have thought that might help explain > why a piano goes out of tune faster after a pitch raise, and why a pitch > raise is necessary before fine tuning at A-440. I don't know if the average > 25-cent flat customer understands why a piano needs to be reasonably well in > tune to be fine tuned. > > 1. If you stretch a rubber band, it's tendency is to return to its > unstretched state, which is similar to what will happen when we "stretch" > these strings to a higher tension. > > 2. A piano needs to be in good tune to be fine tuned. It is like washing > and waxing a car. You wouldn't try to wax the car before washing it, but > you wash the car first, then wax it to give it that brilliant shine. > Similarly, the piano has to be at pitch first before it can have that > "brilliant" sound. > > What do you think of these analogies? I have used the first, but not the > second. Also, what have you found useful in explaining these and similar > concepts to your customers. > > Ever the curious one, > > John Formsma > >
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