Speed

[David Renaud]

Ola Andersson wrote:

> Some of you can tune 20 pianos a day I've read.

Never heard of such a thing. Perhaps touch up 20 pianosfor a display but never
tune 20 in a day.
The most I've done was 8, delivered to a Congress center
at 7am for a festival starting a 5pm same day.
The store took advantage to get 8 tuned right
out of the crate... wow....I did them all twice...
(I learned something about stores)
It hurt.
Did not tune the next day.
Four is normal max.

> And some of you can sit 8 hours  to tune a piano for a concert or a tuning
> exam Ive read.

I understand that three people have to agree that the piano is thebest it can
be, establishing a master tuning. I can see a group of
examiners alternating demonstrating certain stretch and compromises,
each defending their choice as the best. I can imagine fussing
and butting heads over it could take time. I've not yet
had the pleasure of participating in this process but will welcome
the opportunity to find out for myself.

> What is a normal customer paying for?
>

Up to 1.5hrs of my time max.and the best possible use of that time under
the circumstances.
Tune 1hr more or less.
Balance of time for client education,
regulation, voicing, whatever seems a priority,
If it needs more then a little work this time is to
demonstrate procedures to the client,  talk,
illustrate, teach....sell.
make best use of the time.
Occasionally more time.....with prudence...
Spent 2hrs at a music teacher today, regular fee.
Baldwin L, hammers flattened down to wood,
first time client, funky. The extra time here was
worth it, best promotion I can invest in.

> Why is the exam so long when it doesn't fit with reality?

Measuring, and marking takes time.The exams I took were some of the most
educational
time I've ever spent.
I see exams as a test of accuracy, not speed. Go over the
tuning several times and make sure its the best it can be.
The discussion in evaluation can be most enlightening,
I highly recommend you try it.

> Is it a goal for me to be able to tune a piano in 20 minutes and is it some
> thing to be proud of?

No. Pitch raise in 20, 15 or 10 min sure.....Tune ...never.I can "tune" in
20min but it is never ever a real Tuning
because it could never measure up beside my
best effort.
I've had an occasional rare client asking"why an hour"
I have replied.......an hour gives me about 15seconds
per string, if I go through a pitch correction first doing it
twice, about 7 second per string.I could do it much faster
if you would like, but I feel I can give you a good
and stable product in about an hour, more or less.

> Where is the compromise between a goodtuning and a fast tuning?
>

Always good.  Fast is not for tuning......its for pitchraising,
and "improving" instruments in dire emergencies when
time is impossible ...i.e. sound check went overtime and
the curtain opens in 20 min.

> Is there a difference in time and price tuning a normal piano or tuning a
> concert or recording grand?
>

Not yet. But as the novelty of doing concert tuningwears off, I feel perhaps
there should be.
Concert tuning can take longer, it can take less time,
depends how often it's getting done.
Concert tuning can be the best of times,
it can be the worst of times.

                                  Dave Renaud
                                  RPT
                                  CANADA