pitch raise

[barre46@ibm.net]

Clyde Hollinger wrote:

> Les,
>
> You'll probably get a variety of answers and opinions.  When I find a
> piano that is exceedingly flat, my response varies with the piano and
> the wishes of the customer, who, after all, owns the piano and will be
> expected to pay for the services I provide.  Will other instruments be
> played with the piano?  If so, it's pretty important to take it to
> pitch.
>
> If the piano is fairly new and I see no structural problems, I generally
> recommend taking it to pitch, but I do several passes if it's more than
> about 70 cents flat.  I do not like raising it more than 100 cents on a
> pass.

I agree with what you have said here. Playing the piano with other instruments is
certainly a compelling reason to raising it to proper pitch. However you did not
mention what to me is also a very important reason to bring it up to pitch. That is
what the piano was designed for. When you are doing a pitch raise, in most cases when
the string comes up to the proper pitch, you can hear the tone bloom. It is more
obvious in some areas of the piano than others but it will occur in pianos that are as
much as 20 cents flat. If  the piano is not up to pitch, the downbearing on the
soundboard will be insufficient to produce the best tone. Am I hearing things or am I
right?

Norman Barrett
Memphis, TN