Hi Charles, Our posts crossed "in the mail" but I'm glad to read someone else supporting what I said in mine. Even though you _did_ say it much better. :-) Avery At 02:26 PM 10/29/99 -0500, you wrote: >Dear Brian, > >When I read your comments upon ETD's I find myself bushing with shame, >recalling the days when I made similar dismissive comments to my friends >and colleagues who used ETD's, having never really explored or utilized >one in my life. I expressed many of the same concerns and objections, i.e. >that my clientele would lose confidence in my abilities, I would no longer >be a worthy concert tuner, my aural abilities would atrophy, etc. > >Brian, I have been tuning pianos for 34 years, aurally for the first 30, >and do mostly concert and professional work. Currently I have served as >the head piano technician for the School of Music of the University of >Texas at Austin, one of the top schools in the country, for 20 years, in >which capacity I also provide concert tuning for the Austin Symphony >Orchestra and other major local arts organizations. In addition I maintain >the concert instruments and prepare them for the Van Cliburn Concert >Series in Fort Worth. I serve as the C&A tech for the Austin Steinway >dealer. Thus, since we live in the same city, I am puzzled by your >statement that most of the major artists performing in local venues >request aural tuners. Neither I nor my colleagues here at the School of >Music recall ever having an artist or any other client request an aural >tuner or question our use of an ETD. > >Brian, I purchased my SAT II for a special occasion where I had to keep >two fortepianos tuned together in an historical temperament for >professional recording sessions in a venue where the AC had to be turned >off for takes. Afterward I stuck it in a drawer, having experienced >difficulties in mastering the learning curve, much of which was due to my >stubbornness and preconceptions. Eventually I took the time to master the >machine and then I realized just how mistaken I had been all along, and my >tuning and tuning practice was transformed. > >You point out some of the advantageous situations for an ETD, i.e. >situations where the noise level may preclude doing a fine aural tuning, >shop work, pitch raises, and hearing loss. To that list I would add >instruments that present special challenges in inharmonicity and scaling, >time limitations, and the general physical condition of the tuner. By the >latter I am referring to the fatigue one might experience at any time or >after having already tuned several pianos in one day, illness, mental >stress or distractions, etc. How many of us can truly say that we are at >our peak at all times, especially when it is crucial? >And how often do you work when none of the above limitations are not a >factor? The ETD does not have bad days, suffer hearing loss, or become >ill, nor is it as distracted by background noise and activity as we are. > >But the crucial point that my colleagues tried to make to me during my >days as a uninformed detractor was that I had nothing to lose from using >the machine (except for the cost) and everything to gain. The machine did >not replace or cripple my ears, but supports them. With my SAT III, I will >assert to you in all sincerity that I can now do a more accurate concert >tuning in less time, with considerably less effort, and reproduce it time >and again with extraordinary precision. And I have never stopped using my >ears, which often refine the judgments of the machine. > >Brian, perhaps you do not realize that some of the most accomplished, >gifted and skilled technicians in our profession (and in PTG) use ETD's. >It was this realization, in part, that lead me to question my previous >stand. I think that I persisted in my delusion for so long because I felt >that I was a bit superior relative to my ETD using colleagues with my >presumed superior aural concert tuning skills; now I realize that I was >probably the only one who thought I was superior--everyone else must have >thought I was uninformed and perverse. > >Brian, my best and most friendly advice to you would be to try an ETD for >yourself (long enough to master the learning curve). At the least, you >could offer your criticisms and comments from an informed perspective. >And, who knows, you might just discover that you done something wonderful >for yourself... > >Sincerely, > >Charles > > > >Jim, > >"Sounds" like you have the right attitude. I agree that a SAT can help >refine a technicians knowledge when used to check aural tuning. I just >don't want to become a technician who relies so heavily on a machine that >I'm not continuing to refine my skills. > >I've seen some technicians really benifit from a SAT, especially when older >age compremises his or her upper frequency hearing. I've also believed >that ETD's are perfect for quick shop work. They even do a good job, if not >better job than aural, when hearing is compremised by background noise. I >think that one of the strongest benefits in owning an ETD for a shop is that >it would allow an apprentice-type to do "grunt" tuning with a high degree of >confidence, i.e. chip-tuning. > >However, concert tuning is another matter. I don't think that it is an >accident that most serious artists that perform at our local performance >venues specifically request aural concert tuning. I've never had someone >call and request an ETD tuning, but I've seen numerous times that I was >called specifically because I won't use an ETD. > >Yes, ETD's can and often do a good job, even for concert work. But no one >is going to convince me that as long as I have good ears, that I should let >a machine do all of the "thinking." Just my $.02 worth. > >Cheers, >Brian Henselman > >Charles Ball, RPT >School of Music >University of Texas at Austin >ckball@mail.utexas.edu
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