tuning time

[Tony Caught]

Hi,

A bit of tongue in cheek here and a bit of truth.

Below was written by many.

> the more time I take  the better the tuning. 1hr20min by machine and 2
> hrs. by ear. Can others tell me how long they take?">>
>
> To which Andre replied...
> <<"Aurally 50 minutes
> Verituner 40 minutes">>
>
> <<" Who are you ? Superman.?
>
> Would you do that for a concert tuning?
>
> over the piano twice. I don't use an ETD for normal tunings so that
doesn't
> compute.
> You need to define "concert tuning"...do you mean under perfect conditions
or
> the normal melieu of activity?  Rock concert or symphony performance or
solo
> performance? They all offer different challenges.....and it does make a
> difference.
> Condition of the tuning state before you start work has a bearing
> also........... you were talking about tuning a 'normal' tuning' weren't
you?
> Jim Bryant (FL)

The idea of needing to define tuning as against concert tuning as against
'special concert tuning' leaves me wondering if I should have been NOT
tuning all the pianos that I have tuned to the best of my ability.
I mean just because a piano is not a 9' grand in 100% condition does not
mean that the piano should not be tuned to the best it could be, which is,
in my opinion a 'Concert Tuning' on that particular piano.
Jim, I agree that the condition of the tuning state has a major bearing on
how long the tuning will take but to imply that a 'normal' tuning  is
different from and takes less time than a 'solo performance tuning' is to
imply that one does not give his best on a 'normal tuning'. Close enough is
good enough. ?

To me a concert tuning on a piano that I maintain takes 40 minutes.
To tune a private piano in a lounge room that has been tuned yearly takes 75
minutes.
Regardless of which I allow 1.5 hrs to tune and touch up a piano, 15 minutes
to bill and get paid and finish the cup of tea or coffee that I insist on
having in the customers house.

Being an aural tuner who now uses an ETD I find that the aural tuning is
faster but at a higher stress level than with the EDT. How any aural tuner
can say different is hard to believe as regardless of whether you are
looking at a dial or not you are still hearing the sounds and at times the
sounds do not agree with the dial (particularly in the bass) yet I have
found that the ETD and the ear can compromise in this area to the betterment
of the piano. Just takes more time.

When I was 20 years younger, 45 min to tune, 7 pianos a day, after the
second day 1/2 bottle of rum per night. Today, 1.5 hrs, 4 pianos, bottle of
rum. Weeeelllll not every night.

Happy New Year to All

Regards


Tony Caught
Darwin Australia
caute@bigpond.com