Wim/Pitch raise experiment

[Dave Nereson]

----- Original Message -----
From: Clyde Hollinger <cedel@supernet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2002 5:06 PM
Subject: Re: Wim/Pitch raise experiment


> Well, Greg, a skeptic like me will ask-- is it the pitchraise that wows
them,
> or is it hearing the piano in tune with itself for the first time in
decades?
>
> Regards,
> Clyde
>
> Greg Newell wrote:
>
> > Dave, Wim and list,
> >     You may wish to start lubricating the strings with Protek CPL before
> > tuning these old beasts. I'm with Joe on this one. What good is a piano
> > that's perpetually flat in pitch? Isn't ear training just as important
as
> > finger training? I raise pitch on these old beasties all the time. They
> > have all come through just fine without so much as a whimper. I'm sure
> > your also aware of how much livelier they sound when up to the pitch
they
> > were designed for. Never fails to get a "WOW" from the customer.
> >     my two cents.
>
Yeah, I raise 'em all the time too, but I have had 2 plates break and 1
soundboard break in 20 years -- it can happen.  Probably rolled a few
bridges too.  I'm not in such a hurry to raise each and every old piano up
to A=440 anymore.  I do a lot of inspecting, pondering, and considering,
kind of like venturing out over an old wooden bridge that hasn't been used
in years with a modern car that weighs twice as much as a Model T.
    Musicians in previous centuries still trained their ears, but at
different pitches than we use today, depending on the era.  It's not the
greatest situation, but if a piano is in tune with itself, but at a lower
pitch, I think students can get used to it unless they have so-called
"perfect pitch", which can be a hindrance, because to them, it's not 'A' if
it's not 440 (or 220 or 880 etc.), and their fingers actually "want to go to
the wrong keys".  I have so-called "perfect pitch" and when I first sit down
to a piano that's a half-step flat, it bugs me for a few minutes, but then I
"reset my mental pitch reference", kind of like adjusting to daylight
savings time or to jet lag or to sunglasses, or to driving in the dark,
then after playing for a bit, I'm mentally "relocated at a different pitch".
And I think most bright kids can do this also.
    If the piano can't be brought up, recommend they start saving or sell it
and buy a newer one than can be.      --David Nereson, RPT, Denver