Pitch Again

[Z! Reinhardt]

Even a "non-fixed pitch" instrument is difficult to play alongside an
out-of-tune piano.  About 10 years ago, a couple of friends of mine in the
Boston area played a gig at a suburban public library.  They had been
assured that the piano would sound fine, and would pose no problems ...
afterall, the instrumentation would be only piano and upright bass (and we
"know" how easy it is to tune the bass to match the piano).

Instant blood curdle -- strike any key!  The bass had to be de-tuned to try
to match the piano, which in turn meant that the intonation was distorted to
where the bassist had a horrible time playing.  The piano was not in tune
with itself to where the pianist wondered whether or not both of his hands
were playing in the same key.

(No, I wasn't there, but I sure heard about it as they half-jokingly got on
my case about moving to Michigan when they knew of so much to be done back
in Massachusetts.)

Z! Reinhardt  RPT
Ann Arbor  MI
diskladame@provide.net


----- Original Message -----
From: "Joseph Garrett" <joegarrett@earthlink.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, January 11, 2002 11:48 AM
Subject: Pitch Again


All,
This thread has taken several turns. And has not even considered one aspect:
Pitch in relation to "fixed pitch" instruments. As, my first instrument, of
choice, was the trumpet, I'm here to testify that playing a gig with a piano
that is "off pitch" is a living hell. Something else to consider.
Respectfully,
Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)