tuning speed

[Stephen Airy]

Ok, so 2 passes is always better than one.

Here's part of my question -- when a piano is, within,
say, 2 or 3 cents, is one pass OK?  Or, what is the
max it can be off before two passes is recommended?

Also, what is the farthest flat for a piano to be
before you all might recommend three passes (one up to
pitch with no overpull, second with overpull, third
fine tune)?  Also, is there ever any case where
someone would recommend four or more passes?  (We'll
assume that the pinblock and bridges are in fair
condition (good enough to take a pitch raise).)

--- David Love <davidlovepianos@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Reading all these posts on whether one pass or two
> is more accurate I think
> that the focus has been in the wrong area.  All
> things being equal, two
> passes will always be more accurate than one.  A
> second pass at some level
> should always be done to insure accuracy. The
> question should really be
> about what should be accomplished on each pass.  The
> answer lies partially
> in the psychology of perception.
> 
> One's ability to make fine discriminations will
> always be related to the
> range of the field.  The smaller the range, the
> greater ones ability to make
> fine discriminations.  In practice, that means that
> if you are pulling the
> piano into tune from all over the place, you will
> not be able to
> discriminate subtleties in the quality of the
> unisons that you would be if
> the piano were already basically in tune. 
> Similarly, for example, if you
> are adjusting repetition springs and the tensions
> are somewhat chaotic, you
> will not be able to perceive small differences as
> easily on the first pass
> as you will on the second.  Thus the argument for
> going over a regulation
> more than once as well.
> 
> As far as what you should try to accomplish on each
> pass, then, on the first
> pass you should try to get the piano in as good tune
> as possible without
> lingering too long.  My goal is that if I leave it
> after the first pass, I
> won't have much doubt as to its acceptibility.  You
> should definitely
> concentrate on making sure that each string is set
> and stable.  For me that
> means tuning with test blow force, checking with
> soft blows, and not leaving
> any string until I am confident that it is going to
> stay there.  A quick
> first pass that doesn't achieve at least that is, to
> me, a waste of time.
> On the second pass, one should only be listening to
> the unisons and making
> very small refinements.  The fewer changes you have
> to make, the easier it
> will be to make very fine discriminations.  You
> certainly don't want to be
> guessing as to whether any note will withstand a
> hard blow.  If you are in
> doubt, you better check each pin again.  One or two
> unisons that don't hold
> from normal playing is too many.
> 
> As far as speed goes, it doesn't really matter.  If
> you find after much
> practice that it takes you 4 hours to tune a piano
> you might want to
> consider whether your ability to earn enough money
> might be compromised.  I
> personally can't do a good solid tuning in much less
> than an hour and it's
> usually 1.00 - 1.25 hours for a piano that is
> basically out of tune.  When I
> was a strict aural tuner, it took a little bit
> longer.  I do them faster
> sometimes for a variety of reasons, but I like to
> feel confident when I
> leave the piano that there aren't any whiny unisons
> and that the piano will
> stand up to very hard playing.  I charge accordingly
> and make no compromises
> between my ability to earn a living and deliver
> quality work.
> 
> David Love
> 


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