tuning speed

[John Ross]

Am I reading this correctly, a pitch raise for 2 cents flat?
I obviously have not been particular enough, for years. Funny thing, non of
my customers complain, and they get me back.
Being fair though, a lot of the customers have it done, every 5 years or
more, whether it needs it or not.
So that accuracy, would be wasted on them.
Regards,
John M. Ross
jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca
----- Original Message -----
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2002 6:26 PM
Subject: Re: tuning speed


> > Ok, so 2 passes is always better than one.
>
> IMHO, yes, but if everything is within one cent, and some pretty much
right
> on, I will sometime just do one pass.
>
> > when a piano is, within,
> > say, 2 or 3 cents, is one pass OK?
>
> OK, yes. Good, no. If a piano or a section of a piano is 2 cents flat, I
> will make a separate pitch raise pass through that area.
>
> > 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)?
>
> For me, somewhere in the 50 to 60 cents range.
>
> > 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).)
>
> Sure! I tuned one piano in a soon-to-be Florida State Historical
> somethingorother. Old Civil-War era farmhouse had been abandoned since the
> great depression. In it stood the old upright from the 1870s straight
> strung. I did at least four passes - I think quite a few more - I lost
> count. It was a good 400 or 500 cents flat as I recall. Just wanted to go
a
> tad at a time. I seem to recall that we left it 50 cents flat or so - they
> needed to lock the place up. But they did have their sing along with the
> piano the next weekend. My contact lady said all went well!
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Stephen Airy" <stephen_airy@yahoo.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Monday, January 14, 2002 4:00 PM
> Subject: Re: tuning speed
>
>
> > 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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