Affleck Piano Tuning?(and Yamaha PT100/Verituner)

[SUSAN P SWEARINGEN]

Colin,

I agree with you 100%.  I do think it is important to tune aurally but why
not bring customers the best technology has to offer - a good set of ears, a
basic skill in aural tuning and a good quality ETD.  With my Verituner, I
can graduate to different octave types smoothly as I go from one section of
a piano to the next.  Only an extremely seasoned aural tuner would be able
to dunplicate this.  I can also tune whatever historical temperament my
customer may want.  Yes, in the old days, you had to pay your dues, and I
certainly respect tuners who do it 100% aurally, but it's just not necessary
to be a 100% aural tuner these days when you have such marvelous  ETDs that
are doing amazing things they couldn't just a few years ago.  I make this
statement assuming the tuners who use an ETD also know how to tune aurally.
I know that if I ever need to send my Verituner in for repair, I won't have
to cancel appointments.

How do others feel?

Corte Swearingen


----- Original Message -----
From: "Colin Kenny" <kennys@kennyguitars.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 14, 2002 1:58 PM
Subject: Re: Affleck Piano Tuning?(and Yamaha PT100/Verituner)


>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <Walter216@AOL.COM>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Saturday, July 13, 2002 3:35 PM
> Subject: Re: Affleck Piano Tuning?(and Yamaha PT100/Verituner)
>
>
>
> > I'm fed up with the talentless toads who can't even tune unisons without
> an
> > ETD but won't try to learn aural tuning.  An ETD should be a tool for
the
> > skilled aural tuner, not a crutch for the incompetent.  At least bad
> tunings
> > can be easily repaired, unlike the bad rebuilding jobs we all run
across.
> > (Another subject altogether, guaranteed to get MY stress levels
elevated.)
> >
> > I know there are supposed to be folks out there who can tune at CTE
levels
> > with an ETD but can't do an RPT level tuning without, but as a CTE, I
> haven't
> > tested one yet.  The best ETD tunings I've seen in tests barely scraped
by
> at
> > the 80% level and it usually took them 2 or more tries to make it.
>
> I'd like to bring some balance to this rant session.  There are
> technicians that can tune well above minimum CTE standards(i.e.%99-%100)
> with an ETD, and can tune unisons aurally at a similar level(i.e.%100),
but
> can't
> tune a temperament aurally that will pass.  I'm one of them.  This
dichotomy
> of "skilled aural tuner" versus "talentless toad" or "incompetent" is
> useless at best.  I work hard to be able to provide quality service in all
> areas of this field, and whether or not I properly use modern technology
to
> get the
> job done is of little consequence.  The condition we leave the piano in is
> what matters.  I'm a little tired of older technicians beating their
chests
> about
> this
> subject.  They HAD to learn it the hard way, and now many are just
stubborn.
> The fact that this small, but hard earned, part of their skills
> has been partially eclipsed by technology is difficult to accept.  I am
> learning to tune a temperament aurally, and I enjoy it.  It's a
fascinating
> procedure(also the last one that I need to be an RPT), but not
> terribly important in my line of work.
>
> Sincerely,
> Colin Kenny
> Peru, IN
>
>
>
>
>
>