ethical behavior

[Farrell]

Hi Jim. Perhaps it comes down to something you said: "if the tuner or mechanic is going to perform work that is significantly, and deliberately, outside of accepted standards I personally feel that disclosure is called for." Is using a non-equal temperament significantly outside accepted standards?

IMHO, if the piano is played by an advanced pianist, yes, absolutely - and I would always talk to them before using a non-equal temperament. To this advanced pianist, a non-equal temperament may indeed be something significantly different from what he/she is used to.

However, if the 1958 Wurlitzer spinet is being played by Suzie six-year-old who is just starting lessons, I think clearly the tuner should use whatever tuning techniques he/she thinks will help the piano sound the best. In such a case it would be pointless to introduce the concept of various temperaments - nobody is going to understand. I this case I would say that a mild well temperament is not going to be significant to her.

And then of course, the other 70% of the piano owners are somewhere in between - I think one just needs to use their best judgement and go with it. If I think the piano owner would care, or if I think they can understand what a temperament is, I do indeed inform. Even in 90% of these cases, the piano owner still doesn't have a clue what I am talking about.

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <JIMRPT@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, June 07, 2002 11:16 AM
Subject: Re: ethical behavior


> In a message dated 6/7/2002 10:17:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes:
> 
> 
> > Hello Don. Do you tell each customer you tune for that you will be using 
> > equal temperament guidelines to tune their piano?
> 
> et al;
>  I am not going to discuss the ethical/unethical question but did want to 
> respond to this 'narrow' question................
> I don't believe that Don or anyone else who normally tries to lay in an ET, 
> which is the commonly accepted standard, should feel obligated to inform 
> their customer of such...........Just as a mechanic who performs a tune-up on 
> your automobile, using the accepted standard(s), should not be expected to 
> inform the owner of such............ That having been said,  if the tuner or 
> mechanic is going to perform work that is significantly, and deliberately, 
> outside of accepted standards I personally feel that disclosure is called 
> for.
> 
>  This whole thingee kinda begs the question:.........................'If' the 
> alternative is so much better than the standard why hide it?  Why not inform 
> the customer of what you have done, or plan to do so, that they will be 
> informed and know what to ask, or demand, for the next time........???
> 
> Now go ahead and misquote me and misconstrue my remarks........hit won't 
> change my mind.
> Jim Bryant (FL)
>