Terry writes: >If "WT" or ANYthing other than ET is so much better, in your opinion, than > why, I wonder, is ET so universally employed as the "standard?" Commercial appeal. It is the one size fits all. But first, to consider the statement, " If "WT" or ANYthing other than ET is so much better, in your opinion" It isn't necessarily MY opinion, I don't pay myself to tune. The greater attraction for WT pianos comes from the customers. I now have many customers that have told me that they will never return to ET, and I'm about the only source. I like being in this position here. That is the reason I have been suggesting that techs learn to tune more than one way. There is money, reputation, and job security out there for the more progressive tech. >I'm more than open to hearing your thoughts. I only know that our Steinway tech >tunes ONLY ET and his results are glorious! Has he ever had to compete with a tuner that is offering a wider variety of tuning? When the time comes, you may find that what is "glorious" loses some of its luster. >Let's remember that ten tuners can > tune ET on the SAME piano, and each may sound different, depending on the > accuracy, stability, and the amount of stretch of each tuning. Yes, but those differences are neglible in comparison to the differences between the clinical ET and even the mildest well-temperament. Without discussing it beforehand, I am finding that only 1 out of about 10 pianist prefer the Et piano to the well-tempered one, so there is more to this than a momentary infatuation with "new". There is a growing movement in this country towards a wider approach to temperaments and there will be more and more incidences of the WT tech taking business away from those that can't offer it. I have seen this happen in several places already and it shows no sign of letting up. "You don't need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows". Regards, Ed Foote RPT
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