tuning with Dampp-Chaser

[Duplexdan@AOL.COM]

Marcel,

Good piano tuners are generally perfectionists, as you appear to be. The 
Dammp-chaser is a remarkable device as it has proved to be. But you are 
dealing with stage managers and climatic conditions which are variables 
beyond your control. If you can manage this situation within two cents you 
certainly have done an extraordinary job.

Here are a few of my personal anecdotes  which I hope may shed some light on 
how to deal with the problem:

1) I remember John Patton complaining about the conditions of a piano he had 
to tune for a concert for a National Convention concert which was held in an 
ampitheatre. No matter how well he tuned the piano in the morning, afternoon 
and evening he couldn't stabilize the tuning to his satisfaction, but the 
concert was a smashing success.

2) I tuned a piano at The Blue note which was terribly out of tune. I did a 
double tuning to bring it up to pitch but the heat from the stage lights 
knocked it out. I tried to get it back to acceptable just as the doors opened 
and the audience entered. Everyone loved the artist and the piano.

3)  I tune a piano at the NY Historical Society Auditorium which has an air 
conditioning system that chronically chills and heats the room . As long as 
the piano is in tune with itself a few cents above or below, I find it more 
effective to go with the room and the conditions rather than adjust each 
time. So far i haven;t had any complaints.

4) I tuned a piano for a Tony Bennet Concert on National TV which was in a 
studio whose stage manager was apparently more concerned with the exigencies 
of his production than the maintenance of climatic conditions of the piano. I 
tried to cover the piano to protect it against the heat of the lights as well 
as I could, but i couldn't
because there was no cover. I listened to the concert with trepidation but 
discovered no serious fatalities to the tuning. Neither did anyone else to my 
knowledge.

Bottom line is , with the Dammp-Chaser you're way ahead of the game. Feel 
good about it.

Dan Franklin RPT