I tell people I use both. David Love ----- Original Message ----- From: <tune4u@earthlink.net> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: January 19, 2003 11:35 AM Subject: Re: Aural vs. electronic again, was "Re: Another newbie question" I love this answer. Bravo! When asked (and some potential customers do ask) "Do you tune by ear or do you use one of those machines?" the answers is "Yes, I do." Then I explain as you have outlined here. I'm sure that people W/O an ETD usually learn aural tuning much faster out of sheer necessity--but I had to make a living as a tuner starting about a month after I got the good ol' Potter course materials. As I had no other training and no mentors anywhere near here, I could not have done it without my little machine (bought used, ebay). Then I had to "back into" learning many aural skills, again on my own, and there is no doubt having the machine can be a crutch--it takes practice, i.e., work, to become good at the aural. I'm thinking it would be good for me to lock the machine away for 6 months and let necessity motivate me to get better and faster and more trusting of my ears. But it's a little scary, too! Alan Barnard Salem, MO ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles Neuman" <piano@charlesneuman.net> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Sunday, January 19, 2003 9:39 AM Subject: Aural vs. electronic again, was "Re: Another newbie question" > From: Bill Ballard <yardbird@vermontel.net> > > Are you aural or electronic? (not a trick question, BTW) > > Maybe it's not a trick question, but I'm not so new that I don't know the > dangers of answering that question! I carefully avoided the recent > discussion on it. I also know it's against PTG policy to advertise that > one way is better than the other. But I'll take my chances. Here's my > answer: > > I would say I'm an electronic-assisted aural tuner, or becoming one. If > I'm going fast, I suppose I'm more of an electronic tuner. But when I'm > practicing and taking my time, I use the ETD as a check for what I am > doing aurally. By the way, I bought an old laptop, and I use TuneLab. > > Ideally, I'd aspire to be like Jim Coleman Sr. (and who wouldn't?). He > makes use of every possible feature of the SAT, but is obviously one of > the best aural tuners we have as well. > > I guess the message I get is that the ETD is a useful tool, but ultimately > it's best to think of tuning as an aural activity. > > As for using an ETD to learn, I have found it to be very helpful. By the > way, if you really want to hear a "newbie" question, somewhere way back in > the archives I said that I used one of those chromatic guitar tuners! > Fortunately people set me straight. It wasn't quite a flame-worthy > question apparently, but I haven't used the chromatic tuner since. > However, I have to admit that it did give me a pretty good tuning on my > smaller piano (I now also have a larger vertical). My theory is that it > provided a non-equal temperament that has key color, which is why it > sounded good. (Heck, I might as well walk into two minefields today.) > > At the Convention, when I took the evening class on taking the RPT test, > given by the RCT guys, they had differing opinions on how to use an ETD to > practice. One said to tune the temperament aurally and THEN check it with > an ETD. The other said it's useful to look at the ETD WHILE you are tuning > your temperament. They would probably admit that each way has its place, > but it was interesting to hear the two opinions expressed. > > Charles Neuman > PTG Assoc, Long Island > > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives _______________________________________________ pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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