Aural vs. electronic again, was "Re: Another newbie question"

[Don]

Hi Alan,

You don't mention which "machine" you purchased. A better route might be to
tune as if the box were not there--and check each note of your temperament
against it. Then start "leaving out" box checking on some notes--for
example the c#4 in the Foli-Baldassin-Sandison temperament.

At 01:35 PM 1/19/2003 -0600, you wrote:
>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
>
>

Regards,
Don Rose, B.Mus., A.M.U.S., A.MUS., R.M.T., R.P.T.

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