If pianos are "swollen" now... then what?

Clyde Hollinger cedel@supernet.com
Thu, 08 Jul 2004 20:45:12 -0400


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Avery,

I didn't understand that we were talking about importance.  I think 
Terry was just pointing out that it is normally A *above* middle C that 
vibrates at 440 vps, which is quite clearly what Julia meant, even if 
it's not what she wrote.  I reckon we've all done that at one time or 
another.

Regards,
Clyde H.

Avery Todd wrote:

> Terry,
>
> Just out of curiosity, why would the A above middle C be any more 
> important
> than the A below? Unless you're comparing it to a tuning fork, of 
> course. :-)
>
> Avery
>
> At 04:02 PM 7/8/04, you wrote:
>
>> <<I will get a call to have a piano tuned and am told its been 5 plus 
>> yaears since last tuning, yet the A below middle C is right on or ne! 
>> ar 440.
>> Julia Gottchall,
>>  Reading, PA>>
>>
>> I HOPE you actually meant "A ABOVE middle C", NOT below!
>>
>> Terry Peterson
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----Original Message Follows----
>> From: Clyde Hollinger &lt;cedel@supernet.com&gt;
>> Reply-To: Pianotech &lt;pianotech@ptg.org&gt;
>> To: Pianotech &lt;pianotech@ptg.org&gt;
>> Subject: Re: If pianos are &quot;swollen&quot; now... then what?
>> Date: Thu, 08 Jul 2004 13:18:20 -0400
>>
>> Bob,
>>
>> It was good to see you in Nashville.  Of course I agree with you 
>> wholeheartedly, whle at the same time I admit that I am not a very 
>> outspoken salesman of PLS systems.  I do let first-time clients that 
>> if the piano sounds bad between tunings, then humidity change is the 
>> culprit, and we can deal with that.  If established clients remark 
>> about tuning instability, I also let them know their options.  I 
>> think I averaged about one system a month during the spring and early 
>> summer this year, which is probably higher than average for me.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Clyde H.
>>
>> Robert J Russell wrote:
>>
>> &gt;Hello All, Excellent advice Clyde. You really offer great advice on
>> &gt;how to deal with our wonderful humidity changes. The only thing I
>> &gt;would add, is that six month tunings over these high swing periods
>> &gt;offer a great opportunity to recommend a solution for their
>> &gt;problems. Piano Life Saver Systems. If your tuning in the fall and
>> &gt;spring to avoid these swings, the pianos are going to sound terrible
>> &gt;in June through October and January through April. The biggest
>> &gt;question that we need to ask our customers is how many months  of
>> &gt;the year do they want their pianos to sound good?
>> &gt;Great seeing everyone in Nashville,
>> &gt;Bob Russell, RPT
>> &gt;
>> &gt;Clyde Hollinger &lt;cedel@supernet.com&gt; wrote:
>> &gt;
>> &gt;     Julia,
>> &gt;
>> &gt;     I do what is called by some &quot;floating the pitch,&quot; 
>> although I
>> &gt;would
>> &gt;     not do this for a concert where the piano really needs to be at
>> &gt;A-440.
>> &gt;
>> &gt;     My experience is that in this area humidity generally peaks in
>> &gt;     August and September and hits the lowest usually in February
>> &gt;and
>> &gt;     March.  So we are on the rise at this point of July.  When I
>> &gt;sit
>> &gt;     down to tune a piano, I use my RCT to test where the pitches of
>> &gt;     the As are, from A1 to A6, and sometimes the lowest unwound
>> &gt;     strings also.  (If you tune aurally you'll need to use your own
>> &gt;     system.)
>> &gt;
>> &gt;     What I do next depends on the season and the situation.  If
>> &gt;I've
>> &gt;     been tuning the piano in July at A-440 for years, but suddenly
>> &gt;     this year the whole piano is sharp, this is a humidity
>> &gt;     aberration.  If I tune it at A-440 again, it is almost a
>> &gt;certainty
>> &gt;     that next year it will be flat.  So I leave it sharp! .
>> &gt;Obviously
>> &gt;     I keep good records so I can look back and see what has
>> &gt;happened
>> &gt;     in the past 10-15 years.
>> &gt;
>> &gt;     I do not like 6-month tunings that swing between high and low
>> &gt;     humidity seasons.  I have a couple customers like that, and
>> &gt;     sometimes I never tune the piano to A-440, leaving it several
>> &gt;     cents high in the summer and about the same amount low in the
>> &gt;     winter.  That way I'm putting less wear on the pinblock, and I
>> &gt;     know that somewhere between tunings the piano is on target.
>> &gt;
>> &gt;     Regards,
>> &gt;     Clyde Hollinger, RPT
>> &gt;
>> &gt;     Alpha88x@aol.com wrote:
>> &gt;
>> &gt;&gt;     Greetings,
>> &gt;&gt;
>> &gt;&gt;                   If the pianos are &quot;swollen&quot; just now
>> &gt;&gt;(summertime),
>> &gt;&gt;     due to the humid mountanous atmosphere of this part of
>> &gt;&gt;     Pennsylvania, is it OK to tune above A440?
>> &gt;&gt;
>> &gt;&gt;                    I have been tuning for alittle over a 
>> year now.
>> &gt;&gt;I
>> &gt;&gt;     have found that pianos which the customer tells me 
>> havent been
>> &gt;&gt;     tuned for 5 or more years, are very close to A440, yet they
>> &gt;&gt;are
>> &gt;&gt;     terribly out of tune as far as unisons and horribly flat 
>> upper
>> &gt;&gt;     octaves.
>> &gt;&gt;
>> &gt;&gt;                     In other words, I will get a call to have a
>> &gt;&gt;piano
>> &gt;&gt;     tuned and am told its been 5 plus yaears since last tuning,
>> &gt;&gt;yet
>> &gt;&gt;     the A below middle C is right on or ne! ar 440. Other 
>> pianos I
>> &gt;&gt;go
>> &gt;&gt;     to, the customer will say it's been 2 years and these are
>> &gt;&gt;     actually a few beats above A440.
>> &gt;&gt;
>> &gt;&gt;                     I never turn them back to A440, I figure 
>> they
>> &gt;&gt;are
>> &gt;&gt;     swelled right now, and if I turn them down to 440 now, then,
>> &gt;&gt;when
>> &gt;&gt;     the summer is over they will go below 440 when the heat goes
>> &gt;&gt;on.
>> &gt;&gt;     Last summer, I had my first few tunings and I turned pianos
>> &gt;&gt;back
>> &gt;&gt;     down to 440 and I was wondering if my fork was 
>> off...This year
>> &gt;&gt;I
>> &gt;&gt;     figured it out. I think I am correct, but I want to be 
>> sure on
>> &gt;&gt;this.
>> &gt;&gt;
>> &gt;&gt;                     This year, (with my whole whopping 16 months
>> &gt;&gt;     expertise)  If I go into a situation and its a few beats 
>> above
>> &gt;&gt;     440 I tune it right there. In fact,  if the customer doesnt
>> &gt;&gt;have
>> &gt;&gt;     a dehumidifer or ar conditioning, I even pull the piano up a
>> &gt;&gt;bit
>> &gt;&gt;     to be alittle above A440. Pianos &quot;should&quot; be 
>> s! harp just now,
>> &gt;&gt;     right? How am I on this? Am I figuring OK on this?
>> &gt;&gt;
>> &gt;&gt;     Thanks
>> &gt;&gt;     Julia Gottchall,
>> &gt;&gt;     Reading, PA
>> &gt;
>> <>
>>
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