"should I stay or should I go?"

[pianolover 88]

<<I tune with a SAT
&gt;III.   I think that is the big difference.     >>

Whether one tunes with an EDT or not, you STILL end up tuning unisons 
aurally; at least I do.

Terry Peterson



----Original Message Follows----
From: David Skolnik &lt;davidskolnik@optonline.net&gt;
Reply-To: Pianotech &lt;pianotech@ptg.org&gt;
To: Pianotech &lt;pianotech@ptg.org&gt;
Subject: Re: &quot;should I stay or should I go?&quot;
Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2004 19:55:25 -0500

List-
For the sake of closure, I am forwarding David I's last response to me on 
this subject, which found its way off-list, along with a few comments.

At 08:39 PM 11/12/2004 -0800, you wrote:
&gt;Hey David,
&gt;
&gt;I do all kinds of concert work, hotel, clubs,
&gt;theatres...whatever...I would never be coming into a production
&gt;situation expecting everything to shut down while I tune.   I'm just
&gt;one of the pieces of the puzzle.   Saying that...I tune with a SAT
&gt;III.   I think that is the big difference.     I can see where the
&gt;stress of tuning with some noise is more compelling than asking for
&gt;quiet in your situation.   I just was having a problem with your
&gt;inablilty to tune with conversation going on at the back of the
&gt;hall...
&gt;
&gt;David I.

First, given Andre's story about his experiences at the Concertgebouw, I am 
not claiming the real world to be a generous, forgiving environment. I don't 
know if his experience is typical in such venues. If so, it would, 
nevertheless, seem as though it should be otherwise.  Tuning shouldn't be 
the latest &quot;Reality Show&quot;, to see who can prevail under the worst 
conditions.

David I. says that he would never expect everything to shut down while he 
tunes...that he recognizes that he is just one part of the process.  He also 
said earlier that we annoy many people by what we do, implying, I suppose, 
that, on some level, we deserve to have to work in a less-than-ideal 
environment.  But then, he acknowledges that his point of view is predicated 
on his use of an ETD.  &quot;That's the big difference.&quot;  Apart from 
any other issue related to electronically assisted tuning, am I to 
understand that the &quot;professional&quot; (i.e. performance-support 
staff) public's interface with piano tuning should be based upon the 
electronic model?  Would David I. feel differently if he had to tune aurally 
in such a situation?

Lastly,  David I. had a problem with my &quot;inability to tune with 
conversation going on at the back of the hall&quot;.  In fact, I never said 
I couldn't  tune with such distraction.  Rather, when such conversation is 
clearly non-essential, and the perpetrators are unaware that even their 
whispering can be perceived, I choose to express my needs / desires. There 
is no stress in doing so, other than being made aware of the projective 
requirements of a large hall.  The stress comes in not doing so.  If, for 
reasons reasonable or arbitrary, I cannot establish the desired environment 
to work in, it then becomes my responsibility, as a professional, to adapt.  
That's hardly a definition of a Prima Donna.

David Skolnik











&gt;----- Original message ----------------------------------------&gt;
&gt;From: David Skolnik &lt;davidskolnik@optonline.net&gt;
&gt;To: &lt;ilvey@sbcglobal.net&gt;, Pianotech &lt;pianotech@ptg.org&gt;
&gt;Received: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 22:41:06 -0500
&gt;Subject: Re: &quot;should I stay or should I go?&quot;
&gt;
&gt; &gt;David I,
&gt;
&gt; &gt;You posted me privately, explaining that the stress you referred
&gt;to was
&gt; &gt;that  of trying to get absolute quiet.  I never considered  asking
&gt;for
&gt; &gt;quiet to be a stress.  Trying to tune aurally through noise is
&gt; &gt;stressful.  Do you mean to say that expecting a quiet environment
&gt;to tune
&gt; &gt;makes one a Prima Dona?  If that is your drift, I would take issue
&gt;with
&gt; &gt;such a contention.  Which situation did I describe that sounds
&gt;like &quot;NO
&gt; &gt;problem&quot;?
&gt;
&gt; &gt;Just looking for clarity.
&gt;
&gt; &gt;David Skolnik
&gt;
&gt; &gt;At 09:56 AM 11/12/2004 -0800, you wrote:
&gt; &gt;&gt;David,
&gt; &gt;&gt;
&gt; &gt;&gt;I think the &quot;Prima Dona&quot; line is about right....the 
situation you
&gt; &gt;&gt;described sounds like NO problem at all.
&gt; &gt;&gt;The stress you're bringing down on yourself is totally
&gt;self-imposed...
&gt; &gt;&gt;
&gt; &gt;&gt;IMHO
&gt; &gt;&gt;
&gt; &gt;&gt;David Ilvedson
&gt; &gt;&gt;
&gt; &gt;&gt;
&gt; &gt;&gt;----- Original message 
----------------------------------------&gt;
&gt; &gt;&gt;From: David Skolnik &lt;davidskolnik@optonline.net&gt;
&gt; &gt;&gt;To: Pianotech &lt;pianotech@ptg.org&gt;
&gt; &gt;&gt;Received: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 01:02:57 -0500
&gt; &gt;&gt;Subject: Re: &quot;should I stay or should I go?&quot;
&gt; &gt;&gt;
&gt; &gt;&gt; &gt;Kent -  The point is, SOMEONE has to teach these
&gt; &gt;&gt; &gt;people.  If I (or you) don't tell them, why SHOULD they 
know
&gt;better?   Yes,
&gt; &gt;&gt; &gt;it makes us appear as prima donnas, but for a critical use
&gt;situation
&gt; &gt;&gt; &gt;(concert, recording) I think it's perfectly reasonable to
&gt;expect the same
&gt; &gt;&gt; &gt;conditions for tuning as for performance.  Again, the 
point is
&gt;to know when
&gt; &gt;&gt; &gt;that reasonable expectation cannot reasonably be 
fulfilled.
&gt; &gt;&gt;
&gt; &gt;&gt;
&gt; &gt;&gt; &gt;David Skolnik
&gt; &gt;&gt;