This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment I lowered pitch 10+ cents today. It's been rainy and the rel. hum. in = the church was 53%. Last tuned 6 months ago. Can't blame the previous tuner, = and wouldn't if I could. It was me. =20 Pianos can go horrendously sharp. Knowing what to do in these situations requires a judgment call ... this piano needed to be set up right for a revival so I put it at pitch. On another occasion, I might have left it = 10 cents sharp on a rainy, stormy day after three days of rain--this on the assumption (always dangerous) that it will fall a little as it dries = out. On the other hand, maybe not; our summers are pretty humid anyway. You have = to kind of know the piano, where it lives, and how it's treated. =20 In this particular case, I had installed a Dampp-Chaser system about 8 months ago to solve this very problem. Today, I found no power at the outlet--turns out it only comes on with the overhead lights, which I was = not using. So, effectively, there has been no DC system in the piano--hence = the sharpness. =20 Now what? They need to change that plug so it has continuous power. BUT = if we power up the DC now, that piano will sound like screeching cats in = about 4 weeks. Hmm. So I left WRITTEN instructions to change the plug but NOT = plug the system in until September, then it will have gone all = squirrelly--but at a more stable internal environment--and will be more than ready for its = next scheduled tuning in October--which very well may require a pitch raise. =20 BTW, I tell people that if I install a DC system and they maintain it faithfully (!) then I will never charge them for pitch correction as I'm tuning. =20 In today's case, I charged them for the pitch correction. =20 TUNING: It's an art, a science, a craft. You need people skills, e.g., relationship building, teaching, handling complaints, customer service, salesmanship and a bit of psychology. It's a joy, a pain; satisfying sometimes, frustrating others. Often you must make educated guesses, = consult with voices of experience, experiment a little, check the wind = direction, consult a Ouija board, say a prayer and roll the bloody dice. Sometimes = you get a pat on the back, a referral, cookies, zucchinis and tomatoes, a = cash tip, even dinner with the family. Sometimes you sneak out the door and = hope for the best--like when the one-year-old has been screeching and = screaming during your entire visit. Sometimes you whistle all the way home. = Sometimes you want to run like hell... =20 ...Ain't it grand.=20 =20 Alan R. Barnard Salem, MO -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On = Behalf Of Matthew Todd Sent: Monday, April 11, 2005 11:30 PM To: Pianotech Subject: Tuning Hey Guys, I had a quick question. I tuned someone's piano today. When I got to = it, it was just a tad bit sharp. Can pianos go sharp when they go "out-of-tune", or is the previous tuner to blame? Also, I just got my first knick in my rosewood handle while I was = tuning. I almost cried, but I held it together pretty good. They say the first scratch is the hardest. Thanks, Matthew Todd Todd Piano Works Piano Tuner/Technician Tuning - Repairing - Regulating=20 _____ =20 Do you Yahoo!? HYPERLINK "http://us.rd.yahoo.com/my/navbar/sethp/*http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs"Make Yahoo! your home page=20 -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.9.6 - Release Date: 04/11/2005 --=20 No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.9.6 - Release Date: 04/11/2005 =20 ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/39/1a/91/67/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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