440 vs 442

Joseph Garrett joegarrett@earthlink.net
Tue, 7 Feb 2006 11:14:48 -0800


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Mr May said: "I have suggested that there isn't an ear in the world that can hear the difference between 440 and 442 "

NOT! I've personally had experiences where the Artist knew damned well what pitch the piano was at! One, incidence: Tete Montilo, a Spanish Jazz Muscician of extremely high caliber. He is blind and only has good hearing in one ear. During a Jazz Festival, I enjoyed his playing and told him so. His comment was that the Steinway D was nice but it would have been nicer if it were at 442. At that time, I didn't consider that he could really know. After the Festival, he was scheduled to do a private party in a local Night Club, on a different piano. I was asked to tune for it. On a whim, I set the piano at 442, just to see if he could tell. I didn't tell anyone.<G> Immediately after the first "set", he had his sister steer him to me. He was quite jubilant and said: "Thank you, so much, for tuning the piano at 442. It makes my music better!" Yes, there are those who can tell the difference. Do I advocate 442? Not no, Hell No! IMO, it's just stupid. But, that's just my opinion. Does it make the piano project better? I don't think so, but there's no way to really tell.
On the few, rare occasions, that I do concert work, where 442 is requested, I will only do it, IF the artist will pay for the retuning of the instrument back to 440. So far, none have agreed to that, so they get 440! IMO, the venue should not have to bear the cost of this nonsense.
Regards,
Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon)
Captain, Tool Police
Squares R I
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