Alan... in attempt to bring the discussion back into the purely topical arena I submit the following comments. / 2. Interesting comment about things written in stone (if you write in stone are you, by definition, a chisler?). I would simply ask this question: Would you ever teach a new tuner to use F3 in setting the A? Or would you follow the example of Vigil Smith, Geo. Defenbaugh, Art Reblitz, and everyone else I know of, and just teach F2 because it is more accurate?/ ------------------------- What we decide to start out teaching someone and why is a completely different thing then declaring there is only one way to do things Alan. As for who teaches what... let me just quote directly from the book "Basic Piano Technology" which is the book given out to all who attend the Yamaha Acadamy. Yamahas piano bible as it were. "Setting the Fundamental pitch: 1. Comare the note A37 to the tone of the tuning fork, and manipulate the tuning hammer to produce a no beat condition as in unison tuning. The tone A 37 is correctly tuned if the rate of the beats produced by the two tuning forks of 440 and 442, and that of the beats produced by the note A37 and the tuning fork of 442 are the same. 2: Set the pitch of A37 using the tuning fork in the same way as described in method 1. Check to see whether the rate of beats produced by the major 3rd (A37 and F33) and that of the beats produced by the tuning fork and the note F33 are the same. In another way the note A37 can be tuned later by setting the beat rate of A37 and F33 to that of the tuning fork and F33 3: Adjust the beats produced by the tuning fork and the note D30 to a comfortable speed (3-4 beats/second). Tune A37 so that the beat speed of the tuning fork and D30 is the same as the fifth A37-D30, and a beatless condition is achieved between the tuning fork and A37. An octave of A49 can be used instead of D30." ---------------------------- They dont even mention the F2/A4 bit. I know we each would like to believe our own methods or those we have learned are the ones and onlys that are bests... but it really isnt so. What will get you home is to find out what method works best for you by practice and by gaining understanding of what you are doing. Some folks have less trouble dealing with same beat speeds and beatless tactics... others naturally work better with slightly off speed or very slight beating tactics. There have been so many approaches written about down time its absurd really... and no doubt you can contrive your own. Some use coincidents purposefully, others like David Anderson have more wholistic approaches. In anycase methods abound and all can be used equally succesfully I have no doubt. ------------------------- /3. Remember that this whole discussion started with a newbie trying to find his way. If our comments on setting the silly A haven't confused him, I'm surprised. So I said just let it be a rule. If someone wants to make exceptions to "rules" or common and proven practices—and they truly understand what they are doing and why—I have no quarrel. / ---------------------------------- I think by now it should have been adequately shown that your perception of what are common and proven practices is somewhat in error compared to whats really out there in the world. And if there is any one generalization of advice that should be give.... it is exactly to come to "truly understand what you are doing and why". That more then any single method will quarantee success. ------------------------------------------ /4. Since this discussion has been hashed over so often, and since science supports the "rule", and since it is so universally published and taught correctly, i.e. F2 or B1, I didn't see this as matter of hair-splitting or debate, and certainly not one for contention. I was surprised that anyone would even pick up my comments as starting point for a debate! / ------------------------------------------ Science supports no such rule... period. And it is not univerally published and taught as I've just shown.... from the first book at hand mind you. And I think you can expect debate from several corners any time you hold up a "one way brother" flag. ------------------------------------------- /5. To quote Joe out in Origani, "Sheesh." / ------------------------------------------- Grin... well on that point at least we agree. /Alan Barnard Salem (It Means "Peace"), Missouri / Cheers Richard Brekne
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC