Learning the overtone series

[David Andersen]

> David-
> 
> I've listened very carefully to Marshall's posts, and to other's answers to
> him.
> And although you may not believe it, I've thought very carefully about my
> responses to him.
I know you have, and I have respect for that. And,I believe everyone who
tunes should know the overtone series, and know intervals, and know the
names of the notes. Just so you know I'm not some Luddite freak.  <g>

> I know there are a small number of "intuitive" tuners out there, some of whom
> do excellent work.
With all due respect, how do you know definitively that the number is small,
as you define an "intuitive" tuner? Let me say in front that I believe there
are, globally, many excellent piano tuners who use a wide array of
customized systems, which in practical reality, are what their own personal
intuitive sense---call it taste, call it craft---feels most comfortable
with. I believe the parameters that world-class ears are pleased by and
agree to are pretty darn narrow---whether for ET, the overwhelming current
choice, or the different forms of HT, slowly (steadily?) making comebacks.
In plain English, every great tuner uses what ever gets him or her a
rock-solid, soaring, musical tuning that we all perceive and appreciate as
such. ETD, partial matching, whole tone, combinations thereof, whatever.
> I know of one who passed the tuning exam who could not say anything beyond "I
> just make it sound right, like it's supposed to."
I agree with you; frustrating lack of ability to communicate in words what
actually happens---but that's an essential issue with trying to convey
something that's a body skill, which is what tuning is, with words alone.
> If you can teach affinity, whole tone hearing, please do.  I'm sure I could
> learn from you.
I'd love to try to point out what I hear, and, more importantly, HOW I hear.
> But what terms will you use to tell us what you do?  If you say "Make the
> octave pure," how will you tell us what that means in a way that we can
> replicate and test?
Well, I wouldn't use that phrase; it's too ambiguous. Please read the
article I wrote on tuning in the November 2005 Journal.
> Would it interrupt our affinity to learn the names of the notes on the
> keyboard?
Now, now.  Please don't be sarcastic.
> It's hard to think of another field in which the basic knowledge (the overtone
> series) is so simple.
I agree.  Simple to understand, devilishly hard to put into tuning practice.
> I don't know of a single tuning teacher who does not refer to this again and
> again.  There is no other way for us to communicate about what we do.
We'll have to agree to disagree on these two statements.
>It is 
> easy.  Once you learn it, you can talk with anyone else in the world about
> what you are doing.
Agreed. 

>And it is tragic if a person who wants to be a tuner does
> not learn it.
Tragic?  I don't know.  I put solid, good tunings on a thousand pianos
before I understood the partial series.
> Sincerely,
> Ed Sutton

With my best to you....

David Andersen