List, I agree with James about this. Even though I don't currently tune professionally, I feel the urge to weigh in on this one, and I ask for your consideration of this point. It seems to me that the public has a natural expectation (and rightly so) that a piano will be tuned at A440 after a professional tuning, and I question whether doing otherwise without explanation is even ethical. Also, I question whether there isn't more interest in the convenience of "freebies" rather than "stability" in this case. As an example, would someone pass the RPT tuning exam by tuning a whole piano at A339? I doubt it. On that point, it seems to me that this practice might be violating a regular customer's trust, as someone mentioned that "most people won't notice," or something to that effect. It seems to me as a musician and teacher that there are essential reasons for students to hear a 440 tuning which go beyond the practical considerations of playing with other instruments. As this is the current standard, it does have a bearing on pitch memory, some of which is psychological and intuitive in one's listening and playing. One further example from my own experience: when I free- lancing in Los Angeles as a pianist/teacher/technician, I was fortunate enough to have a contract tuning the Steinway grands monthly for an upscale club. In this case, I thought that it was my minimum responsibility to keep the pianos at 440--actually, I didn't consider doing otherwise. Regarding the discussion about tuning frequency, it seems to me that there could be one argument for tuning less frequently, namely that the tuning pins will, over time, gradually lose their tightness in the pinblock. Perhaps in cases of regular tunings, this is a consideration, although it still seems to me that any mitigating circumstances or considerations should be discussed with the client before leaving a piano at something other than A440. Thank you in advance for your reactions to this concern, Tim ---- Original message ---- >Date: Sat, 28 Jan 2006 09:06:09 -0600 >From: "James Grebe" <pianoman@accessus.net> >Subject: Re: frequent tuning - floating pitch? was tuning >To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech@ptg.org> > >I tune at A-440 every time, regardless of how soon the last tuning was on >frequently tuned pianos. That is the idea of so frequent tuning that they >be right on everytime and all the time. >James >James Grebe Piano Tuning & Repair Member of M.P.T. >R.P.T. of the P.T.G. for over 30 years. "Member of the Year" in 1989 > Creator of Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups, Piano Benches, Writing >Instruments >(314) 845-8282 1526 Raspberry Lane Arnold, MO 63010 >BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE! >pianoman@accessus.net >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Jason Kanter" <jkanter@rollingball.com> >To: "'Pianotech List'" <pianotech@ptg.org> >Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2006 1:22 AM >Subject: frequent tuning - floating pitch? was tuning > > >>I imagine that if you "recently" tuned the piano (last week or last month >>or >> two months ago) and now it's still "in tune" but a couple of cents sharp, >> you tune it where it lies? That makes it a half-hour tuning instead of an >> hour and a half, and the following week (or month or couple of months) you >> again tune it where it lies, and within six months, when you have the >> couple >> of hours, you bring it all to 440 again. Yes? Or do you keep adjusting it >> to >> 440 every time? Or sell Dampp-chasers? >> >> >> || ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| || ||| || >> Jason Kanter . jkanter@rollingball.com >> Piano tuning, regulation, repair >> Serving Seattle and the San Juans >> 425.830.1561 >> >> >> _____ >> >> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech- bounces@ptg.org] On >> Behalf >> Of PJR >> Sent: Friday, January 27, 2006 5:16 PM >> To: Pianotech List >> Subject: Re: tuning >> >> >> I tune cruise ship pianos once a week. On them you have the problem of >> rocking, vibrations, salt air, hard players and continuous playing >> (mechanisms). Comes down to the fact that you tune a whenever it needs >> it. >> >> Phil Ryan >> Miami Beach >> >> pianotune05 wrote: >> >> Hi everyone, >> How often is too often to tune a piano? I typically see twice a year, or >> even every three months. Is anything less than that necessary such as >> once >> a month or even once a week which I 've heard of? >> Marshall >> >> >> > > >_______________________________________________ >Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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