A 435 or A 440 ?

[David Nereson]

-----Original Message-----
From: David Ilvedson [mailto:ilvey at sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 8:57 AM
To: dnereson at 4dv.net; pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: RE: A 435 or A 440 ?

5 beats per second?...if 442 is about 8 cents sharp, 438 would
be about 8 cents flat and 435 getting close to 20 cents
flat...that seems like a pretty hefty difference...I'd think it
was noticeable to a 440 perfect pitcher...

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA 94044
Yes.  If it were at 439, it would beat once per second with the
fork.  At 435, it will beat 5 times a second.  Yes, some of
those with so-called perfect pitch will notice, but many would
not.  Twenty cents seems like a lot when you have to raise or
lower pitch.  But it’s only a fifth of a half-step.  Some people
don’t notice their pianos or trumpets or guitars are off until
they’re almost an entire half-step off pitch.  I’d like to see a
study where 100 people who say they have perfect pitch are asked
to hum an A, or C, or any other note, and see how close they
actually are.  This subject came up a year or two ago.  Turn on
your ETD, hum some note and see how closely you can hold it
“right on.”  The human voice just is not as accurate as a signal
generator.
            --David Nereson, RPT



  _____

Original message
From: "David Nereson"
To: "Pianotech List"
Received: 7/25/2006 11:43:15 PM
Subject: RE: A 435 or A 440 ?


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org
[mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org]On Behalf Of Jack Houweling
Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 11:01 PM
To: pianotech
Subject: A 435 or A 440 ?

Hello

I am working on a Mason and Risch grand piano and the plate has
a stamp that says  " International Pitch A 435" .

Is it best to tune this piano to A 435 ?

The mother tells me the daughter has perfect pitch. She is away
at school so I cannot talk to her.  Would someone with perfect
pitch be bothered by anything other than A 440?

Jack Houweling


Nobody has PERFECT pitch.  Some people have very good pitch
recognition.  But to most of them, if you played A435 and asked
them to tell you what note it was, they would just say “A,” not
“an A that’s a bit flat.”   At any rate, the plate and frame can
most likely handle having the pitch raised to 440.  You might
check to see that the plate bolts are snug.  But yes, it was
designed to be at 435.  And 440 is only 5 beats per second sharp
at A #49.   There are probably times during humid summers when
it’s way sharper than that.
            --David Nereson, RPT
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