Tuning fluxuations

[Maggie Jusiel]

I'd like to offer temporary advice about the flute player.  I am a
flautist, and I almost always have to adjust sharp when playing with
fretted string players.  Until you re-tune your piano, take the
opportunity to practice this skill.  It is difficult, and the tone will
suffer terribly without lots of practice, but what will she do if she ever
has to play a concert with a sharp piano!?!  This has happened to me
several times, and I've gotten quite good at compensating with minimal
tone loss.  It's amazing how sharp you can push the flute with your lip
and rolling out.  But it takes LOTS of practice to make a big change
without losing tone. The piano being out of tune will cause her to want to
fix it (if she can hear), and she might learn more quickly.  It's easier
for most wind players to tweak a pitch toward another pitch than away from
one.

One time I had to play with an organ that was tuned over 25 cents sharp. 
I couldn't make that big a change myself, but I had to play the concert. 
I pushed in my end cork as far as I could without sacrificing my own
temperament, then adjusted with my lip the rest of the way.  It wasn't my
best performance, but it got the job done.  12 cents is now extremely easy
for me.  Try it!  :D

-mags


> -------------- Original message --------------
> From: "Michelle Smith" <michelle at cdaustin.com>
>
> Hello all.  Curiosity question for you.  I have a Steinway S here at the
> house that was tuned to A440 in February.  We’ve since turned on the air
> conditioner and the piano has gone sharp about 12 cents.  This wouldn’t be
> a problem except that I have a flute student who can’t push her head joint
> in any farther to be in tune with my piano.  I’m probably going to retune
> the piano because I don’t think I can stand it any longer.   (I hate to
> mess up an otherwise good tuning that was done by someone far more
> experienced than myself.)
>
> So my question is this.  When you come to a piano that is sharp this time
> of year, do you try to lower the pitch to A440 knowing that it will
> probably drop significantly when the heat is turned back on in the winter?
>
> Thanks for your words of wisdom.
>
> Michelle Smith
> Student Tuner
> Bastrop, Texas


Maggie Jusiel
<http://www.magsmusic.net>
<mags at magsmusic.net>

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