Question About Setting Octaves in the High Treble

[david at davidandersenpianos.com]

> Forget about 3rds, 10ths, or 17ths above octave 5.  Use double and triple
> octaves.  I also use fourths, 11ths, and 18ths, but mostly double and
> triple octaves. If everything in octaves 1 thru 5 is in order, tuning the
> top two octaves is all about letting the piano tell you how much stretch
> it wants to have a beatless triple octave.
>
> David Andersen
>
> --------------
> Oh boy  do I disagree ! :)  Not that I doubt David gets a beautiful
> sounding piano mind you.
thanks, Rick. Good players really like the way I tune.
>Its just that I dont personally adhere to that
> group of tuners who go for triple octaves.
I'm sure your tunings are awesone as well---you tune for a lot of artists
and serious players;
We're obviously talking, with good aural tuners, about the difference of
fractions of cents.
>Tho I do understand why many
> do.
Please talk about that.
>Curiously enough tho.... all complaints I've ever had from pianists
> about top octaves have come when they are stretched.
That's because most guys stretch...flame suit on...like a gorilla gives a
love bite: extreme.
>  I've to date never
> run into a pianist what complains about the treble being too low.
I have, interestingly enough.  A lot, in fact, in the studio circuit.
>
> My method is to find that spot very close to a perfect 12th that is right
> inbetween a 4:2 and a 2:1 double and singel octave that yields all three a
> very <<beatless>> character.  If done consistantly from the middle
> upwards,   then these double and single octave combinations are both
> sufficiently wide with respect to the 8th partial of the triple that it
> falls very nicely into place until about F7.  At that point upwards its
> very very difficult no matter what one does to avoid these last notes
> screaming.  That said... I find best sucess getting that clean clean sound
> holding to a perfect 12th as my anchour.
>
> The aural method I use to accomplish this is as follows.  The following
> intervals are sounded in order.  5:4 major third,  5:3 6th,  5:2 10th, and
> 5:1 17th.
>
> Listening to beat rates,  the 17th is to be tuned so that it is slightly
> faster then the 3rd, even less so but still faster then the 10th, and just
> barely slower  (under 0.5 bps) then the 6th.   The 6th / 17th is a test
> for a 12th below the 17th
>
>
> Playing the intervals in fairly quick order as given above, it is very
> easy to hear the relative beat rates and place the note to be tuned (the
> 17th) inbetween. Followed up by close listening to double and singel
> octaves and the 12th, you quickly get a very consistantly and crispy clean
> treble all the way up.
>
> Thats how I do it.

Whew! Sounds like a lotta checks, lotta moving around.  Thank God it works
for you.
I'll stick to my comparatively streamlined protocol, because it works for me.
>
> Cheers
> RicB
>

cheers right back at ya, ya happy expat ya....

David A.