no fan of overhead fans while tuning

[Elwood Doss]

About 10 years ago I tuned the piano of a teacher who called me back to
say that the piano sounds funny.  I went into the living room, played a
few notes where there were definite beats.  I looked up, saw the ceiling
fan rotating, turned it off and played the notes again for the teacher.
They sounded great.  Just last week I was tuning in a teacher's home
where she had converted a small utility room with an outside entrance.
The location is difficult to cool so she has a ceiling fan just above
the piano.  I had to turn it off (and sweated) to tune the piano.  It
evidently doesn't bother her.  I'm sure she's used to it or doesn't know
what to listen for.  It sure bugged me!  Make sure all ceiling fans are
turned off...especially over the piano!

Joy!

Elwood

 

Elwood Doss, Jr., M.M.E., RPT

Piano Technician/Technical Director

Department of Music

145 Fine Arts Building

The University of Tennessee at Martin

Martin, TN  38238

731/881-1852

FAX: 731/881-7415

HOME: 731/587-5700

________________________________

From: piannaman at aol.com [mailto:piannaman at aol.com] 
Sent: Friday, August 03, 2007 9:02 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: no fan of overhead fans while tuning

 

I'm kind of amazed that I've never been in this situation before, but I
found myself there twice yesterday.

As I started tuning a brand new Kawai RX5 (6 1/2 foot grand), I noticed
that A4, despite being strip muted, was beating rapidly.  I played
several other notes and heard the same thing, and the beat speeds were
all the same.  I finally looked overhead and saw a ceiling fan rotating
rapidly (and quietly, I might add!).  I turned off the fan and they were
gone.  This was the first piano I ever remember tuning that was directly
under a fan.  The deflection of the sound waves off the fan blades was
quite annoying and distracting.

Next time you tune a piano that has notes that are beating for no
apparent reason, look overhead and you might find your answer.  

 

Dave Stahl

Dave Stahl Piano Service
650-224-3560
dstahlpiano at sbcglobal.net
http://dstahlpiano.net/













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