> I may be new to the piano tech trade, but I've been working with > multiple computer systems for years. When I bought a Mac to use at home do you suppose that Microsoft would give me a cross grade price when I purchased Office for Mac? Or that Adobe would give me a special price when I bought Photoshop again? I think not, nor would I expect them to. So I was very pleasantly surprised when, in the last week, Dean Reyburn replied to my question posted on his cybertuner list that if I wanted to cross grade from my Pocket PC version of Cyber Tuner to a Macbook version ($895)that it would cost $100. plus S/H since I had bought the pocket version within the last year. This is more than fair as I could easily sell the Pocket PC WITH an intact version of RCT and chortle to the bank. I have enough scruples to not do this, but Dean doesn't know that. Whatever version you like is the version you should use. I personally chose RCT due in large part to it's ease of use and it's recommendation by my mentor. If he had been using Tunelab maybe that is what I would be using now but my customers are happy and that is what is important at the end of the day. > > > From: "Cy Shuster" <cy at shusterpiano.com> > Date: December 2, 2007 12:26:14 AM CST > To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org> > Subject: Re: RTC/tune lab thing > Reply-To: Cy Shuster <cy at shusterpiano.com>, Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org > > > > > Sure... there's no way for Dean (or Robert) to know that you've > stopped using either the laptop or the PDA. You might have sold the > old system with the software still on it. > > Robert does give a $100 discount if you already own another (paid) > version. > > It's also quite normal to discontinue support on old operating > systems. It's double the work to build and test on two different > OS's, just like on two different hardware platforms. And what if > you want to take advantage of new OS features that aren't on the old > one? > > --Cy-- > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Alan Barnard > To: pianotech at ptg.org > Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 10:46 PM > Subject: RE: RTC/tune lab thing > > Whoa, there. Don't lay that charge at Dean's feet, or at least not > only Dean. Switching platforms like that would also cost money with > Tunelab, though he gives a $100 discount, I think. > > Alan Barnard > Salem, MO > > Original message > From: "Dean May" > To: "Pianotech List" > Received: 12/1/2007 7:38:27 PM > Subject: RE: RTC/tune lab thing > > >.have actually paid for the program twice now, once for the lap top > version then when I switched to the PDA. > > Ditto. > > Dean > > Dean May cell 812.239.3359 > PianoRebuilders.com 812.235.5272 > Terre Haute IN 47802 > From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] > On Behalf Of Steve Blasyak > Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 8:12 PM > To: pianotech at ptg.org > Subject: RTC/tune lab thing > > Hey Now, > > Yes Dean, I think if you read my post that's exactly what I said. If > you up grade to Windows Mobil 5.0 it cost you $$$$$. I just thought > I'd point out that prior to changing the Operating System/ PDA > upgrades were provided free, that's all. I understand your beef as > well, and believe me I am ticked off too. Because I have been a > loyal customer for ten years and love the program. I have actually > paid for the program twice now, once for the lap top version then > when I switched to the PDA. I buy a new PDA and find out I have to > pay yet again. That is if I decide to continue using RCT. Tune Lab > here I come. > > Steve Blasyak > Orange County Ca. > > Pura Vida > Connect and share in new ways with Windows Live. Connect now! > > > > > From: "Cy Shuster" <cy at shusterpiano.com> > Date: December 2, 2007 2:52:11 AM CST > To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org> > Subject: Re: Accepting credit cards > Reply-To: Cy Shuster <cy at shusterpiano.com>, Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org > > > > > You can create a PayPal account for free, and accept the occasional > credit card for a fee of something like $3-$5 per $100. Your > customer needs only an email address and web access, and does not > have to join PayPal (last time I checked). > > Strangely, many government customers prefer to use plastic (prisons, > community colleges). > > --Cy-- > > > > > From: Jon Page <jonpage at comcast.net> > Date: December 2, 2007 6:32:51 AM CST > To: pianotech at ptg.org > Subject: Need Bechstein cheekblocks... > Reply-To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > > > Can you track down the missing blocks? Or locate a similar > piano and duplicate the blocks? It will be very difficult to > design them from scratch considering the type and location > of the frame registering pins, indexing dowels for the keybed > and maybe fallboard hinges/notches. > Then you'll have to apply a finish. > > Contact the manufacturer, and retrofit a new pair. > -- > > Regards, > > Jon Page > > > > > From: "Dean May" <deanmay at pianorebuilders.com> > Date: December 2, 2007 7:32:10 AM CST > To: "'Pianotech List'" <pianotech at ptg.org> > Subject: RE: Need Bechstein cheekblocks... > Reply-To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > > > You might try fabricating some out of Styrofoam. Just glue several > pieces > together to get the right thickness and carve out the shape you > need. Then > take them to a woodworker for duplication. > > Dean > > Dean May cell 812.239.3359 > > PianoRebuilders.com 812.235.5272 > > Terre Haute IN 47802 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] > On Behalf > Of Jon Page > Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2007 7:33 AM > To: pianotech at ptg.org > Subject: Need Bechstein cheekblocks... > > Can you track down the missing blocks? Or locate a similar > piano and duplicate the blocks? It will be very difficult to > design them from scratch considering the type and location > of the frame registering pins, indexing dowels for the keybed > and maybe fallboard hinges/notches. > Then you'll have to apply a finish. > > Contact the manufacturer, and retrofit a new pair. > -- > > Regards, > > Jon Page > > > > > > From: "David Boyce" <David at piano.plus.com> > Date: December 2, 2007 7:05:50 AM CST > To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org> > Subject: Re: Whadayathink of this piano sound? > Reply-To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > > > Gary, > > Sorry, I didn't express myself properly. > > In fact I am "pro" digital recording. I totally agree with all your > comments regarding wow & flutter, and the challenge of recording > piano sound. > > I have an interesting HiFi CD audio recorder. It's a Philips CDR785, > which I don't think they made many of. Ths unique thing about it is > that it has a quarter-inch tereo jack socket on the front to take a > stereo mic (or two mics via an adaptor) and you can record from an > acoustical audio source straight onto CD. On subsequent models they > removed that feature. I've used it to record a piano and song > recital and it worked very well. It's not, of course, really > intended for portable use. > > What I was getting at, really, was the *universality of access* of > cassette tape in former times. I had in mind a musical couple > locally, she a singer and he an accompanist and organist. They had a > JVC "ghetto blaster" type machine for years, which made decent > stereo recordings from its built-in mics. They could record an > accompaniment for a choir member and hand over the casette, very > easily played on any other machine. And they always recorded their > own recitals. For myself, for years I carried around a Philips > D6920 Audio-Visual stereo cassette recorder and two mics, and made > some nice recordings at various events. The next model up was the > Sony Professional Walkman, too expensive for me. > > Well, three or four years ago, my friends' JVC packed in, and the > belts on my Philips started to get slack. At that time - and I > know things are changing now - it was difficult to find any ready > replacement to do the things my friends wanted to do - easily make > recordings they could hand over, etc. Nor would personnel in audio > stores be of much help, for it's rather a "niche market", making > stereo audio recordings from live sources on the move. > > I accept that in the intervening time, things have moved on. MP3 > players are now ubiquitous, and many offer a facility to record. > In most cases, however, the use of a PC will be involved at some > point, if you want to, for example, make a copy of an accomplaniment > to hand over to a choir member. > > Nor do manufacturers seem to want to make it easy to record in > stereo from accoustical sources - it's not what the industry is > about - they want you to buy packaged commercially produced music, > not make and record your own! > > So, I think what I meant was, things are not QUITE "there yet", in > terms of going into a store and saying "I want to make a recording > of the church choir this week and give copies to some members to let > them listen. Sell me a device to do that, my old cassette machine is > bust". I think a lots of store personnel would struggle. > > I am certainly not one of those, by the way, who say that vinyl is > better than CD! > > Best, > > David. > > > > David, > > '"...but things are not quite "there" yet..." Are you serious? > Digital > recording is fantastic. Easy to use portable digital recorders are > readily > available. No previous method of recording can compare with digital > regarding. Digital recording devastates all the previous methods > regarding > fidelity, including wow and flutter, harmonic distortion, noise and > dynamic > range, not to mention the economy of storage mediums, random access > capability, ability to edit and modify sound, etc. Of course, the > piano has > historically been one of the best instruments to record as a test of a > recording medium as it has a huge dynamic range and especially the > fact that > wow and flutter is very noticeable when recording piano. A piano's > sound is > dead solid when it comes to sustaining a uniform pitch as notes > decay, so > any wow or flutter is noticed. This is unlike woodwinds and bowed > instruments. There is virtually no wow and flutter with the digital > medium. > > Interestingly enough, George Martin has said that those who don't > like what > they sound like when recorded digitally and want to use analog tape > instead, > need to address what it is about their sound that needs to be > "fixed" by the > distortion of analog tape. > > > Gary Fluke > Snohomish, WA > > > > > > > From: "David Boyce" <David at piano.plus.com> > Date: December 2, 2007 7:18:49 AM CST > To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org> > Subject: Re: Whadayathink of this piano sound? > Reply-To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > > > I have covered myself in opprobrium and I now grovel shamefully in it. > > Ron, the work you and Kent have done on that piano - and others - is > fascinating, and surely worthy of the utmost plaudit. I've followed > discussions on here about the treble fish etc with great interest, > as one who has no experience of rebuild or redesign. These issues > are intriguing, and in this age it seems to fall to dedicated > individuals like you to explore taking piano design forward. > > I was remarking to Kent how in my area there are lots of late 19th > century quality uprights, and how at that time you could see makers > experimenting with design features. In today's commercial world > there seems to be much less inclination on the part of piano makers > to do do. > > With regard to the sound files: I would never have identified the > piano as being - or as having been! - a Steinway B, from the overall > sound. The tenor and treble to me on my HiFi sounded very > different, most lively and interesting. I did think that I detected > a certain Steinway quality in the bass, but I fully concede that I > may have been reading that back in, having read that it started as a > Steinway B. And curiously, on my tiny and ineffective laptop > speakers, the sound does seem to take on a certain plangent > Bosendorfer-ish quality. Not a fair method of assessment however. > > The bottom line is that I'd love to hear it live, to fully apreciate > it! > > I always enjoy the fascinating technical stuff in your posts Ron, > and your humour. > > Best regards, > > David. > > >> I also find >> that it doesn't have the Bosendorfer-ish quality I thought I >> deteceted >> on the tiny laptop speakers, and I can hear the Steinway pedigree, >> but >> the piano sounding very fresh and lovely and lively. > > No, you don't. There's very little in that piano that's still > Steinway. > > >> The old Steinway B's seem to restore so well. > > This one isn't remotely restored - it's heavily redesigned. It > has a new string scale, new bridges, bass separated from the > tenor, with a nine note transition bridge in the low tenor, > new soundboard, with more ribs than the original, fanned and > deeply crowned for support with very low panel compression, > extra rim and belly rail bracing, a big bass cutoff, and a > treble fish. The plate is also modified with vertical hitch > pins, and elimination of both the front and rear tuned > duplexes. That's not Steinway you hear in there, it's my way > and Kent's way. This dog has a different pedigree. > > Ron N > > > > > > > From: Byeway222 at aol.com > Date: December 2, 2007 8:02:04 AM CST > To: pianotech at ptg.org > Subject: Re: Whadayathink of this piano sound? > Reply-To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > > > Hi there, > I haven't been following this thread at all I'm afraid, so I may be > repeating whay others have said. > The recording gadget which is all the rage at present appears to be > the Roland Edirol R-90. It records piano superbly in uncompressed > CD quality sound. It has reverb facility and downloads onto PC. > http://www.EDIROL.net > > ric > > > > From: "Scott Jackson" <ScottWayneJackson at hotmail.com> > Date: December 2, 2007 8:13:56 AM CST > To: "'Pianotech List'" <pianotech at ptg.org> > Subject: RE: David Andersen's whole-note tuning > Reply-To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > > > Thanks David, that's what I wanted to know. And thanks to Bob Hull > and John > Formsma for further illumination of the topic. > > Scott Jackson > > > > > > From: "Annie Grieshop" <annie at allthingspiano.com> > Date: December 2, 2007 8:40:48 AM CST > To: "Cy Shuster" <cy at shusterpiano.com>, "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org > > > Subject: RE: Accepting credit cards > Reply-To: annie at allthingspiano.com, Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > > > If you accept credit cards on your PayPal account, you will pay a % > fee on ALL payments received through that account, cash as well as > credit. My work-around is to have two PayPal accounts -- one for > credit cards and one for cash. A bit cumbersome, but it works (and > saves me $.04 on every virtual cash dollar!). > > Annie > -----Original Message----- > From: Cy Shuster [mailto:cy at shusterpiano.com] > Sent: Sunday, December 02, 2007 2:52 AM > To: Pianotech List > Subject: Re: Accepting credit cards > > You can create a PayPal account for free, and accept the occasional > credit card for a fee of something like $3-$5 per $100. Your > customer needs only an email address and web access, and does not > have to join PayPal (last time I checked). > > Strangely, many government customers prefer to use plastic (prisons, > community colleges). > > --Cy-- > > > > > From: Ron Nossaman <rnossaman at cox.net> > Date: December 2, 2007 9:20:46 AM CST > To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > Subject: Re: Whadayathink of this piano sound? > Reply-To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > > > >> I have covered myself in opprobrium and I now grovel shamefully in >> it. > > No no, don't do that! I was letting you know that if you heard > Steinway in there, it was either the lingering ghost of the previous > incarnation leeching out of the tone collector, or as you said, > judging the sound from the name. Sort of like recognizing old Bessy > from the taste of the hamburger. Hey, I even removed the mystic > bell, and put in a brace and nose bolt instead. Not many of the > original patent features left in that piano. > > >> I was remarking to Kent how in my area there are lots of late 19th >> century quality uprights, and how at that time you could see makers >> experimenting with design features. In today's commercial world >> there seems to be much less inclination on the part of piano makers >> to do do. > > Yes, and it's a shame. Manufacturers now have a design kit of off > the shelf "features" to stick into the initial CAD drawing of any > new design with what seems to be little apparent understanding of > it's contribution to the ultimate function of the instrument. No one > needs to understand, or try to find out, how anything works to do > that, so few bother. Even most of those that do care stick very > close to the center of their established path so the pianos produced > still too often have similar tonal problems to those they produced a > hundred years ago when they quit prospecting and started mining. > Some few, thankfully, are still doing some prospecting now and then. > > >> The bottom line is that I'd love to hear it live, to fully >> apreciate it! > > In person, it's very - lush. > > >> I always enjoy the fascinating technical stuff in your posts Ron, >> and your humour. > > Thanks, but it *is* just me, after all. > Ron N > > > > > From: Erwinspiano at aol.com > Date: December 2, 2007 9:47:59 AM CST > To: pianotech at ptg.org > Subject: Steinway & Sons Watches > Reply-To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > > > A friend wrote me this reply. It was a bit humorous: > Hey Dale > > Thanks for the catalogues. Christmas shopping is now solved! By the > way, does it say how much prep work has to be done before these > things work properly? This will be good for the economy. Just think > how much work it will mean to watch repair shops! I just wonder if > their customers will also insist upon using over-priced under- > performing "Genuine" Steinway parts to fix their watches and speakers. > Anonymous > > > > Check out AOL Money & Finance's list of the hottest products and top > money wasters of 2007. > > > > From: Ron Nossaman <rnossaman at cox.net> > Date: December 2, 2007 10:07:06 AM CST > To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > Subject: Re: Steinway & Sons Watches > Reply-To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > > > >> Thanks for the catalogues. Christmas shopping is now solved! By >> the >> way, does it say how much prep work has to be done before these >> things work properly? This will be good for the economy. Just >> think >> how much work it will mean to watch repair shops! I just wonder if >> their customers will also insist upon using over-priced >> under-performing "Genuine" Steinway parts to fix their watches and >> speakers. >> Anonymous > > > The watches are certainly too ugly to own, but I am curious what the > Steinway tick sounds like. > Ron N > > > > > From: "Porritt, David" <dporritt at mail.smu.edu> > Date: December 2, 2007 10:39:40 AM CST > To: <l-bartlett at sbcglobal.net>, "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org> > Subject: RE: left-handed tuning > Reply-To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org> > > > Les: > > I can't 'splain it, I just do it. I've tried left handed and though > there are several jobs I do naturally left handed, tuning isn't one of > them. I really, Really wish I had become ambidextrous as I was > learning > but now at my age the attempt is too slow and the result too painful > to > pursue that goal. My hammer technique has changed somewhat over the > years, now mostly driven by the damage to my tuning hand. The biggest > improvement has come with the purchase of a Fujan tuning lever. I use > the long handle because it makes tight pins easier to turn and because > there is NO flex in the lever as there is in "normal" tuning levers > that > are extended. Since it is so stiff you feel every movement and makes > your tuning that much better. So I'm still learning new techniques, > it's just that left handed tuning isn't one of them! > > dave > > ____________________ > David M. Porritt, RPT > dporritt at smu.edu > > -----Original Message----- > From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On > Behalf Of Leslie Bartlett > Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 10:23 PM > To: 'Pianotech List' > Subject: RE: left-handed tuning > > Uhm, I sure don't see Dave Porritt chiming in anywhere. Hey DAVE- you > gonna > chime in?????????????????????????????????????? I spent a day with > him > when I first couldn't figure out TL 97, and he tunes right handed, > 3:00, > straight arm. Dumbest thing in the whole world I thought. Then he > would > set his fingers on top of the plate (verticals) and ever so gently > lift > the > hammer just a tiny bit with his thumb, and the darned things slipped > in > like > they had been glued. I wish he'd "splain it, cause it worked like a > charm, > and he says there's good data to support that style of tuning. It > sure > worked beautifully for him. After that, I decided that "what works > for > someone works for someone", and I'll never criticize a hammer > technique > again. that was an amazing demonstration to me because it worked so > well > and so consistently. > les bartlett > > -----Original Message----- > From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On > Behalf > Of Ron Nossaman > Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 6:25 PM > To: Pianotech List > Subject: Re: left-handed tuning > > Michelle Smith wrote: >> Thanks to everyone for your informative responses! The reason I >> started thinking about all of this was because of a piano I never >> want > >> to see again. (Ha Ha!) It was a school upright that had been >> sitting > >> in a small practice room forever. Something had happened with the >> pinblock and the pins would barely move! When I tuned left handed, I >> seemed to have to bring the string really far sharp to get the pin to >> move even slightly. One of the strings broke and many others were >> probably on their way. When I switched to my right hand, the pins >> moved a little easier. My theory is that the point of pressure is >> different when tuning left handed (upward) as opposed to right handed >> (downward) and that particular piano just couldn't take it. > > What's happening is pin flex - flag poling, and twist. Pulling in the > direction of the string (down, in a vertical), you can move the pin > quite a > ways in the block and barely hear the pitch change. Then you let the > pressure off and it goes sharp. > Pushing up left handed opposite the direction of the string, the > opposite > happens. There's a hammer position for verticals that, when you're > pulling > in the right direction, the downward pin flex very nearly equals the > twist > you're putting in the pin, and when you let go, they cancel and the > pitch > doesn't change. It's not a magic bullet, it's just another of a > hundred > things you notice in tuning, and adapt for as you go. > Ron N > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.10/1160 - Release Date: > 11/29/2007 > 8:32 PM > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Pianotech list info https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives Jeffrey Cutler Piano & Fretted Instrument Service 651-398-6293 jwcpianotech at gmail.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20071202/7ce56c45/attachment-0001.html
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC