[pianotech] Tuning contest proposal

[David Lawson Pianos]

I can't believe all the rot that is going on about which is the better tuning. Who said that the ETD was correct, the computer programmer? Or that the aural tuning is spot on. In my fifty years of tuning, I can only say that when you leave an individual piano and you and your customer are happy with the result, then that is a good tuning. The other factors of course is stability of tuning, voicing and the myriad of other matters that assist in making the piano what it is. If you don't know about these, then you are not a GOOD tuner. Every piano is different, and from where I am coming from as an aural tuner only, I have a bias towards what I do, as do the opposition. If one treats each piano on its merits, then the result must be as good as it can be. Let's face it, this is an IMPERFECT science we are dealing with, and I claim there is not such thing as the perfect tuning, so just do your best. If that is not good enough then deliver the morning paper!
Cheers, David Lawson Wangaratta Australia. 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: pcpoulson at sbcglobal.net 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 2:40 PM
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] Tuning contest proposal


  My recollection is that Jim Coleman was one of the tuners, and used the ETD. I don't recall the other one. 
  Patrick C. Poulson
  Registered Piano Technician
  Piano Technicians Guild
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: pianolover 88 
    To: pianotech at ptg.org 
    Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 7:06 PM
    Subject: Re: [pianotech] Tuning contest proposal


    This "test" has been done! I can't remember exactly when or who was invloved, but I do know that they were both well know and respected tuners. The result? Experienced tuners could not tell definitively which was aural and which was etd! 

    Terry Peterson
    Accurate Piano Service
    UniGeezer.com
    "Going to the extreme...on just ONE wheel!" 





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    Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:58:06 -0600
    From: dahechler at charter.net
    To: pianotech at ptg.org
    Subject: [pianotech] Tuning contest proposal

    Since there are many and heated views of which tuning way is better ....

    I propose a tuning contest and final report.

    Rules:
    - Find an independent person or team to officiate
    - Provide two identical piano and settings
    - Two highly respected tuners that are proficient in there respective skills (Aural and ETD)
    - Tune each piano at A440 - Equal Temperament
    - One tune aurally
    - One tune with ETD
    - Repeat (with the same tuners) for each Brand, Size and Style of piano

    Results:
    - Using an independent way to determine accuracy of the pitch of each note (all 88 notes) (Tuning forks / ETD in "test" mode" / etc)
    - If ETD is used, the initial one for the tuning can not be used.
    - Obviously, this rules out the tuning stability (how long the piano stays in tune), hammer technique, etc. (All the human elements that can't be accurately measured)

    Extra idea:
    - Repeat contest with each commercial ETD.

    Eagerly waiting the results,
    Duaine




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