[pianotech] testing new tunings

David Ilvedson ilvey at sbcglobal.net
Mon Aug 17 00:34:19 MDT 2009


IMHO...if the unisons are solid the tiny differences between tuning styles will be unnoticeable in normal playing...and frankly I have more important things to spend my time on...

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Ron Koval" <drwoodwind at hotmail.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 8/16/2009 7:51:38 PM
Subject: [pianotech] testing new tunings



>What a fun journey this is!  As many of you know, I really enjoy trying out new 
>things-

>new gear, new temperaments, new stretches.  One of the interesting dilemmas I run

>into is how to asses the musical qualities inherent in any different tuning approach.

> 

>Over the years I've enlisted different performers, teachers and owners to help me

>to determine the worth of different tunings.  It's easy for the technician to 
>determine

>if the tuning is successful based on the checks or the design - that is, does the 
>tuning

>match the "recipe"?  For some, the primary test is even spacing in the speed of the 

>chromatic major thirds.  For others, what's more important is the progression in circle

>of fifths order.  Some even use tempered octaves to try and enhance the 
>resonance,

>or cancel out beating intervals with others to make a more mellow tuning.  Yet none 

>of these recipe tests have much to do with how music responds to the tuning.

> 

>My "go to" tester is a Suzuki piano teacher who owns a nice Yamaha C3.  From her 
>background with early music and harpsichord, she's been a valued source of 
>feedback

>for many different tunings over the past 15 years or so.

> 

>Here's what she had to say about a recent tuning using the Onlypure software:

> 

>"It seems much brighter.  At first it was a bit shocking, but I think our ears have 
>gotten

>used to it.    Now that we have the air on, I'll continue to further assess it.   So far 
>so good."

> 

>Her recent default tuning is equal temperament using a Verituner custom 
>style(stretch) that 

>I developed.  Previous to that was the Lehman/Bach well temperament with a 
>different

>custom style.  

> 

>Good?  Bad?  Similar?  Like it?  Not so much? 

> 

>So far, it's "brighter" and "a bit shocking"...

> 

>more later

> 

>Ron Koval

>Chicagoland 

> 

> 

> 

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