[pianotech] aural pitch raises

[John Formsma]

With frequent list discussions about the benefits of ETDs in pitch raises, I
thought it might be helpful to give a "real-life" account of an aural pitch
raise procedure I've been using.  I generally do the following whenever the
piano is around 1/2 step or more flat.
It works just like so many other things we must learn to do: "rough in,
refine, repeat as necessary."  For pitch raises around 1/2 step, two or
three (usually three) quick passes are done to produce a quite good tuning.
 A followup fine tuning is recommended in a month or so, at the customer's
discretion.

The morning of 12/23/08 brought a Wurlitzer spinet that was right at 1/2
step flat, except in the bass where it was 70-80 cents flat.  Here's how it
went:

9:02 a.m  walk in the door, greet and meet customer and piano.  Check
pinblock screws, remove paper clip, dime, and 6 pennies from the top of the
keysticks <g>
9:19 a.m. finished the first pitch raise, and ready for round two
9:36 a.m. finished the second pitch raise, also having noted a couple
problems with the action, and now ready for the knockout round
10:09 a.m., finished with the final unison pass, adjusted the sustain pedal,
invoiced, and now playing a tune
10:17 a.m., in the car, having finished the customer chat, and received the
check


The end result has been pretty darn good in most cases.  Quite close to a
fine tuning, but perhaps enough off in places that I wouldn't want to call
it a very fine tuning.  (Certainly more than good enough for a Wurlie
spinet, as it was in this case.)  Then the piano will go through the changes
that happen with a major PR, and will be ready for a fine tuning the next
time, whether it's a month later or six months later.

For those struggling with tuning speed, I can certainly relate.  I well
remember learning to tune aurally in 2000, and thinking I'd never "get it."
 Then, after I was getting it, wondering if I'd ever tune faster.  There was
good encouragement from the list, and there were also good classes at
conventions.  I pressed on, and am now doing some things that I thought
would NEVER be possible for me.  Perhaps the biggest thing that has helped
with tuning speed is learning to do those one or two super-fast, very rough
pitch raises before the final pass.  It forces all your senses to come
together to do a seemingly impossible task.  But as you do it more and more,
you'll find that you listen faster and better.  And then all of a sudden,
things are clicking along at a very high rate of speed, and you find you can
keep up!

The point of this writing is not to begin another argument about ETDs vs.
aural tuning.  ETDs are very helpful with pitch raises.  Not having to deal
with previously tuned notes changing as you tune is indeed a great help.
 And it might be nice to sometimes take a break from intervals and octaves,
and worry only with unisons.  But, as it is, this procedure is not too
terribly taxing, and it is quite workable. And maybe in another 10 years I
can say it goes a bit faster.  After all, it ain't anywhere close to Steve
Fairchild's record yet. <G>

-- 
JF
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