[pianotech] 440/442?

[David Love]

I think it's not so much that they hear the difference in pitch but rather
the change in the quality of the sound coming from their instrument.  I'm
not that convinced that 440 - 441 or 441 - 442, or even 440 - 442 can be
discerned by most pianists (or piano tuners for that matter), but clearly
violinists can tell the difference more by how the instrument sounds with
more tension.  Similarly, woodwind players can tell the difference by both
the change in tone quality and what needs to be done to their instruments
change the pitch.   Pitch differences are more likely to be an issue with
players of instruments other than the piano.  When you consider the
instrument conditions under which many pianists are forced to concertize,
minor pitch variations are probably the least of the problems.  

 

David Love

www.davidlovepianos.com

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of RON MAY, RPT
Sent: Friday, May 01, 2009 3:08 PM
To: Pianotech
Subject: [pianotech] 440/442?

 

 Tom, Dave, whoever else,

 

I am sorry but I have to play with this 440-442 thing a little more and
totally disagree.

 

1. It is my understanding that at 440hz, or 440 vps, we are talking about a
string vibrating 440 times a second. That also means that a pure octave
above would be 880 and then 1760, etc, etc  Now you are trying to tell me
and other old timers that someone can hear the addition of 1 or even 2
vibrations with a string vibrating 440 times a second and 2 or 4 times out
of  880.   ????SURE!!!

 

2. Now lets look at a violin, cello, string base or even a guitar for that
matter.  What you are trying to tell me is that a musician can place his or
her finger directly on the same spot on that string probably within a
thousand of an inch every time.  Please realize that when that artist moves
her finger (quivers it) to produce a vibrato they are actually changing the
pitch or vibration of that string, I'm guessing a 1/4 of an inch and the
pitch is changing up and down in the case of A440 to between 437 and
probably 444.  I purpose to you that when she tunes her violin she isn't
listening to beat rates. There is no way that all of the violin, cello or
whatever are all ever  at 442, 444 and with some of the supposed great
symphonies I been privileged to work for 436. The Oboe player stands up,
blows a pitch and everybody thinks they are tuning to it.  They simply blow
what they think sounds right.

 

I couldn't believe it but yesterday afternoon I tuned a piano for an old
customer that I had never met.  I've tuned his Baldwin now for 5 years but
this was the first time he was home. I never knew it but he had been (
believe it or not) and oboe player for a symphony some years ago.  I found
out he played the oboe when he appeared after I had tuned his piano A-440 as
usual. He wanted to check his oboes against the piano. The first one he
pulled out was  435 (5 beats a second flat) I suspect it may have just been
very old.  The second oboe was much newer. It ranged between 438 and 440.
This happened just by the way he held his mouth.

 

Last but not least, My major instrument for many years was the trumpet. As a
young man, along with several other bands, I played this trumpet in what was
then the Dayton Ohio Symphony which I would guess in no longer around. This
was tuned by sliding on of the tubes which I never saw anyone do. I got my
vibrato by also shaking my hands over the valves which moved the pitch
rapidly up and down. Some better players could produce their vibrato simply
by their mouth. This pitch varied minimum 4hz. I have played the piano
myself for on over 60 years. That has a very large input on what I want and
expect out of my tunings

 

I'll say it one more time after tuning for some 70 symphonies, most being
European----THERE IS NO WAY!!  I've proven it to many times. 

 

If their ears were that great they would be piano tuners.  

 

Ron May

 

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech_ptg.org/attachments/20090501/a28c0007/attachment.html>