[pianotech] ETD tuning Vs Aural- Some Wisdom

[Paul McCloud]

Hi, All:
This discussion about whether to learn aural tuning techniques or not reminds me of something my Guru said to me, "Machines are for experts.  Not for neophytes."  
When learning any craft such as ours, starting from the basics gives one a foundation to build upon.  If you want to be an expert carpenter or cabinetmaker, you learn to use the hand tools first.  I went to L.A. Trade Tech college when I was 19.  We had to make our first projects with only hand tools, no power.  We had to learn to use chisels and hand saws first before we were allowed to use the machinery.  This is how one learns to master the craft.  If one wanted to be a mathematician, does anyone think it's not necessary to learn the times tables?  Sadly, there are some schools that de-emphasize learning times tables.  We have computers and calculators after all.  Why learn spelling?  This is also not taught properly, as one can see in so many publications and online.  We have spell checkers after all.  If you call yourself a writer, would you learn to spell?  Hey, it's not necessary now that we have spellcheckers.  U no wat i meen?
My mother was an audiologist.  She had earned her degree in Speech and Hearing, and had her own business.  Most of that business consisted of fitting hearing aids.  She would often complain that there were hearing aid fitters that did only that, but didn't know anything about hearing, or the anatomy, or anything of pathology.  They were competitors of my mother.  But, if a doctor had a patient with a hearing problem, he wasn't going to send them to a hearing aid fitter.  My mother would get that referral because she knew more and was an expert in the field.  
The argument over whether one needs to learn aural tuning will never be resolved.  But, if one wants to be an expert in any field, one has to learn it from the beginning.  If you don't learn the basics, you can't call yourself an expert.  If you don't care to be an expert, that's up to you.  But you'll never be known as one.

My take.
Paul McCloud
San Diego