Floating pitch -- & ear plugs

[Otto Keyes]

Several years ago I tuned for North Park College in Chicago.  We had a bunch
of Wurlitzer (Squirrelitzer) studios in the practice rooms of a building
that kept the rain off.  The pitch went up & down like a yo-yo on a long
string.  Initially, I spent many a day in those concrete cubicles,
de-stabilizing those percussion, stringed instruments.  Aug. to Dec. could
see a 40 cent pitch drop in certain areas of the scale.  While they were
still cantankerous, floating the pitch a reasonable amount preserved my
sanity (such as it is) and the departmental budget.

On another note:
It was in those bunkers that I learned to tune with ear plugs as well,
though I did quit using them for several years after I left there, for fear
that customers might mistrust a piano tuner with ear plugs.  In recent years
I have gone back to wearing them, educating my customers of the decibel
levels I generate, & reminding them that one may be a visually-impaired
tuner, but there is not a lot of call for deaf piano tuners.  I have found I
can concentrate better anyway, since it decreases the db level & cuts out
much of the distracting backgound noise.  Some poorly scaled pianos will go
muddy in some sections, particularly the upper treble, but you can always
pop them out for the offending note(s) & back in again.  I always do a final
check, sans ear plugs, anyway.  Good customers understand the rationelle &
are supportive.  Those who don't can always be referred to the sleazy
"competition".  We make our living with our ears -- best preserve them as
long as possible.

Otto

Piano Technician
University of Idaho
208-885-7918
----- Original Message -----
From: "Vanderhoofven" <dkvander@joplin.com>
To: <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2002 9:16 AM
Subject: Floating pitch


> Dear Friends,
>
> In past years I have attempted to tune pianos in the colleges I tune for
to
> A-440 each tuning.  This has caused me extra work (usually unpaid), and
> mental stress.
>
> This year I have floated pitch on every piano I have tuned, and I feel so
> much happier!  No one has complained about the pianos being at A-442 or
> A-443, and the pianos are behaving better.  When the temperature is 72
> Fahrenheit, and the relative humidity is 83% indoors in the music
building,
> floating pitch is the only way to go.
>
> Thanks to Kent Swafford, I have finally seen the light!
>
> David Vanderhoofven
> Joplin, MO
>