Floating pitch

[Tim Coates]

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
Wim,

I float pitch for many reasons.  But mainly I realized the pianos were
going to float on their own regardless of what pitch I set.  Simple
fact.  Yes people should hear A440.  But 90% of the time they won't
because the piano has moved from A440 just from climate changes.
Nothing we did or didn't do.  I should make the changes smoother for
those who use the pianos.  In my mind that is what it is about.  The
piano floats on its own, so I should make the float smooth.  I get more
complaints about pianos that are out of tune with themselves than pianos
that are off pitch (haven't even had a complaint about that).

That said, for me this doesn't apply to concert work.   Artist contracts
are very specific for a reason.

Tim Coates
Wapin Co., LLP

Wimblees@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 8/28/02 2:17:31 PM Central Daylight Time,
> kswafford@earthlink.net writes:
>
>
>
>> Here David has finally tried a technique that results in measurably
>> better,
>> more stable tunings, and you, just in your 2nd year as a CAUT, try
>> to
>> introduce doubts. Shame on you, Wim. Pitch floating makes sense;
>> hold out as
>> long as you like, but you're going to like it when you finally try
>> it!  :)
>>
>> Congratulations, David. Hang in there.
>>
>> Kent Swafford
>>
>
> Kent
>
> It's not in my 1 + years as a CAUT that I have had this philosophy. I
> have always maintained that pianos should be tuned to the correct
> pitch. In my opinion, that is what we are paid to do. I know it's more
> work, but I'm sorry you guys, I just can't justify not doing it.
>
> Isn't that what we spent a lot of time discussing last spring, how
> much our workload is effected by humidity controls, (or rather the
> lack of it). If we maintain that poor humidity and temperature control
> is effecting how much work we do, and then come along and let the
> pitch float so as not to create more work for us, that, to me, is
> talking out of two sides of our mouth. Yes, if we float the pitch a
> piano will stay in tune for a longer period of time, which makes our
> job easier. But, pianos need to be tuned at A440, not for our sake,
> but for the student's and faculty's sake. So if it takes more work,
> and more time, then that is what we have to do.
>
> Now, I realize that for those of you who get paid a set fee by the
> piano, you want to get through as quickly as possible. Otherwise, as
> David pointed out, he winds up doing more work for less pay. I don't
> know the answer for that, other than negotiate a higher fee, which
> might not be possible. But under other circumstances, the pitch is
> what is important, even if we have to tune the piano more often.
>
> As usual, I am probably all alone with this thinking. But that's my
> story, and I'm sticking to it.  :)
>
> Wim

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/caut.php/attachments/ee/10/31/9c/attachment.htm

---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--