These tunings were done with Bernhard Stopper's PureTuner VTD; it runs on PocketPC. You need to know just a bit about the software before you can understand why the good results are so interesting. Stopper's tunings are based theoretically on a pure twelfth divided into 19 equal half-steps. This VTD takes no measurements from the piano being tuned in order to calculate a tuning; one just boots up the program, determines a pitch level for the tuning, and starts tuning. Stopper claims to have a new way for a VTD to deal with inharmonicity that is automatic. He says the VTD display readings are based neither on single-partials nor multi-partials, but rather are based upon a new approach. Stopper claims that the results are consistent and superior. He claims that that although the tunings are rather wide, there is an overall, synchronous effect that gives a clean, beatless effect to chords. He claims the software will deliver a best fit tuning for any level of inharmonicity. I have been using the software since June and I am finding that the claims all appear to be true. I offer the recordings of Steinway D and a Bosendorfer Imperial tuned together with Stopper's software as evidence. I admit to some discomfort because Stopper has stated his intention to withhold most explanations of how this all works. The bottom line, though, is that the tunings sound good. Good enough for my workplace which is a demanding university environment. Kent On Sat, Sep 27, 2008 at 7:37 PM, Mark Schecter <mark at schecterpiano.com>wrote: > Hi, Kent. > > They do sound well-matched, especially when you play the chromatic scale; > apart from that, it's hard to judge. > > ... > > Thanks. > > -Mark Schecter > > PS OK, I'll bite. How did you go about it? Thanks! > > > Kent Swafford wrote: > >> I wanted to see if I could improve my ability to tune a Steinway D and a >> Bosendorfer Imperial together. The Steinway has relatively high >> inharmonicity and the Bosendorfer has very, very low inharmonicity. Some of >> you will be familiar with the problem. >> >> I have uploaded an audio file to: >> >> http://www.kentswafford.com/mp3/d_dorf.mp3 >> >> The recording attempts to show that each piano is well-tuned with itself >> and that the pianos also are tuned together. The Steinway plays first and >> should be on the right. The pianos are side by side. There are a number of >> bad unisons in the high treble, especially on the Bosendorfer. You are >> welcome to come try to tune them yourself. >> >> In the recording you hear: >> >> Steinway arpeggios >> Bosendorfer arpeggios >> Bosendorfer chord of nature progression >> Steinway chord of nature progression >> Chromatic scale played both on both pianos together >> >> I think the results are good. How I did this may surprise a few... >> >> Later. >> >> >> Kent Swafford >> >> >> >> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/caut.php/attachments/20080929/9f8ddcfd/attachment.html
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