Ron,
It's good to hear from you. How many years has it been since
we were both in Wichita?
Oh my, where to begin...
>1. When you're addressing the customer's apparent concern in the
>above example, are you in fact tuning the instrument using the SA-T or
>are you first tuning the instrument, then recording the resultant
>tuning?
Why does this matter? At this point, my tuning technique is
hopelessly hybrid. I integrate aural and visual techniques to
compliment each other; I don't do one or the other.
>2. Does your SA-T take atmospheric conditions into account?
>(Seasonal changes and what-not.) What if the piano were to be moved
>into a different room between the time you tune/record the first time
>and then return? Would you have to start from scratch?
All tunings must be aurally verified/refined.
>3. If your customer calls you the next day and expresses disapproval
>with the tuning, would you hesitate to return, _sans_ SA-T, to give a
>completely aural tuning? Would you consider this "backing down" or
>merely satisfying the customer? What about subsequent tunings? Would
>they be SA-T-assisted tunings in this customer's case? What if the
>word spread from that customer that, when push came to shove, you
>caved thereby giving some validation to the customer's contention that
>aural is better than assisted?
These are hypothetical questions, because this hasn't happened
to me. My best work is done utilizing integrated aural/visual
techniques. Why would someone want less than my best work? I haven't
"backed down" nor does it seem likely I will be asked to.
>4. Does using the SA-T *really* cut your tuning time down? Does it
>*really* "free up your mind" when tuning? (What would it be free to
>do? Run through the grocery list? No, not sarcasm, just wondering
>what else one would want to think of while attending to this piano.
>Personally, I might find the SA-T to be more of a distraction so I
>don't understand how it can be such a mental strain to tune without an
>SA-T. It would seem to me that one would be better able to consider
>voicing and other action noise/ regulation problems to not have to be
>concerned with fiddling with that device.)
The only response I have to this is that I would not characterize
my operating an SAT as "fiddling."
>5. When I was very young, my piano was tuned by an old man (no
>electronic gadgets). When he retired, my parents called on several
>technicians from the PTG. One gentleman showed up and tuned the piano
>with an A-T (not sure what brand it was but it had a circle of red
>lights like the SA-T). I thought it was pretty neat, myself. But
>when he left and I began practicing, I noticed a distinctly different
>sound--sterile, cold, lifeless. My folks called him back and he
>demonstrated that the piano was perfectly in tune. No amount of
>convincing worked for me. It just didn't sound right. Note that I
>had no prejudices against his use of the tuning device and as my
>long-time technician had retired many years before, I was not
>accustomed to a particular tuning or tuner. I'm sure that this
>phenomenon can be explained away, but isn't it possible that some
>pianists actually prefer *not* to hear equal temperament and
>dead-perfect unisons? I suspect that this is the root cause of most
>pianists' dislike of electronically-assisted tunings.
I am unfamiliar with the phenomenon of pianists disliking
electronically-assisted tunings.
>Caveat: I think there are good uses for the SA-T. I don't dispute
>that, in some cases, they may provide a better tuning than could
>otherwise be provided--in cases like colds, ear infections,
>medications that dull the auditory nerves, etc. My questions aren't
>aimed at starting a flame war. These are questions/comments I've
>heard among my customers, some of whom have called for my services
>specifically because they didn't like their pianos tuned
>electronically.
The reverse is also true. I know of tuners (including myself)
who have gotten calls from customers who specifically wanted
electronically-assisted tunings. You left out that SAT's shine in
noisy environments where aural tunings would be impossible. (There
was this time I tuned through a Z Z Top sound check... )
>Ron Torrella, Head Piano Technician
>School of Music
>University of Illinois
I have heard of thumb pianos, mouth organs, and even nose flutes,
but what, exactly, is a "head piano"??!!!
(Now <THAT> <<IS>> sarcasm... ) @8^)>
Kent Swafford
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