Placement and the resulting acoustics plays an important part as Jim's experiment shows. The idea of each piano being center stage is good, and also gives the opportunity to test "validity" or what ever the word is now. ie that the subjects in an experiment are responding the same. (similar to the placebo effect in medicine) This would entail moving the same piano (while the subjects believe it to be different) to center stage and then looking at the "Can't tell, who knows?" column. I must say I am surprised at the "Can't tell", I would guess it to be higher. On the other hand if one is asked "which one sounds better" perhaps there is an unconscious conditioning ( :< ) (subliminal suggestion), "Can't tell" is the "wrong" answer. Richard Moody ---------- > From: Jim <pianotoo@IMAP2.ASU.EDU> > To: pianotech@byu.edu > Subject: No.2 SAT tuning comps. > Date: Wednesday, April 02, 1997 10:23 AM {Portions snipped rm} > To the list: > > Arizona Tuneoff No.2 > >However, > the position of two of the pianos was different. > Here are the results of the second test: ...... > > Left piano Center piano Right piano Can't tell > FAC Standard High Stretch Well Temp. who knows? > > 102 56 60 7 > > > One thing which is obvious is that this second class was more decisive in > that there were only 7 cases where they could not decide which piano sound- > ed the best. > A more perfect test might be to have any test pianos mounted > on a rotating stage so that when played they would be in the same position > namely front and center. > > Jim Coleman, Sr.
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC