I Raise the pitch...on the pitch raise.

[Susan Kline]

>I agree that if the piano is 100 cents flat, it is better it just pull
>it to A-400 on the first pass because it going to take 3 passes to make
>it sound right anyway. The second pass I like to use the pitch raise
>calculator in the Accutuner followed by the final standard tuning. Also
>I tell the customer that it should be tuned again in 3 months because
>the piano will settle some due to the change of tension.
>
>Norm Barrett

Now, I find this interesting, because I follow a similar procedure without
the Accutuner. I pull only to A440 on the first pass (to see how the land
lies, and not to overpull too far). Then, before the second pass, I can see
how far the pitch dropped, and overpull enough to compensate. (What can one
say? I _guess_.) By waiting for the second pass I don't have to overpull as
far. The decision of how far to overpull is kind of subliminal, as I do each
note. Usually it ends up pretty good, and the third pass is for tidying.

I always explain it will need another tuning soon in order to be stable, of
course. I tell them that I showed the piano which block the ballpark was
located in, etc. I tell them that the piano, like other people, dislikes
being told exactly what to do, and strays a little, etc. If they look
accommodating, I tell them about back lengths and different tensions in
different parts of the string. If they don't look blank and bored after
that, I chose the right thing to say. (Once in a while, every now and then,
one can get it right.)

Susan Kline
skline@proaxis.com
P.O. Box 1651,
Philomath, OR 97370