More Tune-Offs: enough already

[pianoman]

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> From: Zen Reinhardt <diskladame@provide.net>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: More Tune-Offs
> Date: Friday, August 01, 1997 3:04 PM
> 
> Well?  What's the verdict these days?  Will there be another Tune-Off
> between the Masters, or are we going to extend it to include some of the
> other up-and-coming great tuners?  If my experience in the exam rooms is
> anything to go by, there are some truly remarkable tuners just now
emerging
> as RPTs, some of whom have been tuning for maybe as little as 5 years or
> less.  Hey -- maybe we ought to start a series of tune-offs using the
> examiners for starters, seeing that they all have passed the tuning exam
at
> the highest level.  Any thoughts?
> 
> ZR!  RPT
> Ann Arbor
> diskladame@provide.net
Dear Everyone,
I hope this doesn't turn into a "Whos the best tuner" type competition. 
Back when we started the tuning tests I was one of those who helped set up
the first master tuning for the St. Louis chapter.  As I remember the
members were Liz Baker, Wim Blees, myself, and Ron Berry.  I was concerned
at the time and afterwards that the tuners who became 'tuning examiners"
would be the next classification above Registered Craftsman.  Thankfully
things were kept in check and this has not happened.  As Jim said, neither
of these tunings at the Tune-Off were checked mathematically but only by
the performance of playing music.  I suspect that these tunings each had
flaws the other could point out.  It is like sometimes a piano tunes
extremely well and yet musically when you are done tuning it just doesn't
come off.  Likewise a tuning that doesn't come together, yet musically is
surprisingly wonderful.  Who knows why?  
The point is that we all do our job to the best that our skill will allow
and now that we have had 2 of the very best go at one another lets move on.
 It is somewhat like my opinion of modern jass.  I believe that is
enjoyable to listen to because the listener appreciates how difficult the
song is to play with its little intricacies, not necessarily because it is
pleasant as a melody and accompaniment.  The skill is to be praised in the
thoroughness of technique.

James Grebe from St. Louis
pianoman@inlink.com