"Feelin' in Tune? (part I)

[cpstout]

To Pianotech List:

	Fourteen years ago, PTG advance publicity stated "Noted 
	New Orleans jazz pianist by night turns into Professor 
	of Otolaryngology, School of medicine, Louisiana State
	University, New Orleans", by day.   Sounds like a dull,
	technical class, right?

	At convention, 'dull' is what most technicans evident-
	ally also concluded.  All the publicity failed to att-
	ract very many to the said class.   Then word-of-mouth
	advertising hit the scene and - PRESTO--the second and
	last standing room only was presented, of which I was
	a member.  I can truthfully say that this 'dull' class
	on 'How we Hear' was one to be remembered.  All tuners
	use HEARING daily and hence this post may be important!

	It seems that Dr.  Berlin actually took tuning lessons
	to try utilizing "sophisticated, audio-visual equipment
	to demonstrate the difference between electronic tuning
	and 'ear' tuning". All this in addition to playing piano
	jazz plus his Otolaryngology background!!  Dr. Berlin's
	actual tuning was soon finished because, as we all too
	well know, hammer technique is required. For me, the demo
	using visual vs audio tuning was not as important as the
	"How We Hear" portion of his presentation, parts of which
	I still use to this day.
 
				OUTLINE

	1)  Tuner used partials are 35/40 dbs lower in volume vs
	    fundamentals resulting in sounds 10,000 times softer.

	2)  Hearing problems.  Various diseases cause hair cells
	    to be lost including high blood pressure, viral pne-
	    umonia, fevers, meningitis, scarlet fever, etc.

	3)  Warning!  When getting a prescription from a physic-
	    ian, ask about known hearing loss problems!  Many of
	    the 'mycin' drugs are bad for hair cells.

	4)  Noise dangers.
		
		a.  If noise levels make you shout.	

		b.  Ears have a dullness or fullness feeling.

		c.  Ringing in ears (time to quit tuning today).

		d.  Safety levels are:

		    1. 90 dbs max levels for 8 hour duration

		    2. 95  "   "    "     "  4   "      "

		    3. 100 "   "    "     "  2   "      "

		    4. 105 "   "    "     "  1   "      "
		       
		       (cps note - 'R/Roll bands notwithstanding
		        - to wit:  President Clinton!)

		    5.  Hearing tips:

			a. Avoid high 'amino-glycide' foods like
			   chinese food before tuning.

			b. Do critical work in the a.m.

			c. Carry ear muffs and/or ear plugs

			d. Try placing the ear on the piano for 
			   hearing problem notes.  (cps - akin
			   to "Feelin' in Tune")

			e. Rest hearing 5 minutes between jobs.

		6.  On occasion the ear actually PRODUCES sounds,
		    adding a strange beat or even a double beat.
		    If puzzled by certain beat(s), check out by 
		    holding your hand over each ear alternatively.

		7. 'In phase' partials create amplitude, thus
		   indicating the note is in better in tune.

		8. BONE TRANSMISSION of sounds is a valuable
		   assist in hearing tuning easier; thus creating
		   the Subject of this posting "Feelin' in Tune?"

	Rather than risk turning people off with too lengthy a post, 
	(if not already!) I will divide this topic into two segments.
	"Feelin' in Tune", Part II, will be posted following comments.
	

	(cps note - After the temperament, some technicians tune
	either all the way up or all the way down.  I prefer to
	tune the whole piano in the 'both ways from the middle'
	temperament method, i.e. up and down alternately.  Dr. 
	Berlin concurred this method also 'saves on the hearing'.

Clarence (Clancy) Stout 	...the only tuner 'in captivity'
R.P.T. - 35 years 		   who has tuned a piano in the
Holyoke, Colorado	  		   now extinct town of - 'Flats
Nebraska Chapter, PTG				   Nebraska! FWIW   :-)