Tuning Basic question

[Tom Cole]

Ronald W. Murray wrote:
> 
> Sorry to impose such an ignorant question on a group that is
> obviously so knowledgeable...
> 
> I just purchased an old piano that I am interested in
> restoring and I subscribed to this group to just listen in and learn
> as much as possible via osmosis.
> 
> What I, as a novice do not understand is the tuning process in
> general. I am an accomplished trumpet player and have a pretty good
> ear. What I'm asking myself is... do you not use any mechanical aids
> in tuning pianos? It seems to the uneducated (like me) that you would
> set an electronic chromatic tuner, plunk each key and adjust it based
> on the instrument.
> 
> Obviously this is deeply incorrect. Would someone in the group be
> willing to offer a short primer on general tuning procedure and
> theory?

Ronald,

The difficulty in tuning pianos (besides manipulating the tuning pins in
such a way as to create a _stable_ tuning) lies in the fact that each
note does not produce even multiple harmonics of the fundamental
frequency. Instead, the harmonics, or partials as they are called, are
somewhat sharp of what you might expect. 

Therefore, a device such as you describe would be most inadequate to
accomplish the task and, while you would indeed get well-spaced
intervals, the octaves would sound contracted owing to the mismatch
between the 2nd partial of the lower note beating against the
fundamental of the upper in each octave.

To make matters worse, every piano is different and it is necessary to
let the instrument tell you how much to stretch the octaves so that they
will sound in tune.

There are indeed electronic tuning devices that are very good at
emulating what the aural tuner does and are sophisticated enough to take
into account the differing amounts of inharmonicity we encounter as well
as differing tastes in octave stretch, over and above the amount
demanded by the piano.

Tom Cole

> 
> ---
> Ronald W. Murray
> Engineering Business Manager
> Clear Communications Group
> Minerich Division
> Voice: (606) 623-0024
> FAX:   (606) 624-1839

-- 
Thomas A. Cole RPT
Santa Cruz, CA