Bass Tuning

[Elian Degen]

Hi, Newton et all

I started as an Aural tuner and now I do a sort of mixed tuning.
Last year I was almost deciding between a SAT and an RCT when Yamaha made me
an offer I couldn´t refuse. So I ended up with a PT 100II at a very good
price. ( I always used Yamaha and I am used to it )

Normally I tune the bass part aurally. specially the first octave I found it
almost impossible to tune with an ETD,

Many of my colleagues do it, and I did it also, and when you are careful
sounds well, but if you listen to it carefully, specially when I am asked to
tune for someone with a very good ear, I got the best results tuning
aurally.


>First, descending into the bass for the middle it is good to use fifths,
>get them as pure as you can then check using the minor third inverted
>into the major sixth.

>Useful also are descending sixths, thirds and tenths.  If an error
>occurs a variation in the beat rates will point it out.  There will


I have been using this methods. but not up to the end. Unless the piano has
very good bass clarity, getting down to the 2nd and first octave I find more
useful Octaves and fifths.

>There are other test and checks, but for the beginning tuner these are
>the most useful.


I would like to know which are the other tests ?

Now, there are some pianos i.e.: Erard, Gaveau, ( I had to tune some of
these recently, old French pianos) , which are so full of harmonics in the
bass, I only could tune them satisfactory doing it aurally, and try
afterwards to compare it to an ETD,

Elian Degen
Piano Tuner and Technician
Caracas, Venezuela  degen@telcel.net.ve
Phone 58-2-748547/ 58-14-9222981 Fax 58-2-748547