Piano 'detuning'

[Richard Moody]

When I worked for a rental agency, they got a call for a de-tuned piano.  Seems a
producer wanted it to sound like a wild west bar room piano. To be used in a coffee
comercial.  We weren't sure if he wanted the "rinky dink" sound (the player piano
attachment)  (mimics thumb tacks in the hammers) of if a de-tuned piano would do.  
I detuned some unisions,  (one string is enough) got him on the telephone, played
two chords and he said that was exactly what he had in mind.  To this day every time
I see a coffee comercial on TV I listen for a detuned piano.        ric

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> From: John Ross <piano.tech@ns.sympatico.ca>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Piano 'detuning'
> Date: Tuesday, July 06, 1999 10:58 AM
> 
> Hi List,
> I have often wondered, what if a customer wanted the "Honky Tonk" sound.
> How would one do this?
> I have a SATlll. How much are the strings "off" from one another?
> Has anyone had the request for a "Honky Tonk" tuning?
> Regards,
> John M. Ross
> Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada.
> 
> VOCE88@AOL.COM wrote:
> 
> > In a message dated 7/6/99 3:07:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time, ChrisRis@AOL.COM
> > writes:
> >
> > >
> > >  Has anyone EVER heard of this???  I'm actually thinking of trying it on
> > her;
> > >
> > >  she's crazy enough to love it!!!
> > >
> > >  Christopher Ris
> > >
> > For some studio work, a tech. I know claimed to add more "bite" to the sound
> > by doing exactly that. Second hand information, for sure - I know no details.
> >
> > maybe Ed Foote can enlighten us? He does lots of studio work.
> >
> > Richard Galassini
> > Cunningham Piano Co
> > 1 800 394 1117
>