hopeless

[istuner@islandia.is]

> I get very few callbacks on my work and take what few I do get as an 
> opportunity to build good will.  To be sure, with 3211 names in my customer 
> file, I suppose I can afford to lose a few, but I try not to.
> 
> Several years ago, I tuned a Yamaha console in a church social hall, and was 
> promptly called back.  The woman said her daughter, who was a music student 
> at the university (and therefore expert) told her "D below middle C was out 
> of tune."  When I returned to check it, it was right on.  But listening to 
> it, and comparing to the notes around, it was harsh and stuck out.  I voiced 
> it down.  In retrospect, though, I don't think I was smart, on leaving, to 
> remark to the woman that her daughter ought to learn the difference between 
> "tune" and "tone."  I could have imparted the same information without being 
> abrasive.  I've never been called to do any more tuning for them.
> 
> Bill Maxim



Well,  it can be really tough sometimes.

Once I was called by a music school out in the country to tune for them.  They had five pianos but there 
were oodles and oodles of pianos in the community that I got.  

I spent a couple of over-the-hill-crazy-tunamania -days there.  

Note; I had to fly over there and I walked between houses!

One month later I called the head teacher of the school.

He said that in fact they weren´t happy with the tuning of two pianos in the school, and they had noticed 
this immediately after I left.
My heart sank to hell.  I felt awful.  Why didn´t they tell me before?  Jeeze, I didn´t want to lose these 
customers.

I was there the DAY AFTER.  
I bought the ticket for my own money, some 300 dollars and went over.
When I got there I looked at the two pianos in question, both Yamaha U1´s.

The atmospheric conditions in the schools are very bad, but the pianos sounded FANTASTICALLY.
I´m not just saying this.  The temperaments were in concert condition, and I repeat, I´m not just saying 
this.  I´ve tuned for a lot of concerts and a number of CD´s.  Frankly, I was very proud of myself, and 
amazed.

Well the head teacher (who plays the trumpet by the way) came in when I played over a third F# - A#
and said: "That one´s out of tune!"

He had no reference of course since he didn´t hear anything except the first two thirds in the 
temperament, and he probably wasn´t listening to the same things we do!
They were SO fine!

I wanted to friggin' bury my tuning hammer tip in the bastard´s occipital area!

Turns out they didn´t communicate too well in the school and the problem wasn´t the tuning.  


A new teacher from Poland wasn´t used to the tone of the piano.  It wasn´t very hard, but the room was 
pretty small and no one had complained when I was there!  He had a much softer piano in Poland and 
the head teacher says "He´s not happy with the tuning!"

There was a SQUEAK in the pedal!  It wasn´t there more than a month ago.

In the other piano there was a click in one hammer, I fixed it but it has since come back. 
Actually the jack rail in the middle was a little off so ppp playing was a little difficult, I simply missed it 
when I played it the other time, but no problem to fix. 

But no one complained before!

When looking back, I should have heard the click before.  I did however have oodles of pianos on my 
schedule.  Even given that, it´s no reason to call a man over the whole country since it wasn´t that bad!

I try to do my best.  The head teacher assured me he´d call me in the spring.  Well, he hasn´t yet, but I 
figure he will in the fall.

Sometimes I wish I didn´t give a hoot but I do, and deep down I know it´s better.

Apprehensively posting this,
Kristinn Leifsson,
Reykjavík, Iceland

 
     

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Vefpostur TALs www.tal.is