In a message dated 5/17/00 1:27:04 PM Central Daylight Time, jformsma@dixie-net.com (John M. Formsma) writes: << There has been mention on the list from those who routinely do a normal tuning in 45 minutes or less. For those of you who can do this aurally...>> This is a good question because I am often asked both about quality and when I charge extra. << Would all your tunings pass the tuning exam for the RPT test, or are some below par? If no, how do you justify leaving a piano below "minimal" standards?>> Remember that the RPT Tuning Exam is a very specific, controlled situation. However, the tolerances that are used can be thought of as minimum professional standards. Long ago, I made those my standards and would not charge for a tuning that didn't at least meet minimum professional standards. In most cases, I want my work to be well above the minimum. Only in the case of a piano which cannot be tuned because of structural weakness or deterioration might I charge for the tuning but inform the customer of the circumstances. <<Do you tune that fast for concerts, or just for "lower-end" tunings?>> If the piano is in a nearly ready state, yes. If it is off pitch, it may take longer. However, the 45 minute usual time for me is on the common type piano found in someone's home. A concert tuning requires a higher standard of stability than the home piano and therefore takes longer. <<How long do you spend on temperament, octaves, unisons?>> It must be understood that when using the 2 step process, one rough tuning and one fine tuning, you don't belabor any part of what you do. The biggest mistake that people make is expecting the piano to really be in tune with just one pass. When the rough tuning is done quickly, it leaves the piano close enough that the fine tuning also does not take much time. You really can tune the piano much faster twice than you can fight with it once. << How even is the piano? I.e., are all the intervals ascending/descending evenly?>> Mine are always uneven, deliberately so but in line with the Cycle of 5ths, a more musically appropriate alignment. << What kind of stability is achieved?>> A kind which would meet minimum professional standards <<How are your unisons? Three strings perfectly tuned, really close, or what?>> Maybe not as perfect as the most rigorous concert tuning but certainly well within minimum professional standards. <<Do you concentrate mostly on good unisons and octaves? >> Temperament, octaves and unisons are all equally important in my opinion. The purpose for talking about minimum times that it takes for tuning is to show what *can* be done, not what must or should be done. There are times when the piano must be ready in short order or else. There are other times when there is so much demand that to do six or seven pianos in a day means being able to serve your customers when they want it and also to put well earned profits in the bank. Speed, accuracy and stability in tuning is all a matter of refined technique and concentration on what you are doing. I wouldn't want to always work in "high gear", so to speak but I know that I can do the same high quality work I usually do in a shortened time interval when I have to. It only requires a high degree of concentration with no wasted motion or effort. Bill Bremmer RPT Madison, Wisconsin
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC