45 min tunings

Wimblees@AOL.COM Wimblees@AOL.COM
Wed, 17 May 2000 20:29:02 EDT


In a message dated 5/16/00 11:22:10 PM Central Daylight Time, 
jformsma@dixie-net.com writes:


You ask a lot of questions. Why are you so interested in knowing about my 45 
minute tuning?  Are you going to try to do this yourself?

I'll try to answer them the best I can.
 
 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...
 
 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?

I try very hard to give my best on every tuning. Most of my 45 minute tunings 
are regular customers, and the piano is tuned at least once a year. Being an 
CTE, I think I can honestly say that my tunings would pass the tuning exam, 
Whether some of the pianos would qualify for the same is another question. 
 
 Do you tune that fast for concerts, or just for "lower-end" tunings?

For me there really is no difference between a concert and an in home tuning. 
I give both the same attention. The difference is that a concert usually has 
a much better instrument to work on, and in that case I guess you can say the 
"lower end" tunings can get done a little faster. 
 
 How long do you spend on temperament, octaves, unisons?

When I was doing aural tunings, I would spend about 10 minutes on the 
temperament, 10-15 minutes on the octaves, and the rest of the time on 
unisons, and rechecking octaves and intervals. 
 
 How even is the piano? I.e., are all the intervals ascending/descending
 evenly?

Of course.
 
 What kind of stability is achieved?

By nature I am a pounder, so the piano is very stable. On a side not on this. 
My wife also tunes. (I taught her) The first time a customer requested her, I 
was a little put back. The customer said she liked Jan's tuning over mine. At 
first I thought my temperament, etc., was not as good as hers. But then it 
was explained that while I pound on the piano, Jan plays it, and that is what 
the customer liked.  
 
 How are your unisons? Three strings perfectly tuned, really close, or what?

Yes
 
 Do you concentrate mostly on good unisons and octaves?

Both
 
 Any other thing I have left out?

NO
 
 Thanks in advance,
 
 John Formsma
 Blue Mountain, MS >>

Willem Blees


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