how high(low) do you go?

Clyde Hollinger cedel@supernet.com
Tue, 28 Nov 2000 21:18:17 -0500


Mark,

I had the same situation several years ago.  The electronic organ had just
been tuned, but it was wrong.  The guy came back, corrected the tuning, and
everything was fine.

But a pipe organ is a different story, to which someone more knowledgeable
than I will need to respond.

I can't imagine myself tuning a piano even 15 cents sharp, but then I'm
semi-paranoid about tearing strings.  If the piano and organ are never played
together, then no problem.  Just tune the piano A-440.  Before I would raise
the piano as far as you need, I would make sure it is clear who will pay if
strings tear.  It won't be me.

Regards, Clyde

bases-loaded@juno.com wrote:

> List -
>
> Another first...
>
> Went to tune a piano to a pipe organ at a church, and found the pipe
> organ 28 cents SHARP!  Yep, sharp....And it was JUST tuned....I am more
> accustomed to 15-20 cents flat.  Anyway.... I convinced the music
> director that tuning the piano that high was not advisable, and he agreed
> to A-440.
>
> Which brings up the following query...
>
> How high are you willing to tune a piano, when circumstances require it?
> A-442 would be about 8 cents high, right?  I assume you would go there?
> Would you go 10 cents?  15?
>
> Conversely, when tuning to a pipe organ, as mentioned, I find that
> typically they are 15-20 cents low, although I have one within 4 cents
> (sometimes).  My question here is more oriented to the use of 'other'
> instruments when tuned this low....i.e., how low can OTHER instruments be
> expected to 'play along' with tunings that are below A-440?  5 cents? 10
> cents?  15 cents?  Just how long ARE the mouth pieces of most wind
> instruments?  Can they be expected to elongate themselves as much as 18
> cents to match a pipe organ and still be playable?   Any wind players out
> there?
>
> Looking for parameters...
>
> Mark Potter
> bases-loaded@juno.com





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