Tuning Time

[Jon Page]

At 11:24 PM 09/06/2000 -0400, you wrote:
><snip>
>string in tune. What I do is turn the pin constantly, going above and below
>the pitch, and find the "best" pitch the string should rest at. You will hear
>beats, but you'll hear more beats and then less beats. Settle on the pitch
>with the least number of beats. To save time, you need to constantly work the
>pin. Don't take too much time listening for the perfect solution, because
>there isn't one.
>
>I hope this explains it.
>
>Willem

Good explanation . . . less bad.

You have to know when to say when.

If a unison is being difficult, listen to the individual strings and notice 
the beats.
If any are present, that's as fine as you can get it. What's fun is when 
each string
in a unison has a different false beat rate. Aye Carumba !

Some unisons sound better slightly out of tune than with the rashness of the
false beats arguing with each other. I'll have this on a fairly new 
Wurtlizer at the
school today, if I'm not back by noon, send help.

All in a days work,
Jon Page,   piano technician
Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass.
mailto:jonpage@mediaone.net
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