tuning exam

[Kevin E. Ramsey]

    Hi, Gary. This is the first time that I've really noticed a posting from
you.

    There's something  that you really have to know, if you're scoring your
aural skills with a machine. First, this suggests that you are learning to
tune aurally. Good. Secondly, machines tune by mathematical calculations,
which make assumptions concerning continuity of stringing scales. In the
real world, stringing scales make sudden changes, not smooth transitions,
therefore, your ear could be right for that particular piano, and the
machine could be out in left field. That is why it's important to, as Jim
Coleman Sr. teaches, "Don't turn off your ears when you turn on the
machine."
    It's just a machine, and a good tool, but it can be wrong at times. If
you're practicing on a piano at your home, and then scoring the results on
that piano, then try to keep a record of where the machine says you're
wrong. Most usually it's in the low tenor, but if you're always scoring
poorly in one area of the piano, you need to find out if it's you, or the
machine.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Gary McCormick" <gmcc@pipeline.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2001 12:04 PM
Subject: tuning exam


> Is it appropriate to ask how the scoring is done on the tuning exam?
> I'm trying to practice the temperament test using RCT; pulling up the
record
> of my own piano, after tuning a temperament, I manually record what I've
> done, and compare it to  the tuning record.
> On a couple of notes, I may be off 1.10 cents, and the rest anywhere from
> .12 to .50 cents.  Is this acceptable?  At the moment I feel like I'm
trying
> to beat the machine, and I don't know that I can do that.
> Thanks for any info
> Gary McCormick