stunning tuning without a stun gun

[Jim Coleman, Sr.]

The following comment triggered me to write something:

"I certainly believe...no I know that it is possible to learn to 
out-tune even the best of ETD's...no matter how good they get."

Virgil Smith has tried it several times. The net result is that no 
matter which method is used if it is used by a well experienced
tuner, the results will be practically indistinguishable.

Several years ago I wrote a program in Basic language which attempted
utilize all the decision making which we use in aural tuning. The 
program became quite complex. Many many decisions are made during 
aural tuning when one compares all the possible interval 
relationships. When these decisions are made in a computer, it is 
nice, but when one tries to tune to the accuracy of .1 cents in 
real time, the decisions begin to unravel for we are not able to 
tune to the needed accuracy which the programs require. Therefore, 
I came to the conclusion that tuning to a smooth curve is probably 
the best that we can do because it at least gives us a target 
which presumably will keep certain intervals smoothly graduated.

Now if, in the case of certain poorly scaled pianos, we wish to 
make compromises of one smoothly graduated beat rate in favor of 
accommodating some other interval which does not graduate 
smoothly, this is where artistic license comes into play. Here is 
where the SAT III really shines because of its simplicity in 
making these kinds of changes. Granted, if all piano scalings were
perfectly balanced, there would be no need for any changes, the 
SAT III does very well. The SAT can do in one pass what the 
Verituner takes 2 passes to do. For those who are specifically 
interested in how, write me privately, it's too lengthy to 
explain in this forum, but is so easy to do. Of course all this is
predicated upon a good hammer technique and acute ears and eyes.
No machine tunes a piano for you. Neither do ears.

Jim Coleman, Sr.
PS I no longer accept commissions on AccuTuner sales.