In response to some categorical statements about ETD users never learning to tune aurally, I have the following statement. One of my students who started with the SAT III in Jan 2002 tuned for his first Concert Prep in Mar 2002. His work was liked so much that he has replaced a 20 year aural tuner at this venue. He works for a dealer who is a fine classically trained pianist who can really hear. This tuner is now the preferred tuner at that dealership. Oh yes, he also has "perfect pitch" in the commonly accepted understanding of that term. It took a few weeks to get him to not depend upon the "perfect pitch" while tuning. His aural unisons are impeccable. His aural sense of balancing out the stretch of the octaves is quite acceptable now. He is beginning to work on aural temperament. In his last session with me he tuned a perfect 7 pbs for the F3-A3 M3rd upon his first attempt. In another few weeks he should have the temperament down to a fine degree. Of course he has the SAT III as an ever present tutor. For those who are new to the pianotech list, I had thought that with the demonstrations of the "Tuneoffs" a few years ago we would not need to rehash this argument about the superiority of Aural vs ETD tuning. There is not a dime's worth of difference with those skilled in either method. And the beginning ETD user has a definiteadvantage over the beginning aural tuner. While it may be true in some instances that some ETD users never really become good tuners, the same can definitely be said about some aural tuners. Jim Coleman, Sr.
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC