Alan writes:
>Tuned it 10 cents sharp.
> Have I sinned?
No, you have avoided finding the piano 20 cents flat next January.
>How sharp or flat can a piano be, in different temp/humidity environments
>and seasons, and still be tunable to standard pitch in one go?
You can't get a fine tuning on any piano from farther than 4 cents away.
>What is YOUR particular rule-of-thumb?
My rule depends on the usage. In the recording studios, 440 +/- 1 cent,
in the teaching studios, max is 6 cents deviation,(the teachers much prefer
the added stability that comes from not forcing the pianos up and down with
the seasons).
In the home, I learn what swings to expect after two tunings in
different seasons and adjust so that the pianos "center" around 440. That
means that if I find a piano 10 cents flat in January, I will raise it to 8
cents flat, mark the record that I did that, and when I see it in the summer,
if it is 10 cents sharp, then I know that piano has an 18 cent "swing" and
tune it accordingly. If I find a piano 10 cents flat in the middle of the
summer, I raise it to 440 and see what happens next winter.
There are always exceptions. Some homes have a 70 year old cheap grand
that is played at Christmas time with the eggnogg and uncles around it.
Pitch is not as important as unbroken strings. Some homes have a flute
player or children learning, then I sell the customer a more agressive
tuning situation, explaining why keeping closer tolerances requires more
tuning. Damp-chaser systems can often ameliorate the problem, also.
Regards,
Ed Foote RPT
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