Tuning Pianos where they will be played

[Andrew & Rebeca Anderson]

Isaac made a point about how room resonance will affect piano tuning that 
is on point, for me.

My wife's piano is a short grand, Wurlitzer baby.  The fundamental tone in 
the bass gets well buried under the partials.  In our last residence it was 
in a small parlor with low ceilings and it easily over powered the 
space.  As Isaac suggested, I was most likely stretching it more there 
because I was harmonizing the partials.  We have moved to a new home now 
and it is in a larger living room with cathedral ceilings and I find that I 
stretch the bass much less now.  The high frequency partials aren't ruling 
the sonic space anymore.  He noted that wider stretching is more common in 
larger halls.

He also suggested in concert situations to listen to the rehearsal from a 
distance to better assess a piano's needs.  He and my chapter president 
mentioned that ear plugs or ear filters (like what rock musicians use) can 
help you isolate the fundamental and protect your long term hearing 
(respectively).  That is something I will have to try.  I have noticed in 
aural tuning that there are so many beats at different frequencies and it 
was a difficult matter for me to begin to sense which beat I was working 
with to tune intervals, well that and counting three beats in five seconds 
etc. ;-)

Having acquired my "knowledge" via a lesser correspondence course and the 
school of hard-knocks I'm appreciating all that I'm learning here.  I only 
just moved to an area where there is a guild chapter that I could 
join.  Previously I was five hours drive from the nearest active chapter, 
and no, I didn't make it to chapter meetings.

Thanks to all,
Andrew