established memory

[Andrew & Rebeca Anderson]

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Terry,
I've noticed this too.  I typically say that the new-string-stretch has 
been eliminated.  I tell customers with new pianos that to stabilize they 
will have to tune more often to begin with.  If they don't they'll simply 
have to do more later.
I've tuned an old upright that had been well maintained by a great 
grandmother and then languished for years, decades, until a great-grandson 
wanted to learn.  It was over eighty cents flat.  I got it up and clean in 
one pass (most new pianos want more).  Three months later it was 3-5 cents 
flat and fine tuned easily.  Oh, and it went flat when summer was over and 
the furnace came on and sharp again in the spring.
I tuned a five-year-old yamaha baby grand that had one tuning by the store 
after delivery.  I did a sixty cent pitch-raise on it and three months 
later did a twelve cent pitch raise.  If you don't take up 
new-piano-string-stretch in the beginning you will take it up later.

 >This sounds like a bunch of poppycock! Established memory? Maybe a 
persistent bend in a string, but established memory? >Way too romantic. Is 
this theory promulgated by the originators of "the circle of sound"?
Are you talking about the circle of fifths here?  I wouldn't be too 
critical of that.
Also, if your clients keep switching back and forth between tuners ( I had 
one) you will notice that the piano doesn't compare well with ones you have 
maintained exclusively.  (Especially if the other one can't hear anything 
above C5.)  Come second, third, and fourth tuning of a consistent approach 
to tuning the instrument, you will notice that it is close and more 
consistent each time (barring weather extremes, read humidity).  Call it 
what you will, "memory" isn't a bad description.
>Any chance, as compared to a newer piano, that this old piano simply has 
>strings that have lost much of their elasticity and has a flat soundboard? 
>I wouldn't call such a condition "established memory", but rather "lack of 
>function".
Newer pianos that are frequently tuned stabilize, hold and respond to 
tunings well without their soundboards being called into question.  That 
old one I mentioned did not have any visible cracks, I didn't check for 
crown.  It sounded good considering the condition of the hammers.  "One 
thing at a time" said the customer.
>me as it was right up to pitch. Established memory? I really don't think 
>so. Non-elastic strings and a flat soundboard? Seems much more likely to me.

I must disagree with you here, Terry.  Try re-tuning your piano to a 
well-temperament, say, using a circle of fifths.  Watch what happens over a 
week with an ETD.  You might choose different terminology but it would 
equate with "memory."  I've found on my piano that three tunings are 
necessary spread over two to three weeks before an alternate tuning holds 
reasonably well for a couple months.  The compressed wood in the bridges 
and soundboard "remember"/"respond to" the tension they were under.
Being "scientific" is OK.  Being a good communicator works well in the 
business place.

Andrew A. 
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