Tuning styles with octaves

[David Love]

The question is what do you mean by perfectly?  If you have a measuring
device that allows for direct measurement, such as a SAT III, tune an
octave pure at the 4:2 level, then measure the same two notes at the 6:3
level, or the 8:4 level.  You will find that not all of the coincident
partials will be "perfectly" tuned.  In other words, there is no such
things as perfectlly tuned octave.  How clean the octaves sound is another
matter and I admit to a preference for cleaner sounding octaves such that
when you play A2, A3, A4, A5 together, for example, you don't hear much of
a roll unless you linger there for awhile.  Still, if measured at certain
partials, the octaves would measure at less than perfect.  The piano
generally tells you (if you listen, of course) where it wants to be and
even if you are using an ETD, it is important to determine by ear just what
kind of octaves will work best for a particular piano, that is, how much
stretch is appropriate.    

David Love
davidlovepianos@earthlink.net


> [Original Message]
> From: Bec and John <bjsilva001@comcast.net>
> To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: 6/9/2004 7:38:19 PM
> Subject: Tuning styles with octaves
>
> Hello,
>
> I am curious about people who do not tune octaves "perfectly". For 
> instance, tuning bass notes flat or sharp in smaller pianos in favour 
> of better partials.
>
> My own taste and philosophy is to tune all octaves completely 
> beat-less. Even in the bass of small grands, if the note is off-tune in 
> favour of a potentially less offending partial that will bother me far 
> more than the partial. In the highest range, beats appear with the 
> smallest of imperfections and, to me, perfectly clean higher notes (at 
> least on a nice piano) are so pretty - even a very slow beat ruins it 
> for me.
>
> So I was curious to hear people's explanations for stretching octaves. 
> I always figured it was to humour the person they are tuning for, 
> although I have gathered from postings on the list that some tuners 
> prefer it themselves.
>
> When I was studying tuning I recall reading or hearing someone say that 
> if the octaves were tuned "perfectly" they'd be off tune at either end 
> of the piano - I found exactly the opposite! :)
>
> Thanks.
>
> - John
>
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