tuning

[David Ilvedson]

Well, you'll never know until you try...

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044


----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Elwood Doss" <edoss at utm.edu>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Received: 8/5/2006 9:01:32 AM
Subject: RE: tuning


>I suggest strictly aural tuners at least consider working with a ETD 
>> occasionally to "see" what they are missing...

>Let's see, what am I missing...?
>Joy!
>Elwood

>Elwood Doss, Jr., M.M.E., RPT
>Piano Technician/Technical Director
>Department of Music
>145 Fine Arts Building
>The University of Tennessee at Martin
>Martin, TN  38238
>731/881-1852
>FAX: 731/881-7415
>HOME: 731/587-5700

>-----Original Message-----
>From: pianotune05 [mailto:pianotune05 at comcast.net] 
>Sent: Saturday, August 05, 2006 8:15 AM
>To: ilvey at sbcglobal.net; Pianotech List
>Subject: Re: tuning

>...and Dave, once money is better, I'm going to check into the ETDs that
>the 
>sight impaired can read.  I'm really curious and interested in seeing
>these.
>Marshall
>ps. I find thae string problem situation in spinits.  I think if my wife

>decided to start nagging me for the first time after 17 years of
>marriage 
>would be better than tuning some of the spinits I've encountered.  LOL
>:)

>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey at sbcglobal.net>
>To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
>Sent: Friday, August 04, 2006 5:21 PM
>Subject: RE: tuning


>>I guess I do a type of whole tone tuning...you could call it whole tone

>>tuning by eye, ear & throat (I mutter a lot)..;-]  I use my SAT III and

>>tune unisons as I go...all my checks are done with tuned unisons...What

>>John mentions below about changes to your tuned notes if making a
>tension 
>>change is so important to remember.
>> When I'm bringing my three strings into tune I can instantly see if 
>> something is drifting...I tune most unisons with my SAT and then check

>> aurally for movement...usually if I hear an aural problem, one string
>has 
>> moved slightly...of course with the ETD I find unisons where I have to

>> flatten one string and sharpen the other to get a decent
>unison...inherent 
>> string problems.
>>
>> I suggest strictly aural tuners at least consider working with a ETD 
>> occasionally to "see" what they are missing...
>>
>> Because of the recent price increases, I am going to have to do with
>my 
>> old flamesuit...so be nice
>>
>> David Ilvedson, RPT
>> Pacifica, CA  94044
>>
>>
>> ----- Original message ----------------------------------------
>> From: "John M. Formsma" <john at formsmapiano.com>
>> To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
>> Received: 8/4/2006 2:30:07 PM
>> Subject: RE: tuning
>>
>>
>>>>Whole tone tuning, when practiced by a good tuner, is incredibly 
>>>>accurate.
>>>> Whoever made that statement to you is ignorant on the point,  with
>all
>>>>due respect. PTG sells a little book by Virgil Smith about tuning
>that
>>>>will set you straight, I believe.
>>>>
>>>>David Andersen
>>
>>>[John Formsma] I definitely agree with David here. There's something
>about
>>>whole note tuning that actually makes it easier to hear when the note 
>>>being
>>>tuned gets in the right place. (It's probably the fact that you have
>more 
>>>of
>>>a solid "foundation" with all three strings sounding together then if
>only
>>>the middle string is sounding.)
>>
>>>Now the caveat is that you have to get your unisons perfect as you go,
>or
>>>your octave will be off.  The better the unison, the better the
>octave. 
>>>For
>>>me, tuning octaves is easier to hear this way than with a strip mute,
>>>although it still takes me longer than with a strip mute.  I like
>tuning
>>>with open unisons better because of the better sound it produces.  I
>think
>>>it is also more stable.  However, I don't always tune with open
>unisons.
>>>Usually just with better pianos that are close to pitch to start with.
>>
>>>Also, the piano should be fairly close to pitch before trying this.
>>>Otherwise, there will be pitch drop that will cumulatively affect the
>rest
>>>of the piano.  With experience, you can learn to expect pitch drop in
>>>certain sections, and tune sharper to counteract this.  For instance, 
>>>today
>>>I was tuning a piano with the middle section just slightly sharp, and
>the
>>>first section of treble was about 6-8 cents flat.  I only did one pass
>>>through this section, but had to make adjustments to four unisons
>because
>>>they had dropped a bit flat.  If you are careful to check your double
>>>octaves and your octave-fifths, you will catch these before you make
>too
>>>much cumulative error.
>>
>>>I have not read Virgil's book on tuning, but in his classes he teaches
>to
>>>get the upper note of the octave just a tad sharp, so there is just a
>tiny
>>>beat.  This beat will go away once the unison of the upper note is
>tuned.
>>
>>>JF