[pianotech] Aural vs. ETD

[Porritt, David]

David:

That sounds pretty much the way I tune too.  I pitch raise from A0 - C8, but all other tunings start at F3 and go up.  Hint, when you get to the wrapped strings turn off the ETD and your battery will last longer!

dp

David M. Porritt, RPT
dporritt at smu.edu

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Love
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 11:15 AM
To: toddpianoworks at att.net; pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Aural vs. ETD

Aural is the most accurate if the aural tuner is the most accurate, if not then it's not.  This has been gone over a lot and ETDs provide a nice tuning curve which often has to be tweaked as you go to account for the less than perfect tuning curve present in virtually every piano.  The differences are often very subtle and may not be picked up by most listeners were you to tune strictly by the ETD.  But sometimes there are noticeable differences.  I use an ETD but on all customer tunings I do a quick check of octaves (at least) while I go .  I don't tune from A0 up to the top because most of the time I find that the bass section will need a small adjustment.  I often start at A3 and go up after checking that the A3 A4 octave is clean before I begin.  Then I tune down through the bass using the ETD as a guide but checking with my ears.  I find it to be the best method of integrating the two methods.   (On institutional work where speed is of the essence I do go from A0 to the top).  Stability aside, someone who tunes by an ETD will produce a better tuning than a less than skilled aural tuner.  A very skilled aural tuner can do as well or better than someone who tunes without aural checks using an ETD.  A person who uses both has the benefit if two inputs.  It seems to me that over a large number of tunings that will produce the best and most consistent tunings.

They check with an ETD on the PTG exam only after doing a master tuning with an aural consensus and then measuring and saving the master tuning with the ETD.

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Matthew Todd
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 8:48 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] Aural vs. ETD

I'm assuming most of you read the article in the latest journal regarding aural vs. ETD.  I would like to hear more comments.  I wonder which is the most accurate.

It seems to me that ones who believe that aural is THE most accurate way have been doing it for 50+ years and have just not had the opportunity to try the latest ETD's which have come a long way over the years.  I say that because I was discussing this subject with a "strictly aural tuner" a while back and he told me that his ears are still as sharp as ever.  This gentleman by the way is in his 70's, with no hearing aids.  After he tuned a piano, I checked it with an ETD, and his tuning was all over the place.

Plus, I know that you have to tune for the PTG exam, for the most part, aurally.  But when your work is checked, do they not use an ETD?  Can anyone tell me why that is?

Anyway, just my thoughts at the moment.
TODD PIANO WORKS
Matthew Todd, Piano Technician
(979) 248-9578
http://www.toddpianoworks.com<http://www.toddpianoworks.com/>


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