[pianotech] Aural vs. ETD

David Love davidlovepianos at comcast.net
Fri Apr 3 09:41:56 PDT 2009


Yes, pitch raises from A0 to the top and ETDs have it hands down for leaving
the piano close to spot on after a pitch raise-and quickly too.

 

David Love

www.davidlovepianos.com

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Porritt, David
Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 9:29 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Aural vs. ETD

 

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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