[pianotech] aural vs edt

Ryan Sowers tunerryan at gmail.com
Sat Apr 4 11:36:29 PDT 2009


I'll add another to the list:

7) Aural tuning skills help the tuner more effectively troubleshoot tunings.
In some situations you don't have time to complete a regular tuning - so
being able to listen to the piano and make appropriate judgments can really
be a lifesaver. Troubleshooting is the high art of piano work - so any skill
that helps us with our troubleshooting skills is well worth it.

On Sat, Apr 4, 2009 at 8:34 AM, David Renaud <drjazzca at yahoo.ca> wrote:

>
>   I am an active CTE and perhaps can add some thoughts to muse over.
> Point form so you can pick what you want to respond to.
>
> 1) EDTs are fantastic tools. As an aural tuner for 20 years integrating
> EDT use has made me a better tuner. The ability to analyze my unisons
> and stability has tightened up my unisions and improved stability. The
> ability to analyze what I do aurally has given definition, clarity,
> and consistency to choices of stretch. The ability to save my best aural
> tunings on concert instruments has been an aid worth a fortune this last
> month with bronchitis, on 6am tunings, and on long long days. From an
> Aural tuning advocate let be first be very clear on this; the EDTs
> we have today are fantastic tools, I approve of their use, they are here
> to stay, aural tuners can learn much from EDT analysis.
>
> 2) EDT only tuners can also learn much from aural analysis. Any smooth
>  tuning stretch curve generated from samples as taken by cybertuner,
> tunelab and such does not account for each and every string scaling change
> and accompanying inharmonicity jump. As small as these jumps may be they
> remain significant. When staring from a quality machine tuning and
> subjecting the tuning to careful aural tests for smooth progressions of
> intervals the machine tuning even on a nice piano like a Yamaha C7 will
> move away from the generated curve significantly and jump back with each
> string size change. Fine concert tuning requires smoothing out interval
> progressions this way. Verituner and perhaps others will listen to
> individual note inharmonisity and generate compensation for same. When asked
> if we can use Verituner to generate a master tuning I am told it
> still takes a few passes to gather enough information for this. The ear
> I think must remain the boss, as good as EDTs become careful aural
> listening will be the judge by the finest musicians and tuners.
>
> 3) If we will not preserve this aural tradition who will?
>
> 4) I need subs for my 4 regular concert venues from time to time....
>   I can not hire an EDT only tuner. What will they  do if it crashes? What
> will they do if your battery dies? What will they do
>  if they run over your kit with your car and kill the EDT(happened to one
> tech I know) Tell the artist sorry, no tuning on stage today for the show.
>  I can not take this risk with my major clients when I send in a sub.
> Therefore, you want to grow a business to include concert tuning, the top
> musicians, and all the related references, Its less likely
> to happen in this city without aural skills.
>
> 5) To many times I hear EDT only tuners who brag about "perfect" tunings,
> "the same every time" that do not listen and trust the machine get followed
> up with complaints. I subcontracted to one for a time and had to quite
> because of complaints. No listening was taking place and the some of the
> follow ups were scary tunings.
>
> 6) My personnel conclusion is integration is way of the future and is best.
>  Aural tuners can learn from EDTs, EDT tuners can learn from Aural
>   testing skills. Lets learn the best of both worlds and raise standards
>  all round.
>
>                                           2 cents worth for now
>                                           Cheers
>                                           Dave Renaud
>                                           from the Great White North
>
>
>
> 5)
> this way.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>


-- 
Ryan Sowers, RPT
Puget Sound Chapter
Olympia, WA
www.pianova.net
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