[pianotech] concert pitch

[Allan]

I sat on a 3 day recording of the Fibonacci Trio last week-end. The
violinist expressed some concern that the piano be too low. We agreed that I
would tune the Yamaha C 7 at 441.
She was happy. She said after half an hour of working: "We always play with
badly tuned pianos, WHAT did you do to this one? 

Allan Sutton
www.pianotechniquemontreal.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Raymond Irving
Sent: 28 avril 2009 11:04
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] concert pitch

Hi Renee,

In the US, orchestra pitch levels vary from A=440 up to A=442. I can't  
recall who, if anybody, go higher than that (at least in this  
country). I am a double bassist, and I often sub with the Maryland  
Symphony Orchestra, where the pitch level is A=440. We've never had a  
"temperamental" artist have a problem with that. String instruments  
react very much the same as pianos in regard to pitch changes. The  
"soundboard" (top), bridges, and strings are fighting the changes.  
Afterwards, of course, returning the instrument to the original  
pitch......Having said that, even the orchestras that tune to A=440  
seldom actually DO. We string players have a tendency to tune ever so  
slightly sharp. Perhaps the thinking goes like this. Since it's a  
cardinal sin to play flat (sharp is okay???), nobody wants to sound  
flatter than their neighbor, even if your pitch is dead on A=440. Any  
psychologists on the list care care to comment?

Perhaps this is why certain artists request a higher pitch. When I  
wear my piano technician hat, I do mainly in-home service, and very  
seldom get asked about pitch level. I go with "standard" A=440.

Ray Irving



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