[pianotech] Fw: ETD tuning during temperature changes

David Love davidlovepianos at comcast.net
Thu Jan 27 14:13:39 MST 2011


I answered John's query about how.  

Jumping on the soapbox?  Please, how many soapbox rants have we read about
RC&S soundboards.  I happen to agree with many of the findings in that area
(though not all) but the point is that people are inclined to share and
argue adamantly about technologies that may be useful to those who refuse to
give up traditional approaches.  Sound familiar?  

Nobody is arguing with anyone's personal choice but when objective analysis
of an existing technology is trumped by personal decisions to cling to
traditional methods then I think the discussion is worth continuing.  After
all, the discussion is not just for those who have already made up their
minds, but for those who are trying to make up their minds.  

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Ron Nossaman
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 12:48 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Fw: ETD tuning during temperature changes

On 1/27/2011 1:56 PM, David Love wrote:
>
> David Love www.davidlovepianos.com (sent from bb)
>
> -----Original Message----- From: "David
> Love"<davidlovepianos at comcast.net> Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:33:14
> To: Ron Nossaman<rnossaman at cox.net> Reply-To:
> davidlovepianos at comcast.net Subject: Re: [pianotech] ETD tuning
> during temperature changes
>
> I think he was talking about stage lights.

Read it again. He said warm air from the furnace, mentioned stage lights 
in parentheses, and later pitch going back and forth from temperature 
variations.


>Furnace cycles can create
> problems for both aural and etd users. But since any competent etd
> user is also listening those cycles would come as no surprise and can
> be dealt with.

Which is why John F asked how.


> From a guy who so adamantly criticizes soundboard making by the seat
> of the pants in favor of modern and calculated technologies, it
> surprises me to hear you so opposed to this one that has obvious
> advantages and really no disadvantages that I can think of save
> perhaps the cost. Even then, with the accumulated savings in time
> spent it will soon more than pay for itself.

When have I ever said I was opposed to ETD use? I'm not, never have 
been, and never said I was that I'm aware of. What I'm opposed to is 
inflated claims that are unsupported or contradictory to evidence, 
whatever the medium or subject. I'm also not that enthusiastic about an 
evangelical approach to the justifications of methods used for whatever 
the discussion topic happens to be, when there are facts available. Why 
is it repeatedly insisted that aural tuning is slow and stressful, for 
instance? Perhaps it was for the person who switched to the ETD, in 
which case that person made the right choice. For the person who never 
learned to tune aurally, why wouldn't the reverse be the case? Why can't 
the person who chooses to tune aurally have also made the right choice? 
When I see this kind of social pressure so consistently applied to the 
minority who hasn't conformed to majority opinion, I can't help but 
wonder what's in it for the mob trying to cram the "standard" down the 
individual's throat. It reminds me most of customers asking me what 
church I attend, and pushing hands full of religious literature in my 
face, and the pastor at every church I ever tuned for making sure I know 
service times so I can be sure and attend. Believe me, I've heard all 
the reasons for ETD use hundreds of times for years and years, and I 
think they're wonderful things. I own a registered copy of Tunelab97 
(yes, I know there's a newer one), and have no problem whatsoever with a 
serviceable tuning left by whatever means the tuner chose to accomplish 
it. I just chose to tune aurally. I don't jump on the soap box at every 
opportunity and extol the virtues of the way of the Fork, with promises 
of speed and comfort, when someone is quite happy and competent with 
their ETD. The heavens don't part, fish don't leap into the boat, and 
it's not what I'd call a particularly mystic or cosmic thing, but it's 
my choice to tune aurally. I'm not a real big fan of tuning anyway, and 
tuning aurally is the only thing keeping me entertained through the 
process. Swapping stories with my customers entertains me afterward. I 
don't find the endless argumentation on list of ETD vs aural to be 
entertaining at all.

Ron N



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