<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><BR><DIV><DIV>On Jan 6, 2006, at =
1:44 AM, David Andersen wrote:</DIV><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><P =
style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" =
size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">You do use a mute.<SPAN =
class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Not using one would be wacky, =
and</FONT></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT =
face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px =
Helvetica">counterproductive.<SPAN =
class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN></FONT></P> =
</BLOCKQUOTE><BR></DIV><DIV>I'm relieved to hear that. Tuning a unison =
between two strings of a unison with the third string also open is an =
aural tuning exercise which I described in "Your Friend the Unison" (PTJ =
1/97). Essentially zero beating one beat rate while another, =
simultaneous, stays constant. The faster both beat rates are (ie., the =
further apart the starting frequencies are), the more elbow room you =
have in which to avoid tuning the string worked on to the wrong "other" =
string. There's nothing to tell you which string pitch is being closed =
in on, only that you've finally nailed it. That's when the remaining and =
constant beat rate cleans up (ie., takes on the sound of a two-string =
beat rate). Similar to tuning a two-string unison when one of the =
strings has a false beat.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>It's probably possible once =
one is really good at cracking the unison, to make such a tweak-sized =
correction as David has described it, without a mute and with all three =
strings open. You'd have to 1.) pay attention to which direction you'd =
cracked the unison (a no-brainer), 2.) memorize the shape of that =
"cracking" (or if you're a =
"pry-my-cold-dead-fingers-off-the-7th-partial" type like me, memorize =
the beat speed of your favorite high partial), 3.) bump the second =
string up/down to the first string until you hear that the beat rate =
between the 3d string and the combination of the 1st two sounds like a =
two string unison with clean strings instead one where one of the =
strings has a false beat. Now, your have-way between 3d base and home =
plate. 4.) tune the 3d string to the first two.</DIV><DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Real Piano Men don't use =
mutes. (you know who you are.......)</DIV><DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Cracking the unison was =
described by Virgil Smith in PTG 2/95, although for him it was a very =
casual matter. I referred to it as "prior art" in my 1/97 article, =
although when I first tumbled on it, it quickly took on the highly aural =
useful technique pitch shimming. In years of conversation, I never ran =
across anyone doing something similar. This is not to claim ownership of =
the technique of pitch shimming (or even unison cracking), just to =
observe that as a seemingly simple technique ready to be stumbled on by =
any aural tuner, it's a remarkably obscure one.</DIV><DIV><BLOCKQUOTE =
type="cite"></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><DIV>IMO, =
mastering this skill is crucial for high-end work, really fine =
tuning.</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></DIV><DIV>Copy that, good =
buddy!</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Bill =
Ballard RPT</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; =
margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">NH Chapter, P.T.G.</DIV><DIV =
style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; =
margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">"I'll =
play it and tell you what it is later...."</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: =
0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "> =
...........Miles Davis</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: =
0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; =
">+++++++++++++++++++++</DIV><BR =
class="khtml-block-placeholder"></BODY></HTML>=