<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16414" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><SPAN class=781404504-09072007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Jim --</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=781404504-09072007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=781404504-09072007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>I have been tuning unisons in this open string fashion for the last couple of years. I find that I achieve much cleaner and consistent unisons this way as it forces me to get the second string right before I can move on to the third. If the first two strings have any beat in them whatsoever then it's pretty impossible to set the third string correctly. I like it. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=781404504-09072007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=781404504-09072007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>The reason for my question is, having taken my tuning exam I now want to spend some time actually getting proficient at aural tuning. Get my speed up, ya know? With an ETD the process is so efficient that I just wanted to find out how much of that efficiency can be carried over into aural tuning. The method you describe sounds like a good approach. I think I'll give it a try. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=781404504-09072007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=781404504-09072007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Thanks --</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=781404504-09072007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=781404504-09072007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>-- Geoff Sykes</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=781404504-09072007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>-- Los Angeles</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=781404504-09072007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=781404504-09072007><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV></DIV> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader lang=en-us dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Jim Johnson<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, July 08, 2007 7:52 PM<BR><B>To:</B> Pianotech List<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: Tuning sequence question<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have been tuning aurally for 40 years and this is the method which has proven best for me.  Strip mute just the temperament octave.  Tune the temperament, center strings only, and then tune to the top using two rubber mutes, pulling up the unisons as you go.  (I don't strip the whole treble because I want to deal with the tension changes as I go, not just one third of the tension at a time.)  Then I tune from the temperament down through the bass, tuning bass unisons as I go.  Then I return and tune the unisons in the temperament octave.  I tune them by removing the felt strip one note at a time, tuning the left unison first and then the right unison to the other two strings.  I used to use a rubber mute for this part of the tuning, but I find simply removing the temp. strip and tuning the open strings is much faster.  The only problem doing it this way is if the left unison isn't perfect, you won't be able to tune the right one the way you want.  So what's the problem?  Just do a good job on the left one and you will get a good sounding unison on all three strings.  On uprights, I use a Mehaffey impact hammer, and on grands, a normal hammer.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I use this proceedure only when the piano is within 10 cents of the proper pitch.  More than that requires a pitch raise, for which I charge 1/2 my tuning fee on top of the normal fee.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jim</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=thetuner@ivories52.com href="mailto:thetuner@ivories52.com">Geoff Sykes</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">'Pianotech List'</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, July 08, 2007 6:05 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Tuning sequence question</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=515414400-09072007>Greetings all --</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=515414400-09072007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=515414400-09072007>I know that when using an ETD the preferred method of tuning is from the bass up to the treble, tuning unisons as you go. Tests have apparently proven that this provides a more accurate and stable tuning when completed. </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=515414400-09072007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=515414400-09072007>Traditionally, aural tuning means strip muting the entire piano, and after setting the temperament, all the center strings are then tuned moving first down into the bass and then up into the treble. After the center strings are tuned then unisons are set starting in the bass and moving up through the treble. </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=515414400-09072007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=515414400-09072007>In doing an aural tuning, is there any reason why one could not, or perhaps should not, strip mute just the middle section of the piano, in order to set the temperament, then immediately set the unisons in the temperament, pulling out the strip mute as you go, followed by moving down into the bass tuning the first string and setting unisons as you go and subsequently up through the treble? </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=515414400-09072007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=515414400-09072007>In other words, which aural tuning method of the two described above, would produce the more accurate and stable tuning when completed?</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=515414400-09072007></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=515414400-09072007>-- Geoff Sykes</SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=515414400-09072007>-- Los Angeles</SPAN></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>