<div class="gmail_quote">On Feb 1, 2008 3:23 PM, <<a href="mailto:A440A@aol.com">A440A@aol.com</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">John writes:<br>
<< Oh, that's so outre´ these days. I'd recommend the AuraTuner 1.0. No<br><br>batteries to recharge, no updates to download. No equipment to replace. It<br><br>automatically updates on site as new information is processed. >><br>
<br>Hmm, Ok,<br>1. Can it raise the pitch and fine tune to a different temperament in 1 1/4<br>hours? Right in the middle of a bad cold, at the end of a long week, while<br>there is a lot of noise in the background?<br>
2. Can it guarantee accuracy to within 1 cent on 10 successive tunings,<br>(like in a studio where they are overdubbing 3 month old tracks?)<br>3. Can it remember, to within .1 cent, the last tuning; so that one can<br>
cumulatively refine one's tuning?<br><br> Anybody that thinks they can provide a superior tuning with their<br>ears, against my tuning with my ears AND my machine will have to prove that<br>that is so!<br>Regards,<br>
Ed Foote RPT</blockquote><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Aw, Ed ... I was just trying to start something. :-) </div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder">
</div><div>Sure, if your criteria are as you state above, an ETD would definitely be handy. I would use a device to record my aural tunings for repeat work. If there was a program that would only record pitches, that would be great for me. I wouldn't want to spend many $XXXX.00 on it -- it's not worth that to me for what I do. Maybe it is for others, and that's certainly fine.</div>
<div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>I think we piano techs are in danger of losing valuable skills by relying on machines. Just like we are in danger of relying on "37-steps" rather than understanding the process. And I think we should be given more respect than to be expected to tune a piano in a noisy environment. You wouldn't ask a portrait artist to do his work in the rain. Likewise, we should have an environment that is conducive to our work.<br>
</div><div><br></div><div>Yes, I can do a good job with a pitch raise and tuning in 1.25 hours. I like to have more time than that usually. But it can be done if need be. I can actually do it in 1 hour, but that's at top speed, and when everything works perfectly. Which seldom happens.</div>
<div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>The main intent of my post, though, was just a friendly reminder that we sometimes make it harder on ourselves by trying to make it easier on ourselves. We get all this high-falutin' equipment, then get dependent on it. Then gripe about how it doesn't do well on certain pianos. And how we <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">know</span> we can do better than the machine, etc. (By proving it with <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">aural</span> tests, incidentally.) And we freak out when it suddenly won't turn on, and we have to slug through with a dull ear. All the while our aural skills are being minimized. At least that was my experience. </div>
<div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Whereas we could just learn what makes a tuning good, relax, and get it done. (I'm not saying you can't do that, either, Ed. I'm sure you can. Just speaking generally.) I think I'm a better tuner without the ETD. Do I have hard days? Yeah, the first piano today was one of 'em. Did I want to go buy an ETD? Nah, just learned a bit more about the piano and myself. </div>
<div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Yes, I chose a road with a more difficult mountain at the beginning of the journey. But I like the view now, and the road isn't so steep anymore.</div><div> </div>
</div>-- <br>JF<br>