<html> <body> Peter, You've obviously got waaaaaaaay more patience than I. Or something. :-) Even "with" an ETD. Avery At 09:09 PM 2/11/04, you wrote: <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Another vote for ETD.   Of the five pianos today, three were in a fancy hotel / convention center.  The first was in the "Tavern" where the folks listening to elevator music were competing with those sitting at the bar watching T.V., laughing and I guess telling jokes (I wear musicians plugs).  The second was a console in a room with a fancy name that really just means "windows."  The staff were busy setting up chairs, tables, silverware, plates and, oh yes, testing the sound equipment.  Before I was through one of the big wigs told me there was one more they wanted me to do but, "this is a new one, so you won't have any trouble with it."  So he took me to it.  It was 100 - 200 cents flat, a spinet sitting in the kitchen.  Yes, the kitchen.  They assured me they weren't going to leave it there, but thought it was a good place to have it tuned.  I think I set A4 to a clanging pot in the sink and my ascending thirds were synchronized to the clacking casters on the cumbersome carts that carried who knows what.  The ETD almost saved the day (Tune-Lab Pocket), I still needed some BC powder when I got back to my car.    Peter Lamos Brunswick, GA      _____________________ <a href="mailto:selahpiano@hotmail.com">selahpiano@hotmail.com</a>   <dl> <dd>-----Original Message----- <dd>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org" eudora="autourl">mailto:pian= otech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] On Behalf Of antares <dd>Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 6:05 PM <dd>To: Pianotech <dd>Subject: get yourself a Cadillac and enjoy the ride <dd>On 10-feb-04, at 22:52, Michael Gamble wrote: <dd>Michael, <dd>I beg to differ with you on this issue about ETD's. <dd>I know actually many tuners here in Holland, but also abroad, who are highly experienced aural tuners and who, nevertheless, now tune with an ETD. <dd>In Holland I was among the first members of the then new Dutch Piano Technicians Association (the VvPN) and I was also among the small group of these new VvPN members who created the very first tuning test in Europe where you could test the tuning electronically with the aid of an ETD (at the time a SAT) and a computer program, just like they have been done (and do) for a long time in the USA. <dd>Let me tell you, it was not an easy task to do a tuning test and walk away with a high enough score, and I have seen many colleagues who, after they had proved their professional ability, were very proud that they had dared to do this risky test. <dd>They had shown that they were able to make a very good tuning, and we all know that there are many colleagues out there who are not capable of making a tuning at that same level I just described. <dd>Many of these 'tested' tuners now use a tuning device, myself included. <dd>I have tuned too many piano's aurally, and I thank the electronic tuning Deities for my beloved 'box'. <dd>You know why? <dd>Because my box creates for me a tuning of such high quality that it will take me at least a Month's training of steady high-trapeze-tuning to reach the same accuracy. <dd>But I would never be able to make money with it, because such a fabulous concert tuning would take me hours, and afterwards I would be exhausted, whereas my ETD allows me to do the very same but within one hour, hello! <dd>So my customers are happy because they can count on a very high quality tuning, and I am very happy because I don't get exhausted, don't have a lot of tuning stress, and I can, instead, concentrate on making beautiful and strong unisons. <dd>Especially somewhat older tuners, who have paid their tuning dues so to speak, go into their second tuning wind when they discover the ease and joy of a good ETD. <dd>Because they have already tuned piano's aurally for many years, they know very well how to tune a piano when the battery of their ETD is low. <dd>Some time ago, I came back from a short trip abroad, and I had forgotten to charge the battery of my box, so the next day I had to tune this very difficult Steinway belonging to this very difficult customer. <dd>To be honest with you, I got chagrined because it was late in the afternoon and my energy level was down, and I was not looking forward to having to do it again 'by ear'. <dd>However, I of course tuned the thing and after only a few uncertain minutes I was back full swing and was having fun, trying to do the puzzle again for the zillionth time. <dd>I can tell you something else : <dd>Just because my ears have been sharpened by the superior ETD tuning, my musical hearing wants to duplicate the refined regularity that I have been hearing for years through the use of my sophisticated ETD. So my tuning ability has not gone away and has not lessened at all. <dd>I feel very good that I can make a real good tuning even after having used an ETD for years. <dd>Again : there are many many excellent aural tuners in the world who, at a certain moment, just like me, have made a switch from aural to electronic. <dd>I think most of these will testify that they have an easier life now and that they enjoy making a superb tuning. <dd>I am all for learning to tune aurally and then tune aurally for years, just to become well trained. <dd>After that goal has been reached I would say : get yourself a Cadillac, and enjoy the ride. <dd>friendly greetings <dd>from <dd>André Oorebeek <dd>Amsterdam - <dd>The Netherlands <dd>0031-20-6237357 <dd>0645-492389 <dd>0031-75-6226878 <dd><a href="http://www.concertpianoservice.nl/"= eudora="autourl">www.concertpianoservice.nl</a> <dd><a href="http://www.grandpiano.nl/"= eudora="autourl">www.grandpiano.nl</a> </dl></blockquote></body> </html>