<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; =
charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=850400802-11112004><FONT face=Arial><FONT =
color=#0000ff><FONT
size=2>Oh, I absolutely think people SHOULD realize that<SPAN
class=540242102-11112004> making a good tuning requires good =
conditions</SPAN>,
but I also know that most of the time they *don't*, even when asked
politely. <SPAN class=540242102-11112004>Often, there just isn't =
an
alternative once the stage is set (no pun intended) for what's going on =
that day
or in that environment. People also don't usually think piano tuners are =
any
more "special" than the plumber, the lighting guy, the sound man, etc., =
and they
certainly won't be inclined to treat the piano tuner as such. Sad fact =
of life,
I am afraid. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=850400802-11112004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=850400802-11112004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>More
and more I catch glimpses of how tuners and non-musician types are =
completely
different animals. It's weird. I guess I've known music all my life and =
I take
that for granted. <SPAN class=540242102-11112004>It's =
c</SPAN>ompletely
foreign to imagine not even knowing, as someone else pointed out, that =
the lid
must be open in order to tune. I have to remind myself it's *just* that =
we're
different species, not necessarily that they're just dummies, but I =
digress.
;)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=850400802-11112004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=850400802-11112004><FONT face=Arial><FONT =
color=#0000ff><FONT
size=2>Something that I have discovered, just as a personal =
observation about
myself, is that often times my best tunings have come from the noisiest =
and most
distracting environments. I don't know what it is, if my brain makes a =
shift
that super-focuses my ears or what, <SPAN =
class=540242102-11112004>but I
have also experimented with tuning while wearing earplugs and have =
gotten the
same results (cheapie foam earplugs, not the nice custom-designed ones, =
mind
you). Maybe out of necessity my ears start picking up what they most =
need to
hear, rather than getting distracted by all the partials I tend to =
obsess over
otherwise. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=850400802-11112004><FONT face=Arial><FONT =
color=#0000ff><FONT
size=2><SPAN
class=540242102-11112004></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </DIV=
>
<DIV><SPAN class=850400802-11112004><FONT><FONT><SPAN
class=540242102-11112004></SPAN><FONT face=Arial><FONT =
color=#0000ff><FONT
size=2>I've learned to just make due and be proud of the fact that I =
can put a
good tuning on a piano in an environment with sledgehammers and
forklifts <SPAN class=540242102-11112004>and even loud music over =
the sound
system ("sound check")</SPAN>. <SPAN class=540242102-11112004>My =
reasoning
for not pitching a fit or insisting on silence is that frankly, the =
majority of
people seem to remember attitude and demeanor far better than they
remember that your unisons were flawlessly clean. Of course, the =
prime goal
is to achieve all of the above at once!
;)</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=850400802-11112004><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>-ilex</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT =
face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original </FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader 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>Alan
Forsyth<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, November 10, 2004 9:00 =
PM<BR><B>To:</B>
Pianotech<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: "should I stay or should I
go?"<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>Yes, and it is amazing how kids always =
start
plonking on the piano just as you start to tune it; but I just have to =
ignore
it and say nothing. I learned a long time ago that if I put up with it =
they
soon get bored and go away after 5 minutes. </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>As for the 100 teddy bears on top of =
the piano,
I apologize afterwards to Madame that I couldn't quite remember which =
one went
where when I put them back.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>Last week I tuned 2 pianos in a =
church; it was
"especially arranged" that the electricians would be there as well to =
replace
all the lighting. Everything was a bit dark as they had the power off. =
However
I took advantage of the multiple labour supply and enlisted some of =
them to
help me tilt a piano on end so that I could fit a pair of safety =
castors.
</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>When it comes to
tuning backstage before a concert..........NO THANK
YOU.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face=Arial>AF</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
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=antares@euronet.nl =
href="mailto:antares@euronet.nl">antares</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, November 10, =
2004
10:18 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: "should I stay =
or should I
go?"</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>On the other hand Dave Skolnik,<BR><BR>Most of the =
time we
have no choice but to grin and ignore.<BR>I used to get incredibly =
furious,
swear at people, stamp my feet or even walk away from the scene in =
terrible
anger.<BR>And you know what?<BR>The years went by, and I am still =
tuning in
the same conditions.<BR>And you know what?<BR>I don't care =
anymore.<BR><BR>I
ignore<BR>and <BR>I grin.<BR><BR>André Oorebeek<BR><BR><BR>On =
10-nov-04, at
22:32, David Skolnik wrote:<BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Quentin -<BR><BR>There is no one answer when you are =
talking
about theater, which, for these purposes, includes concerts. =
Even if
you are dealing with a regular account, it can take a long time =
and a lot
of work, to train the people around you, or the people who create =
the
schedule, before the requirements for tuning become accepted and
anticipated. And then, sometimes, sh_t happens. A =
rehearsal
goes late, last minute stagecraft, etc. The best approach, I =
think,
is to be bit anal when making the original =
arrangements. Ask
the scheduler if there is anything, as in ANYTHING, else =
going on
during the tuning time. Sometimes the scheduler and =
maintenance, or
stage crew, don't communicate so well. It's worth double
checking. <BR><BR>It is true how amazing it is that people
(especially musicians) don't make the connection between tuning =
and the
need for silence, which includes shuffling papers, whispering, or
sometimes, breathing, but, on the other hand, why should they =
know.
There are times when the only course is to ask someone to =
desist,,,as
politely as possible. At other times, again, preparing for
performance, other people may have jobs that have to get =
done. Then
it becomes a matter of determining what level of noise is =
essential for
them to fulfill their responsibilities, and what part of the usual =
noise
can, in this case be reasonably suppressed.<BR><BR>Regarding the 2 =
or 3
people chatting vs. 15 making noise, sometimes the few can be more =
annoying, to me. A lot of the time it depends upon the =
need.
The 15 may have no choice but to carry on, to prepare for a show, =
while
the 2 or 3 could probably take the conversation somewhere =
else. I
will not hesitate to enlighten someone for a few
offenses:<BR><BR>Unnecessary conversation or laughter<BR>Singing-
especially the note I'm tuning<BR>Whistling, ESPECIALLY THE NOTE =
I'M
TUNING<BR>Jingling keys on a key ring<BR><BR>No noise accepted for =
a
recording session tuning.<BR><BR>Otherwise, it's Show
Business.<BR><BR><BR>David Skolnik<BR><BR><BR><BR>At 05:44 PM =
11/10/2004
+0100, you wrote:<BR><BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>Hi =
Patrick,<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller>This
afternoon, I had to tune for a concert in a small =
hall.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>I =
tuned the piano this morning, and had to check it another time =
when it was
installed.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller>People
started installing the stage for the choir (nearly 50 singers I =
think)
just after I began checking =
everything.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller>Some
notes were a little bit out of tune, I had to tune them =
correctly.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller>People
were trailing the stage "blocks" everywhere and shouting at each =
other
because they should have finished work sooner and people wanted to =
go back
home.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller>I
asked for silence, everything remained noisy all around =
me.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>I
decided to... go =
;-)<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller>If
they totally didn't care about my concentration and about what I =
was
doing, that's because they 'd probably think the piano was good as =
it =
was.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><BR>and...<BR><BR><BR><?fontfa=
mily><?param Arial><?smaller>But
don't you think people should realize that making a good tuning =
requires
good =
conditions?<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller>There
is a difference between 2 or 3 people chatting and 15 persons =
screaming
and moving chairs and wood panels all around you while you're =
tuning !<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller>I
think I would have preferred 2 or 3 people discussing in a normal =
way
instead of this disturbing noises =
!<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR> <BR><?fontfamily><?param =
Arial><?smaller>Quentin<?/smaller><?/fontfamily><BR><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE>=
friendly
greetings<BR>from<BR>André Oorebeek<BR><BR>"where <I>Music</I> is, =
no harm
can be"<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>