<HTML>In a message dated 3/4/02 1:05:01 PM Central Standard Time, skolnik@attglobal.net (David Skolnik) writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Oh yes, regarding floating pitch.  While I practice it to a degree, I think A439 - 442 is unacceptably wide for any but the loosest of situations.  To me, anything under 440 is unacceptable.  I think of floating as between 440 and 441.5 for a A440 standard.  The standard most likely represents the lowest acceptable pitch in any particular pitch environment, thus, allowing the BSO piano to float would seem to give a range of 442 to 44? ? </BLOCKQUOTE> At the end of last September, I wrote a post called "Stupefying Pitch Volatility".  While I dislike tuning to anything but A440, in this climate I simply must make compromises some of the time.  I was tuning an 1899 Schiller upright which is faithfully tuned every 6 months.  It is in very good shape for its type and age.  I found its pitch to be +47 cents! Someone suggested it may have a cracked plate, which it does not but it is the old, 3/4 plate design.  It shows no obvious sign of structural failure.  It is in a nice but modest neighborhood near one of the lakes.  The humidity is very high in summer and very low in winter.  Reluctantly, I tuned the piano at +24 cents.  A few weeks ago, I was asked to tune it again.  This time the pitch was -12 cents.  I raised it to A440. In my opinion, A440 is an important standard to promote and uphold.  I also concur with PTG's statement in its informational material which says that nonstandard pitch is "seldom appropriate".  But I don't believe there should be any rigid and inflexible rules.  Such a rule would be unenforceable anyway. Whichever decision is made about pitch ought to be left to the best judgment of the technician, taking into account the circumstances.  The consequences of that decision should also be the technician's responsibility, including the consequences of insisting on A440 when another pitch would have been more prudent. Bill Bremmer RPT Madison, Wisconsin <A HREF="http://www.billbremmer.com/">Click here: -=w w w . b i l l b r e m m e r . c o m =-</A> </HTML>