<!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 6.00.2900.2523" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>This discussion reminds me of a tuning = I did at the Ambassador Theater in St. Louis in the 80's.  I was hired by the = promoter to tune a "B" for the rock group, "Queen".  I was about half way = through the tuning and here comes Freddie Mercury beginning a sound check practice.  He was very close to me tuning.  I thought he would = go away.  I asked if he would go away  so I finish the = tuning.  He lashed out at me in obscenities.  This was before I even knew the = music of the group.  I stopped tuning and went over to ask the promoter rep, = who was a beautiful young lady, to see if she could have some influence.  = He lashed out in obscenities at her also.  I was embarrassed for her.  I = just continued the best I could, figuring that if they did not care how the = tuning sounded, neither did I.  After the tuning I heard their hit on the = radio, "Bohemian Rhapsody", and I got hooked on their music.  Freddie = Mercury later died from his Sex trans disease and I remained a fan.  Go figure.  Bottom line, do the best you can and don't worry about it.</DIV> <DIV>James Grebe Piano-Forte Tuning & Repair Creator of = Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups (314) 608-4137 <A href="http://www.JamesGrebe.com">WWW.JamesGrebe.com</A> 1526 = Raspberry Lane Arnold, MO 63010 BECOME WHAT YOU BELIEVE! <A href="mailto:pianoman@accessus.net">pianoman@accessus.net</A></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">From: <A title=ilvey@sbcglobal.net = href="mailto:ilvey@sbcglobal.net">David Ilvedson</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">To: <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Sent: Wednesday, November 10, = 2004 6:34 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">Subject: Re: "should I stay or = should I go?"</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> You do the best you can in the situation.   = I'm in total agreement.   Another reason why I love my = ETD.   I know, if I have to, I can tune every string to the ETD and the piano = will sound pretty good. David I.     ----- Original message ----------------------------------------> From: antares <<A href="mailto:antares@euronet.nl">antares@euronet.nl</A>> To: = Pianotech <<A = href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>> Received: = Wed, 10 Nov 2004 23:18:19 +0100 Subject: Re: "should I stay or = should I go?" On the other hand Dave Skolnik, Most of the = time we have no choice but to grin and ignore. I used to get incredibly = furious, swear at people, stamp my feet or even walk away from the scene in = terrible anger. And you know what? The years went by, and I am still = tuning in the same conditions. And you know what? I don't care = anymore. I ignore and I grin. André Oorebeek On = 10-nov-04, at 22:32, David Skolnik wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE>Quentin - 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.  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. 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: Unnecessary = conversation or laughter Singing- especially the note I'm tuning Whistling, = ESPECIALLY THE NOTE I'M TUNING Jingling keys on a key ring No noise = accepted for a recording session tuning. Otherwise, it's Show Business. David Skolnik At 05:44 PM = 11/10/2004 +0100, you wrote: <?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>Hi = Patrick,<?/smaller><?/fontfamily>   <?fontfamily><?param = Arial><?smaller>This afternoon, I had to tune for a concert in a small = hall.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily> <?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>I = tuned the piano this morning, and had to check it another time when = it was installed.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily> <?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> <?fontfamily><?param = Arial><?smaller>Some notes were a little bit out of tune, I had to tune them = correctly.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily> <?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> <?fontfamily><?param = Arial><?smaller>I asked for silence, everything remained noisy all around = me.<?/smaller><?/fontfamily> <?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>I decided to... go = ;-)<?/smaller><?/fontfamily>   <?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>   and... <?fontfa= mily><?param Arial><?smaller>But don't you think people should realize that making a good tuning = requires good = conditions?<?/smaller><?/fontfamily>   <?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>   <?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>   <?fontfamily><?param = Arial><?smaller>Quentin<?/smaller><?/fontfamily> </BLOCKQUOTE>= friendly greetings from André Oorebeek "where Music is, = no harm can be" </BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>