<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" = xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" = xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" = xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = name="country-region"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PostalCode"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style>  </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue = id="role_body" bottomMargin=7 leftmargin=7 topmargin=7 rightMargin=7> <div class=Section1> Woe to the person who can type, = yet, can’t write with a pen and paper.  It’s ironic that schools still = teach children to print, then write in cursive, long before they are taught to = use a computer keyboard.  There are some things that are basic to any = skill and, in my opinion, aural tuning, especially the temperament octave is one of them.  I use email, but I would not take anything for my ability to = write in cursive.  I have never used an ETD to tune.  I waited 20 = years to get the opportunity to learn how to tune aurally and tuning with an ETD = would take the fun and challenge from it-it would become just a job.  If I had = wanted to tune with an ETD, I would have purchased a “Strobo-Conn” = tuner in 1970 and started tuning. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Oh, this was about = chipping....<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Joy!<o:p></o:p> Elwood<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> Elwood Doss, Jr., = RPT<o:p></o:p> Piano Technician/Technical = Director<o:p></o:p> Department of = Music<o:p></o:p> 145 Fine Arts = Building<o:p></o:p> The <st1:place = w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName = w:st="on">Tennessee</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> at Martin<o:p></o:p> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Martin</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">TN</st1:State>  <st1:PostalCode = w:st="on">38238</st1:PostalCode></st1:place><o:p></o:p> 731/881-1852<o:p></o:p> FAX: = 731/881-7415<o:p></o:p> HOME: = 731/587-5700<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: alan = forsyth [mailto:alan@forsythalan.wanadoo.co.uk] Sent: Saturday, October = 08, 2005 9:20 PM To: Pianotech Subject: Re: = Chipping<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div> I had six = bloody months of it at college; the main purpose was I think for "industrial training". <o:p></o:p></spa= n> </div> <div> Chipping also = of necessity meant that you had to be able to tune and recognize = semitones.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Also, the = chipping process seems to train your ears to filter out extraneous noises, by = virtue <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> of the action = and dampers being removed, which has been of great benefit in the real = world;<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> I can tune in = noisy situations, except where there is a vacuum cleaner of = course!<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> "</fon= t>PTA do not require a chipping = test...."<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> I wonder though = if they require that a muting strip is not used in tuning the = temperament?<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> One thing that = puts me off the PTA is why should I take a test when I have qualified after 3 = years <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> full-time at a = college? And there is also the requirement that no ETD's are allowed even though = <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> it was a = compulsory part of the course at college; in this day and age, that's like = writing a letter <o:p></o:p></spa= n> </div> <div> with pen and = paper instead of using e-mail.<o:p></o:p></spa= n> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> AF= <o:p></o:p> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black = 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'= > <div> ----- Original Message ----- = <o:p></o:p> </div> <div style='font-color:black'> From: <a href="mailto:Byeway222@aol.com" = title="Byeway222@aol.com">Byeway222@aol.com</a> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" = title="pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Sent: Sunday, October 09, 2005 1:46 = AM<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Subject: Chipping<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <o:p> </o:p>= </div> <div>   = <o:p></o:p> <div> 'Chipping-up' has always been the = bedrock of tuning training on the full-time courses here in <st1:country-region = w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region>.  The first series = of  tests was the completion of a pitch raise in decreasing time scales. I = really can't remember what the ultimate goal was, but it was probably something = like 20minutes to raise the pitch a resonable amount using just a plectrum on = a strung back. The guys who really perfected the technique were those who worked in = piano factories and went through a phenomenal number of newly strung backs in = a day.   It was a very depressing sight to see a guy, often = blind, sitting in often a smallish room with scores of strung backs stacked = like library books beavering away non-stop.    I would have = thought that this has been the practice in <st1:country-region = w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">USA</st1:place></st1:country-region> in the past, before = automated stringing in factories. However, there has always been a certain amount of controversy as to its = real value to  'on the road'  tuners.   My own = experience, and that of many tuners, is not having pefected a consistant and useful = commercial speed using this technique.  You have to be doing a lot of it for = it to be time saving.  I think most of us perfect our own way of action-in = pitch raising. One of the initial values of 'chipping-up' in the college training = system, however, is to quickly familiarise the new student with the geography of = the strung back and to encourage a fast and confident initial approach to = the whole business of tuning.  It is acknowleged that this is an initial = 'rough tuning'  and there is no point in hanging about and getting = neurotic about it being perfect.  Just get on with it.  Accuracy will develop = with technique and experience. It really is an effective way of negating the over-cautious aspects in the personality of many beginner = students.  I wish I had appreciated this more when I did my own = training.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> The previous post is right in = saying that the PTA do not require a chipping test, and their standard test appears = to be OK.  My own experience of the PTA has been a mixed one, and = although i have never been a member, I did attend some pretty good 3 day = conventions in the 1980's.  I would doubt though, that even now, their conventions = have such a broad based character as the <st1:country-region = w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> = ones.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p>= </div> <div> Ric<o:p></o:p> </div> </div> </blockquote> </div> </body> </html>