Tuning

[pianolover 88]

My motto is work smart, not hard! But if you toon only by ear, good for you 
too!

Terry Peterson



----Original Message Follows----
From: "Elwood Doss" <edoss at utm.edu>
Reply-To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Subject: RE: RE : Tuning
Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2006 10:13:25 -0500

There are still schools who teach aural tuning.  I teach a class in
piano tuning and teach only aural tuning.  If my students want to
eventually learn using an ETD, they can buy one after they finish the
class.  I don't use one and don't intend to purchase one unless I get so
hard of hearing I need it to help with my tuning.  I may be a bit slower
than those using the ETD, but my customers appreciate the extra effort I
make to make sure their piano is well in tune.  Often a customer will
sit through a tuning (how they can stand it, I don't know) because they
are fascinated with being able to start with one pitch and tune a whole
piano by ear.  If you use an ETD, good for you...different strokes for
different folks!

Joy!

Elwood



Elwood Doss, Jr., M.M.E., RPT

Piano Technician/Technical Director

Department of Music

145 Fine Arts Building

The University of Tennessee at Martin

Martin, TN  38238

731/881-1852

FAX: 731/881-7415

HOME: 731/587-5700

________________________________

From: Marcel Carey [mailto:mcpiano at videotron.ca]
Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2006 8:49 PM
To: 'Pianotech List'
Subject: RE : Tuning



HI,



I have a trainee that learned aurally and is almost just out of school.
She started aurally, but with the pianos we are dealing with, the
biggest problem is setting the pins. They are sure hard to turn. At the
beginning, she didn't want to use the ETD I offered. But after a week of
frustration (mostly from my part cause she was taking way too much time
to listen), I forced the ETD on her telling her she would get much more
experience setting pins accurately (you can see it drifting if not set).
Also, the most important interval in piano tuning is still and always
will be unisons. These are still done by ear. For a beginner, the use of
an ETD will lessen the time to set temperament, give the person the
chance to turn more tuning pins per day (concentrating on unisons) and
make the employer (me) happier because I know what the tunings will get
done.



I still tune aurally some days and some pianos. It makes me feel good.
But some days, I'm glad I have it. Sometimes I  will cheat on the
machine if I don't agree, but like some others said:  It's a tool, and a
darn good one at that.



Marcel Carey, RPT

Sherbrooke, QC


________________________________


	From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org
[mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Lawson
	Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2006 4:40 PM
	To: pianotech at ptg.org
	Subject: Tuning



	G'day to you all.

	As an oldie, and an aural tuner, and knowing very little about
electronic tuning devices, I am amazed at the amount of reference there
is to the later. Are there still people being taught aural tuning, or
have those days gone? I find the ear to be the best way to judge what is
required from a tuning of a particular piano. I may be wrong, however
using an ETD seems to me to be similar to playing a digital keyboard,
you get what they give you. Am I way off the beam, or just a little too
old to judge?

	Love the banter.

	David Lawson  Wangaratta   Australia.