At 12:05 PM 11/17/94 -0800, Joseph Spencer wrote:
>You wrote:
 
............., electronic aids are a boon to thousands of
>players and performers, and their use is infinitely preferable to bad
>tuning by ear.  I have a small Korg that I use when tuning my Steinway
>(Don't tell anyone about the Korg... or the Steinway!) because after
>years and years and thousands of Steinways, I loath the experience of
>tuning one.  I am permanently burned out on that one!
>
*(CUT)............
 
>The reason I rant so is the same reason I constantly encourage
>harpsichordists, especially amateurs, to engage witht he struggle to
>gain some mastery over setting their own temperaments.  The rewards are
>tremendous.
>
----------------------------
 
        I am compelled to briefly qualify my previous posting on this subject.
Perhaps, some might think that as a "professional tuner"  I would somehow
want monopolize this process.  That is not true.  Please remember that we
full-time concert tuners think in standards of tuning for other people and
performances.  Just as professional performers think in concert standards.
What anyone does on their own instrument is their own business, and I
actively encourage my customers with early instruments to practice these
skills.  At the very least they can keep the tuning cleaned up between my
visits.  I even have a few customers with modern grands who can enhance the
longetivity of my tunings. Harpsichords and clavichords are much easier to
tune than painos, as are the  fortepianos, but those bigger early pianos
take a lot more time and will pose a considerable challenge to the
inexperienced tuner.  Anyone who owns one of these early instruments
though, really must make that commitment to try and do routine maintenance
yourself.  If needed, one or two lessons with your regular tuner will help
you to get started and not develop bad habits.  Remember that there are two
basic, but independent skills required to tune. First, are the obvious
aural skills, and second is the hammer technique required to soildly set
the pins.  This latter skill is by far the most difficult to master, and
you will continue to perfect this for years.  The reason early instruments
are somewhat easier is because there is less torque on the pin and less
friction on the wire at bearing points.  However, some harpsichords do have
very snappy pins so if you are considering buying one and plan to learn how
to tune it yourself, you would do well to check how the pins feel too.
Good Luck,
 
 
 
Dennis Johnson
Piano Technician
St. Olaf College
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