Ease of tuning versus length of strings

classic-keyboard · Post by **classic-keyboard** » 17 Mar 2005, 12:22

Yes it's me again, still searching for the perfect piano. Since I'm constrained by space the length of my new grand is an important factor. However, since I also want to learn to tune, I'm worried that buying (say) a 4 foot baby grand is going to make my life difficult because those really short bass strings are going to be hard for a beginner to tune. Does anyone have any experience of learning to tune on 'short' pianos?

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 17 Mar 2005, 18:05

Yes - don't! They can be really false with odd harmonics. Where are you going to do the tuning course? They'll probably warn you off small pianos to start with, and ease you into it with just a strung piano back which you pluck first - it's easier to hear the soundwaves on a plucked string. You'd be better off with a taller upright really - although all the colleges have pianos for you to practise on.

classic-keyboard · Post by **classic-keyboard** » 17 Mar 2005, 19:29

I'm considering a course of some sort but I haven't done any research on that yet. Day one, I'm planning to dive right in on my own. I have some experience in tuning electronic organs (all equal-tempered) and Rhodes pianos (equal-tempered or slightly stretched) and I do have a Peterson 490-ST to hand.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 18 Mar 2005, 16:21

Do a proper course; electronic gizmos are fine, but you're not learning anything - the gizmo tells you what to do but not why you're doing it. Also, if you have a piano with false beats (like a small grand!

) the gizmo can't cope. It's built to tune perfect pianos, and any tuner will tell you there aren't many of those around! 'Tuning and Allied Arts' by Braid-White is very old fashioned but very good. Can't remember what Arthur Reblitz' book is like on tuning but it's second to none on repair work - you'll have to get your head around the American terms (use Braid-White to translate or ask on here) but apart from that it's good. Best of luck

!

classic-keyboard · Post by **classic-keyboard** » 18 Mar 2005, 17:14

I've read Reblitz and he's pretty good I guess. I certainly THINK I understand the basic concepts.

I've been thinking about that really expensive correspondence course - Randy Potter isn't it? - as a place to start. My existing work won't accomodate a full-time thing.

I'm not under any illusions about the Peterson's abilities. Tuning organs and Rhodes pianos it's just fantastic but I've never explored its stretch libraries for small pianos. I would guess they'd be much too 'generic' to take you very far.

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 18 Mar 2005, 18:52

To do the Randy Potter which is the better one you will need a mentor the course requires it as Gill have pointed out you need some one there the box will not teach you technique witch in tuning setting the pin and string is more important, most folk can hear when a note is out. But it is putting it there and making it stay it the art of the job

If you are going to use a box then get a better one the SAT III or the Rayburn.

There is going to be a demonstration of all the ETA at Action for Blind in London some time this year

give this guy a ring he will tell when and were
Mr Gabell Tel: 01727 855583

Barrie,

classic-keyboard · Post by **classic-keyboard** » 18 Mar 2005, 19:35

Ok, I didn't buy the Peterson for tuning pianos. But that said, I was under the impression that the 490-ST is one of the best strobe tuners on the market, and that strobe tuners in general are the most precise and intuitive tuners you can get.

Re the Randy Potter course, I'd welcome a mentor. First, I'd have to find one.

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 18 Mar 2005, 20:38

classic-keyboard wrote:Ok, I didn't buy the Peterson for tuning pianos. But that said, I was under the impression that the 490-ST is one of the best strobe tuners on the market, and that strobe tuners in general are the most precise and intuitive tuners you can get.

No way go and read this lot
http://www.ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech/
Should take you about 2 years

then subscribe then ask about ETA in the US about 70% of full time tuners use them in the UK I would not have to take of my shoes and socks to count them

classic-keyboard wrote: Re the Randy Potter course, I'd welcome a mentor. First, I'd have to find one.

That is the main problem in the UK most of us are college trained so we are not use to the US system of distance learning what you need is a retired tuner but again not many retire we just drop dead on the job what part of the UK are you in

Barrie,

classic-keyboard · Post by **classic-keyboard** » 18 Mar 2005, 23:15

we just drop dead on the job

..you're really talking me into this, Barrie!

I'm in the South East, near Gatwick.

And my friends at Peterson will be mortified. By the way, can you point me at a manufacturer's web site for one of these tuners the trade uses in such great numbers? I'm curious about this.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 19 Mar 2005, 16:47

Don't listen to 'im - I've been tuning over 20 years and never ONCE dropped dead on the job. Yet...

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 19 Mar 2005, 17:25

You should read Gill's "History of Piano Tuning" They use to Lock up as Lunatics they just call us eccentric now!
http://www.uk-piano.org.uk/history/pian ... story.html

the URLs you requested

Reyburn CyberTuner
www.reyburn.com/cybertuner.html

Accu-Tuner by Inventronics
www.accu-tuner.com/AT3.html

Since your are down south you could do the Evening Classes at
http://www.lgu.ac.uk/mit/

Barrie,

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 19 Mar 2005, 18:16

Thanks for the plug, Barrie - fiver in the post!

classic-keyboard · Post by **classic-keyboard** » 19 Mar 2005, 19:00

I've downloaded the manuals for both the Sanderson and the Reyburn and I'll give them a good read. At first glance, the Sanderson clearly has more features and is more obviously geared towards the piano tech than the Peterson. However, I have read many comments to the effect that the 'real' spinning disk in Petersons (and Conn in the old days) is easier and more intuitive to read accurately. Peterson has a complete splurge about this on their website. I'm ready to be corrected on this and I might put a post up on the Peterson forum to see if I can scare up some controversy.

The Reyburn is a nother matter altogether and, as (a) an ex software designer and (b) a long-time supplier of Digidesign Pro Tools, I should have realised there'd be a software solution to all this. It's also tempting to me since I've recently upgraded my laptop, which goes with me everywhere. I'll look further into this with interest. Thanks for the links.