[ Ref. "Piano Tuning By Ear vs. Electronic Tuning Device"
 [ in 030605 MMDigest.

There is no comparison to electronic tuning devices of today and those
of 25 years ago.  The Piano Technicians Guild sponsored two friendly
"tune-offs" between Jim Coleman and Virgil Smith.  Each tuned a piano,
one aurally and one electronically (Chicago and Orlando).  500 music
experts judged the tunings not knowing which method was used to tune
each piano.  Jim Coleman won the first by a margin of 60% to 40%,
Virgil the second by 52% to 48%.

There is such a thing as advanced electronic tuning.  The strobe and
others use charts and I agree this cannot compete with your better
aural tuners.  Devices such as Sanderson Accutuner, Reyburn CyberTuner,
Verituner and others, skillfully used, can give better results than
the best aural tuners.  Aural tuning skills are helpful but not at all
necessary.  Most RPTs I know use electronic devices primarily and also
check by ear.

It is more accurate to match partials using the best ETDs than by ear.
The Verituner is made to tune a piano using the same procedure an aural
tuner uses.

CyberTuner and Accutuner measure mathematical deviations of partials
of sample notes in bass tenor and treble and are capable of great
custom tunings.  These machines can be used to match partials and give
extra stretch in the treble as good aural tuners do.  I use basic aural
checks in the bass tenor break and recalculate my machine as necessary.

Cheap and small pianos are notorious for high and erratic inharmonicity.
In the treble I check double octaves and arpeggios.  I can change the
treble stretch on my CyberTuner as need be.

The physical part of piano tuning is often overlooked.  All but a few
in our PTG chapter (RPTs included) came up and demonstrated their
hammer technique.  I found major flaws in everyone I saw.  Most were
not moving the tuning hammer parallel with the pinblock.  Most did not
make use of their larger muscle groups forget about synchronizing body
movement.  Half of them were slapping the tuning hammer bending pins
and hurting there hands.

Ideally tuners should grip the tuning hammer tight or twist the handle
opposite the way it wants to go or pins on new pianos will get bent and
pinblocks will get stressed.  Most did not take advantage of arm and
body leverage nor did they extend the tuning hammer shaft enough, if at
all.  Most were not very ergonomic (this can cause fatigue and pain).
Too many had back, arm, elbow, wrist pain.

The chapters ruling RPTs in their infinite wisdom would not allow me
to demonstrate my hammer technique.  What do I know, I'm just a dumb
associate PTG member.

Bill Maguire

 [ Popular electronic tuning devices (ETDs) :
 [ Reyburn CyberTuner: http://www.reyburn.com/
 [ Verituner, Veritune, Inc.: http://www.verituneinc.com/
 [ Sanderson Accu-Tuner, Inventronics Inc.: http://www.accu-tuner.com/
 [ -- Robbie