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PRACTICAL
PIANO TUNING
By ALEXANDER
HART
Formerly with Steinway & Sons Tuning Department, Instructor in
Piano Tuning, Teachers College, Columbia University, N. Y.
Registered Member of the
National Association of Piano Tuners
CHAPTER 7 — Tuning the Strings to Equal Temperament
T
EMPERING the string means a
be attributed to the piano being a fixed
modification or an adjustment of
toned instrument. Therefore the strings
the intervals after they have been
once "set" are immovable and unlike
tuned to just intonation or perfect in-
other instruments that have valves
tervals.
(slides) and other mediums like the
human voice which can change its pitch
This is accomplished through con-
at will.
tinual training in hearing, the "beats,"
by mistuning the intervals, already
Dr. Capstick gives a fine analogous
tuned perfect. In other words putting
account of "beats" in the effect of a
them slightly out of tune.
flickering light on the eye. "If the rise
These intervals and chords must be
of intensity is slow it is not unpleasant;
harmonized in order to satisfy the cri- and if it is very rapid it is not detected
tical performer so that the highly trained
at all. An effort of this kind is often
and experienced musicians (who's sense
experienced when watching a motion
of hearing often transcends that of the picture film. If the successive pictures
practical tuner) for he, not only sees a
do not follow each other quickly enough
third note on the printed page, but
on the screen, the flicker soon fatigues
hears and feels its musical character,
the eye."
when the intervals have been tempered
Another point to remember is the
to fine distinctions.
piano-forte does not show a real B sharp
One of the difficulties encountered can
and E sharp; that is, a black key for
B# and another for Db. In the theory
of sound B# is a little higher than C
natural. Hence the theoretical side of
piano tuning — or harmonizing the
strings — is made practical through the
process and equalizing a certain quan-
•fe Prepare now for a career as a Piano
tity of dissonance in the thirds, sixths,
Tuner-Technician.
and tenths in their relationship to the
^V By our accelerated method of
perfect octave.
LEARNING BY DOING you avoid
the usual long factory and shop ap-
You are now ready for the next pro-
prenticeship required by other systems
cedure which begins on our Keyboard
of tuner training. Your Haromny
Chart No. 13. Observe the three C's
School Diploma is your guarantee of
and note example 15, viz., Middle C al-
ability, skill and efficient service to
ways remains perfect once it is "set".
every potential employer.
The arrow points to the interval dis-
•fa SIX to NINE months is sufficient
tances, viz., Ex. 16-17 and 18, Viz., 16
as proved by three years experience
is an octave from 18—and if you ob-
in training over 200 men from prac-
serve closely Ex. 17 is a third from our
tically every state in the Union.
middle C. We can call it the funda-
•fe Arrange now for your enrollment.
•mental. It is well to remember all in-
We may be able to take you at once.
tervals are counted upwards.
G.I. approved.
From Ex. 19 and 20, you are able to
test the third as a Tremolo or fast beat
HARMONY SCHOOL OF
indicated on the chart, and the sixth G
PIANO TUNING
and E—17 and 18.
147 No. Cameron Street
It must be thoroughly understood
Harrisburg, Pa.
that the common chord of C major—
C-E-G-C—is to be taken as a pattern
References:—
for other common chords that follow.
Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce
Chart 14. Ex. 16. Equalizes the Gs
Penn. Dept. of Public Instruction
Veterans Administration, Harrisburg
between the Cs by balancing them with
Wilkes-Barre and Washington, D. C .
the octaves.
Good Piano Men
Needed Everywhere
28
Ex. 17. Before you lower the string
E to C, a major third, listen to how
rough the interval sounds. There should
be a tremulous effect upon the ear, not
unpleasant, but smooth. Lower the E
until you hear very fast "beats" or
tremolo in the interval; then compare
the third as a perfect fifth to A and E.
Note how flat the E sounds to A. Re-
turn to E first tuned, Chart 14, Ex. 17.
The E must be kept sharp, that is,
tuned on the sharp side of the perfect
interval, for it proved by the test that
we cannot have perfect thirds, fifths
that sound too flat, or the major thirds
that are too sharp. Therefore, we must
resort to tempering the intervals; in
other words, altering the strings, i.e.,
putting them a little out of tune.
Demonstration
Make the interval perfect by depress-
ing or altering the tension very slightly
and leaving it as a tremolo by listening
for fast beats on the sharp side of the
interval.
Follow the arrow to Ex. 18, Chart
14, then temper G approximately one
beat in one second, that is, on the flat
side of perfect intervals. Test G, C, E
for a six four chord; establish the har-
monic relationship with the fourth and
fifth and the octave.
Chart 15. Ex. 19. Take particular
notice of the straight line from C to
G and the wave or slow beat under it
which indicates the flat side of the in-
terval.
Important Comment—Ex. 20. Observe
the dotted lines from G to E, the tone
distance of a major sixth. This interval
should sound like a tremolo, very much
like a major third. Be sure that there
is a sufficient tremolo.
Test out the full common chord of
C major, namely C-E-G-C and E-G-C-E
and G-C-E-G. They sound quite different
when there is a change of position al-
though they are the same identical tones.
These inverted chords take place in all
keys and they prove a beautiful blend
when the intervals are intoned with one
another.
(Turn ©t page 30)
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MARCH. 1949