Music Trade Review
Issue: 1925 Vol. 81 N. 7 - Page 13
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THE
AUGUST 15, 1925
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
13
TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
Conducted By William Braid White
Fundamental Knowledge in the Tuning
Field Not Increasing at Proper Ratio
Recent Convention in Detroit of the National Association of Piano Tuners Showed That Knowl-
edge in Tuning, Action Regulating and Voicing Is Not Increasing in the Same Ratio as
Is That of the Various Types of Player Mechanisms
voicing. I should be inclined to say that most
tuners are more or less deficient in the higher
understanding of tuning, fairly good on rough
upright regulating, not good in fundamental
understanding of the principles and practice of
voicing and almost wholly ignorant of grand
action regulating. This is not a very encour-
aging thing to say; but it has been said before
and I think it ought to be said again.
During the Detroit convention there was to
have been a round-table discussion of the prin-
ciples of voicing. The meetings, however, were
too large for intimate work of the kind and the
thing became a lecture. Mr. Herbert Antunes,
who handled it, with some assistance from Mr.
N. C. Boe and myself, soon found that he was
talking to an audience which was in need of
the most elementary instruction upon both prin-
ciples and practice. The reporter's transcript of
the questions asked and the comments made
show plainly that this statement is not ex-
aggerated.
That audience consisted of prac-
tical tuners; and that audience showed its prac-
tical ignorance of an important, in fact, of an
essential element of daily professional work.
The American Piano Co., in deference to
many requests made last year at the Milwaukee
The Uncovered Evil
convention, put on with its Ampico classes a
In a word, the disturbing fact is that while
separate set of classes in grand action regulat-
general knowledge of player work, even of re-
ing. The instructors were besieged with in-
producing piano work, has been progressing
quiries and requests for instruction and were
with gratifying rapidity and completeness, almost
unable to fill the wants of all who demanded,
entirely through the labors of the educational
as their facilities were limited. '
departments of the great manufacturers, fun-
Fundamentals in Tuning
damental knowledge of tuning, action regulating
Lastly, some discussion had taken place at the
and voicing has not been increasing in any-
Milwaukee meeting last year as to certain meth-
thing like parallel ratio.
In fact, to tell the
ods of tuning; and this time at Detroit a suc-
exact truth about it, the principal difficulty now
cessful attempt was made to secure some dis-
facing the tuners, the difficulty which is also
cussion. The first result apparent was that
the most dangerous to them lies in the task of
what was needed was not so much mere con-
building up the individual skill of the individual
member in (a) tuning, (b) upright action reg- versation about methods as fundamental knowl-
edge about principles; and to that end Mr.
ulating, (c) grand action regulating and (d)
Frank W. Hale, of Boston, one of the most
eminent of tuners, with a little help by my-
self and Messrs. Antunes and Seagrave, under-
took to demonstrate the meaning and the prac-
VERY man who attended the Detroit
convention of the National Association
must have been thrilled by the size of the
thing, by the enthusiasm displayed and by the
striking evidence everywhere visible and audi-
ble of real achievement in face of enormous
difficulties.
Those of us who years ago la-
bored to found this great body may look back
with a sort of pathetic affection to the old
photographs showing a couple of dozen men
whose courage, faith and ability to stand de-
rision without wincing, brought them together
at the earliest conventions. We may rejoice,
and rejoice sincerely, at the thought of the won-
derful position the N. A. P. T. has achieved to-
day; and we may look forward to still higher
achievements in the future.
Still it would be simple treason to the piano
industry and quite as much treason to the
Tuners' Association to pretend that nothing
of a disquieting nature emerged from last
week's proceedings.
One fact decidedly did
emerge, of which the nature can only be called
highly disturbing. This fact needs to be un-
covered, here and now, and brought out into
the open where we can see it.
E
John Lippe
Piano Key Repairing
Keys Called for and Delirered in Metropolitan District
GRAINED IVORINE, Per Set Keys
$8.50
CELLULOID, Per Set Keys
8.00
COMPOSITION:
Pure White, Per Set Keys
10.00
Ivory White,
14.00
All Work and Deliveriet by Parcel* Pott in
Two Week* Guaranteed
844 River Road
Edgewater, N. J.
Telephone Cliffaide 879-M
Send for This Valuable
Free Book
One of the surest ways to increase
your profits is to repair mars and
scratches immediately. If your prospec-
tive customer sees a defect In the finish
your chance of making a sale is greatly
diminished.
"How to Repair Damage to Var-
nished Surfaces" tells how you can In-
stantly repair any injury to the finish
of musical instruments or fine furniture.
It will interest any dealer, tuner or
repair man.
WRITE FOR FREE COPY TODAY
If you are too busy to write a letter, pin
this ad to your card or letterhead and mail
It to us. We'll know what you want.
The M. L. Campbell Company
2328 Penn
Kansas City, Mo.
PENN'S POLISH
Dull or Satin Finish Cleaner
The Standard of Quality
The Qnality Goes in Before the Label Goes on
Samples and Prices on Request
T. ATLEE PENN CO.,
Mt. Vernon, O.
FAUST SCHOOL
OF TUNING
Standard of America
Alumni of 2000
Pisa* Tnaiag, Pipe »»d Re«4 Ortaa
aa« Flarar Pitt*. T«ar Bosk Fr*«.
27-29 Gainsboro Street
BOSTON, MASS.
Established
1901
POLK TUNING SCHOOL
Pioneer school of piano, player-piano and Reproducing
Piano tuning and repairing in the United States.
Complete Courses Taught in Seven to Ten Weeks
Write for terms and literature
POLK BUILDING
VALPARAISO, IND.
tice of the Equal Temperament. The fact that
Doctor Rich, of the University of Michigan,
had experimentally demonstrated during the
previous afternoon the existence of partial tones,
made the matter somewhat easier; and I for one
should wish to pay here a most hearty tribute
to Mr. Hale for his most interesting, accurate
and lucid demonstration.
He worked from
thirds and sixths, while I, for one, hava always
used fourths and fifths; yet he showed plainly
what of course every educated tuner has al-
ways known, namely, that method is nothing
but principles are everything; so that it mat-
ters not whether one tunes by one or by an-
other method, supposing only that one works
on the correct principles.
Unfortunately, however, all the discussion
which led to Mr. Hale's demonstration before the
assembled tuners had pointed unmistakably to
the belief on the part of very many that tuning
in equal temperament is a matter of method,
and that no fixed principle exists.
Mr. Hale
endeavored to get rid of this fundamental error
and I think succeeded. Unhappily, however, the
discussion revealed a most distressing mental
confusion among members of the Association on
this vital point; and since these men are ad-
mittedly the cream of the profession, the only
body of carefully tested men, in fact, of which
the profession may boast, one is bound to sup-
pose that the general body of opinion and
knowledge outside their rank is on the whole
but less poorly informed.
Here is a serious
matter; serious for every tuner, whether or no
he belongs to the Tuners' Association.
Something, it seems, will have to be done
about this. Pending that, I permit myself the
luxury of plunging into the sea of controversy
with a few gentle remarks about the Equal
Temperament and all its works.
What Is Equal Temperament?
My book, Modern Piano Tuning, contains a
complete working out of the whole system of
Equal Temperament, showing how it is found-
ed, how it is developed and how to apply it in
the most thorough and accurate way. Drawing
upon the methods used in this book, let me
begin by saying that the Equal Temperament
is a purely artificial creation.
It is not the
diatonic or diatonic-chromatic scale. The old
(Continued on page 14)
KEYS RECOVERED AND REBUSHED
Send Poital for Free Sample
We are tpecialitti in this work, which every dealer and tuner
needt. All work done by expert* with most 'modern machinery,
and correct spacing it guaranteed.
Replaced key* appear
exactly ai when instrument left factory.
PRICES LOW—WORK
GUARANTEED
Send Express or Parcel Post to
Frield Miller ft Co., 3767 Hanoi! St., Indianapottfjnd.
Philadelphia School of Piano Tuning
REPAIRING. REBUILDING AND
PLAYER PIANO ADJUSTING
One of tho largest Schools In the East
Write for Catalog R
Organized 1914
The Y.M.C.A., 1421 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa.
REPAIRING
and Refinishing
Pianos and Phonographs
Write for Detail* and Term*
PIANO REPAIR
339 So. Wabash Ave.
SHOP
Chicago
OTTO R. TREFZ, Jr.
Piano Bass Strings
Piano Repair Supplies
2110 Fairtnount Ave.
Philadelphia, Pa.
THE
AUGUST 15, 1925
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW
13
TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
Conducted By William Braid White
Fundamental Knowledge in the Tuning
Field Not Increasing at Proper Ratio
Recent Convention in Detroit of the National Association of Piano Tuners Showed That Knowl-
edge in Tuning, Action Regulating and Voicing Is Not Increasing in the Same Ratio as
Is That of the Various Types of Player Mechanisms
voicing. I should be inclined to say that most
tuners are more or less deficient in the higher
understanding of tuning, fairly good on rough
upright regulating, not good in fundamental
understanding of the principles and practice of
voicing and almost wholly ignorant of grand
action regulating. This is not a very encour-
aging thing to say; but it has been said before
and I think it ought to be said again.
During the Detroit convention there was to
have been a round-table discussion of the prin-
ciples of voicing. The meetings, however, were
too large for intimate work of the kind and the
thing became a lecture. Mr. Herbert Antunes,
who handled it, with some assistance from Mr.
N. C. Boe and myself, soon found that he was
talking to an audience which was in need of
the most elementary instruction upon both prin-
ciples and practice. The reporter's transcript of
the questions asked and the comments made
show plainly that this statement is not ex-
aggerated.
That audience consisted of prac-
tical tuners; and that audience showed its prac-
tical ignorance of an important, in fact, of an
essential element of daily professional work.
The American Piano Co., in deference to
many requests made last year at the Milwaukee
The Uncovered Evil
convention, put on with its Ampico classes a
In a word, the disturbing fact is that while
separate set of classes in grand action regulat-
general knowledge of player work, even of re-
ing. The instructors were besieged with in-
producing piano work, has been progressing
quiries and requests for instruction and were
with gratifying rapidity and completeness, almost
unable to fill the wants of all who demanded,
entirely through the labors of the educational
as their facilities were limited. '
departments of the great manufacturers, fun-
Fundamentals in Tuning
damental knowledge of tuning, action regulating
Lastly, some discussion had taken place at the
and voicing has not been increasing in any-
Milwaukee meeting last year as to certain meth-
thing like parallel ratio.
In fact, to tell the
ods of tuning; and this time at Detroit a suc-
exact truth about it, the principal difficulty now
cessful attempt was made to secure some dis-
facing the tuners, the difficulty which is also
cussion. The first result apparent was that
the most dangerous to them lies in the task of
what was needed was not so much mere con-
building up the individual skill of the individual
member in (a) tuning, (b) upright action reg- versation about methods as fundamental knowl-
edge about principles; and to that end Mr.
ulating, (c) grand action regulating and (d)
Frank W. Hale, of Boston, one of the most
eminent of tuners, with a little help by my-
self and Messrs. Antunes and Seagrave, under-
took to demonstrate the meaning and the prac-
VERY man who attended the Detroit
convention of the National Association
must have been thrilled by the size of the
thing, by the enthusiasm displayed and by the
striking evidence everywhere visible and audi-
ble of real achievement in face of enormous
difficulties.
Those of us who years ago la-
bored to found this great body may look back
with a sort of pathetic affection to the old
photographs showing a couple of dozen men
whose courage, faith and ability to stand de-
rision without wincing, brought them together
at the earliest conventions. We may rejoice,
and rejoice sincerely, at the thought of the won-
derful position the N. A. P. T. has achieved to-
day; and we may look forward to still higher
achievements in the future.
Still it would be simple treason to the piano
industry and quite as much treason to the
Tuners' Association to pretend that nothing
of a disquieting nature emerged from last
week's proceedings.
One fact decidedly did
emerge, of which the nature can only be called
highly disturbing. This fact needs to be un-
covered, here and now, and brought out into
the open where we can see it.
E
John Lippe
Piano Key Repairing
Keys Called for and Delirered in Metropolitan District
GRAINED IVORINE, Per Set Keys
$8.50
CELLULOID, Per Set Keys
8.00
COMPOSITION:
Pure White, Per Set Keys
10.00
Ivory White,
14.00
All Work and Deliveriet by Parcel* Pott in
Two Week* Guaranteed
844 River Road
Edgewater, N. J.
Telephone Cliffaide 879-M
Send for This Valuable
Free Book
One of the surest ways to increase
your profits is to repair mars and
scratches immediately. If your prospec-
tive customer sees a defect In the finish
your chance of making a sale is greatly
diminished.
"How to Repair Damage to Var-
nished Surfaces" tells how you can In-
stantly repair any injury to the finish
of musical instruments or fine furniture.
It will interest any dealer, tuner or
repair man.
WRITE FOR FREE COPY TODAY
If you are too busy to write a letter, pin
this ad to your card or letterhead and mail
It to us. We'll know what you want.
The M. L. Campbell Company
2328 Penn
Kansas City, Mo.
PENN'S POLISH
Dull or Satin Finish Cleaner
The Standard of Quality
The Qnality Goes in Before the Label Goes on
Samples and Prices on Request
T. ATLEE PENN CO.,
Mt. Vernon, O.
FAUST SCHOOL
OF TUNING
Standard of America
Alumni of 2000
Pisa* Tnaiag, Pipe »»d Re«4 Ortaa
aa« Flarar Pitt*. T«ar Bosk Fr*«.
27-29 Gainsboro Street
BOSTON, MASS.
Established
1901
POLK TUNING SCHOOL
Pioneer school of piano, player-piano and Reproducing
Piano tuning and repairing in the United States.
Complete Courses Taught in Seven to Ten Weeks
Write for terms and literature
POLK BUILDING
VALPARAISO, IND.
tice of the Equal Temperament. The fact that
Doctor Rich, of the University of Michigan,
had experimentally demonstrated during the
previous afternoon the existence of partial tones,
made the matter somewhat easier; and I for one
should wish to pay here a most hearty tribute
to Mr. Hale for his most interesting, accurate
and lucid demonstration.
He worked from
thirds and sixths, while I, for one, hava always
used fourths and fifths; yet he showed plainly
what of course every educated tuner has al-
ways known, namely, that method is nothing
but principles are everything; so that it mat-
ters not whether one tunes by one or by an-
other method, supposing only that one works
on the correct principles.
Unfortunately, however, all the discussion
which led to Mr. Hale's demonstration before the
assembled tuners had pointed unmistakably to
the belief on the part of very many that tuning
in equal temperament is a matter of method,
and that no fixed principle exists.
Mr. Hale
endeavored to get rid of this fundamental error
and I think succeeded. Unhappily, however, the
discussion revealed a most distressing mental
confusion among members of the Association on
this vital point; and since these men are ad-
mittedly the cream of the profession, the only
body of carefully tested men, in fact, of which
the profession may boast, one is bound to sup-
pose that the general body of opinion and
knowledge outside their rank is on the whole
but less poorly informed.
Here is a serious
matter; serious for every tuner, whether or no
he belongs to the Tuners' Association.
Something, it seems, will have to be done
about this. Pending that, I permit myself the
luxury of plunging into the sea of controversy
with a few gentle remarks about the Equal
Temperament and all its works.
What Is Equal Temperament?
My book, Modern Piano Tuning, contains a
complete working out of the whole system of
Equal Temperament, showing how it is found-
ed, how it is developed and how to apply it in
the most thorough and accurate way. Drawing
upon the methods used in this book, let me
begin by saying that the Equal Temperament
is a purely artificial creation.
It is not the
diatonic or diatonic-chromatic scale. The old
(Continued on page 14)
KEYS RECOVERED AND REBUSHED
Send Poital for Free Sample
We are tpecialitti in this work, which every dealer and tuner
needt. All work done by expert* with most 'modern machinery,
and correct spacing it guaranteed.
Replaced key* appear
exactly ai when instrument left factory.
PRICES LOW—WORK
GUARANTEED
Send Express or Parcel Post to
Frield Miller ft Co., 3767 Hanoi! St., Indianapottfjnd.
Philadelphia School of Piano Tuning
REPAIRING. REBUILDING AND
PLAYER PIANO ADJUSTING
One of tho largest Schools In the East
Write for Catalog R
Organized 1914
The Y.M.C.A., 1421 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pa.
REPAIRING
and Refinishing
Pianos and Phonographs
Write for Detail* and Term*
PIANO REPAIR
339 So. Wabash Ave.
SHOP
Chicago
OTTO R. TREFZ, Jr.
Piano Bass Strings
Piano Repair Supplies
2110 Fairtnount Ave.
Philadelphia, Pa.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).