Music Trade Review
Issue: 1932 Vol. 91 N. 2 - Page 22
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
22
THE
calculated by octaves from C4. Calculated
by fifths, as described above, it will not be
4186 but 4186x531441/524288. This can be
verified by any one who will take the trouble
to perform the computation. Similar com-
putations undertaken from the same point by
fourths will being out the twelfth fourth on
C64, of which the pitch in round numbers
is 1046. Twelve fourths from the same
starting place will arrive on the keyboard
at C64, but the pitch of this will be short ot
1046.
PURE VS. TEMPERED
In all this we are dealing with pure re-
lations of intervals and the calculations show
two of the reasons why such relations can-
not be used in tuning. When then we come
to the question what relations we shall use,
we turn to the equal temperament because
this system makes the most practical com-
promise with the facts. The equal tempera-
ment is based on the idea of dividing up
the octave artificially into twelve equal di-
visions. This is not a natural but an arti-
ficial system. It is set up because it gives
AMCO
BENCHES
ARE BUILT
on quality Standards
To Match any Piano
Prompt Shipments
Write for folder and price list.
COWEN Furniture Company
415 W. Superior Street
Chicago
MUSIC
TRADE
the best results from a practical standpoint.
It causes all the intervals save the octave
to be more or less out of tune, but the mod-
ern ear has come to accept the beatings that
result and to take them as if they did not
matter; which apparently to the modern ear
they do not.
When now we come to the tables of beats
occurring between the members of tempered
intervals, we are no longer dealing with
pure interval relations but with these as dis-
torted by the temperament. The first set of
calculations was given in an effort to ex-
plain the pure scales and to show why they
cannot be used with twelv-e-to-the-octave
instruments such as the piano. If now Mr.
Fink will take the trouble to read my book
again he will have no difficulty in under-
standing everything. He must, however, be-
ware of short cuts or of trying to understand
the beginning by turning to the end with-
out going through the intermediate steps. If
he will, on the contrary, take these steps one
by one, not going on until he has mastered
each in turn, he will have no trouble in
obtaining satisfactory results.
REVIEW,
February, 1932
THE TUNERS 1 POSITION
My second letter is from Fred Very of
Los Angeles. Some three months ago I spoke
about the future of tuning and suggested
that a good man ought to make a good liv-
ing if he has one thousand pianos per year
from which to draw. It seems that I spoke
rashly, Mr. Very says, and says very acutely:
"You say that a million pianos will give
steady employment to a thousand tuners. I
do not think the statement will be supported
by the experiences of the men in the field.
I have made a special effort to educate piano
owners that pianos should be tuned at least
twice a year, and that an interval of a year
between tunings should be the absolute limit.
As a result I have a very limited number
who can be depended upon twice a year,
and a larger number good for once a year.
A very large majority, on the other hand, lets
pianos go for years at a time. • Consequently,
one thousand pianos would not keep a tuner
busy for more than a small part of his time."
Well it seems that I was wrong. Mr.
Very is of the opinion that this state of af-
(Please turn to page 23)
His Name Will Not Be on Your Pay Roll
—yet he'll be working for you daily!
MODERN X-70 REFRIGERATOR TRUCKS
Replace one man on de-
liveries, make heavy lift-
ing easy and prevent
d a m a g e to cabinets,
floors, walls and wood-
work.
They work for
you every day with one
less name on the payroll.
Light, all steel frame;
4" rubber tired wheels;
top casters for tilting and
rolling
into
delivery
truck. Only pads touch
cabinet. Fit all cabinets,
with or without legs.
BADGER BRAND
PLATES
are far more
than
merely
good p l a t e s .
They are built
correctly of the
best material and finish and are spe-
cified by builders of quality pianos.
American Piano Plate Co.
Rubber tired, ball-
bearing swivel casters
on one end, $5 extra.
Manufacturers BADGER BRAND Grand
and Upright Piano Plates
Racine, Wisconsin
Self-Lifting
Piano Truck Co.
For
Service
Price
Quality
Reliability
Findlay, Ohio
Continuous Hinges
Grand Hinges
IN Pedals and Rods
Bearing Bars
Casters, etc., etc.
CHAS. RAMSEY CORP.
KINGSTON, N. Y.
THE COMSTOCK, CHENEY & CO,
IVORYTON, CONN.
Ivory Cutters Since 1834
MANUFACTURERS OF GRAND KEYS, ACTIONS, AND HAMMERS, UPRIGHT KEYS,
ACTIONS AND HAMMERS, PIPE ORGAN KEYS, PIANOFORTE IVORY FOR THE TRADE
22
THE
calculated by octaves from C4. Calculated
by fifths, as described above, it will not be
4186 but 4186x531441/524288. This can be
verified by any one who will take the trouble
to perform the computation. Similar com-
putations undertaken from the same point by
fourths will being out the twelfth fourth on
C64, of which the pitch in round numbers
is 1046. Twelve fourths from the same
starting place will arrive on the keyboard
at C64, but the pitch of this will be short ot
1046.
PURE VS. TEMPERED
In all this we are dealing with pure re-
lations of intervals and the calculations show
two of the reasons why such relations can-
not be used in tuning. When then we come
to the question what relations we shall use,
we turn to the equal temperament because
this system makes the most practical com-
promise with the facts. The equal tempera-
ment is based on the idea of dividing up
the octave artificially into twelve equal di-
visions. This is not a natural but an arti-
ficial system. It is set up because it gives
AMCO
BENCHES
ARE BUILT
on quality Standards
To Match any Piano
Prompt Shipments
Write for folder and price list.
COWEN Furniture Company
415 W. Superior Street
Chicago
MUSIC
TRADE
the best results from a practical standpoint.
It causes all the intervals save the octave
to be more or less out of tune, but the mod-
ern ear has come to accept the beatings that
result and to take them as if they did not
matter; which apparently to the modern ear
they do not.
When now we come to the tables of beats
occurring between the members of tempered
intervals, we are no longer dealing with
pure interval relations but with these as dis-
torted by the temperament. The first set of
calculations was given in an effort to ex-
plain the pure scales and to show why they
cannot be used with twelv-e-to-the-octave
instruments such as the piano. If now Mr.
Fink will take the trouble to read my book
again he will have no difficulty in under-
standing everything. He must, however, be-
ware of short cuts or of trying to understand
the beginning by turning to the end with-
out going through the intermediate steps. If
he will, on the contrary, take these steps one
by one, not going on until he has mastered
each in turn, he will have no trouble in
obtaining satisfactory results.
REVIEW,
February, 1932
THE TUNERS 1 POSITION
My second letter is from Fred Very of
Los Angeles. Some three months ago I spoke
about the future of tuning and suggested
that a good man ought to make a good liv-
ing if he has one thousand pianos per year
from which to draw. It seems that I spoke
rashly, Mr. Very says, and says very acutely:
"You say that a million pianos will give
steady employment to a thousand tuners. I
do not think the statement will be supported
by the experiences of the men in the field.
I have made a special effort to educate piano
owners that pianos should be tuned at least
twice a year, and that an interval of a year
between tunings should be the absolute limit.
As a result I have a very limited number
who can be depended upon twice a year,
and a larger number good for once a year.
A very large majority, on the other hand, lets
pianos go for years at a time. • Consequently,
one thousand pianos would not keep a tuner
busy for more than a small part of his time."
Well it seems that I was wrong. Mr.
Very is of the opinion that this state of af-
(Please turn to page 23)
His Name Will Not Be on Your Pay Roll
—yet he'll be working for you daily!
MODERN X-70 REFRIGERATOR TRUCKS
Replace one man on de-
liveries, make heavy lift-
ing easy and prevent
d a m a g e to cabinets,
floors, walls and wood-
work.
They work for
you every day with one
less name on the payroll.
Light, all steel frame;
4" rubber tired wheels;
top casters for tilting and
rolling
into
delivery
truck. Only pads touch
cabinet. Fit all cabinets,
with or without legs.
BADGER BRAND
PLATES
are far more
than
merely
good p l a t e s .
They are built
correctly of the
best material and finish and are spe-
cified by builders of quality pianos.
American Piano Plate Co.
Rubber tired, ball-
bearing swivel casters
on one end, $5 extra.
Manufacturers BADGER BRAND Grand
and Upright Piano Plates
Racine, Wisconsin
Self-Lifting
Piano Truck Co.
For
Service
Price
Quality
Reliability
Findlay, Ohio
Continuous Hinges
Grand Hinges
IN Pedals and Rods
Bearing Bars
Casters, etc., etc.
CHAS. RAMSEY CORP.
KINGSTON, N. Y.
THE COMSTOCK, CHENEY & CO,
IVORYTON, CONN.
Ivory Cutters Since 1834
MANUFACTURERS OF GRAND KEYS, ACTIONS, AND HAMMERS, UPRIGHT KEYS,
ACTIONS AND HAMMERS, PIPE ORGAN KEYS, PIANOFORTE IVORY FOR THE TRADE
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).