Music Trade Review
Issue: 1952 Vol. 111 N. 5 - Page 24
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
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
Notes of Interest on Tuning
HE keyboard charts used in this
article are to help the ambitions
and conscientious tuner to advance
himself by the way of analyzing the
chords quality and work out a better
solution by using four augmented
chords as exhibited on the charts.
The tuner should be acutely con-
scious of tone relations in order that
his chords may sound extremely musi-
cal rather than mathematical.
Each degree of the scale has its own
individual flavor according to its func-
tion in tonality. This procedure, how-
ever, is a matter of preference, for
many tuners have their own formula
worked out, and others again who
never seem to be quite satisfied with
their temperament. Perfection is the
aim. a good slogan to go by.
A major performance in the art of
tuning pianos calls for plenty of study
and practice.
How to understand the charts is ex-
plained by following the rules. Pro-
ceed slowly, and do not deviate if pos-
sible from the method until you have
gained a little insight as to what it's
all about.
First, note K.B.C. stands for charts
—"Aug" means the fifth tone has been
augmented. That is. raised a half-tone.
Defining the practical use of the
augmented fifth, it is also a minor
sixth, being raised another halftone, it
becomes a major sixth, like the one
employed K.B.C.-l, G and E. It also
takes two major thirds to be an "Aug"
fifth, and its practical use in finding
the enharmonic as seen on K.B.C.-2-A b
Aug. Counting 9 halftones each way,
you can see that G# is on the right
side of E major and A b is on the left
side of C major—Middle "C" taken
as a starting point. That at once gives
you another tonic A b G#. Incidentally,
then you can proceed to tune the other
intervals as E below A b and octave
below Middle C. Then you have the
inversions for Key of C Major.
From A b is a new root of a chord
made up of three tones built in thirds
24
MODEL C
CHORDS CAN BE CLOSELY MATCHED, THUS FORMING A GOOD BRIDGE BETWEEN
THE AUGMENTED CHORDS. THE TUNING CAN BE CHECKED CLOSELY AT EVERY
POINT AND THE CONSTANT ENHARMONIC CHECKS WILL NOT ALLOW THE ERRORS
OF JUDGMENT TO ACCUMULATE
—the only difference in the "Aug"
chord is that it has no minor. You
can see it on the K.B.C.
Explanation of the Triad
1—The triad is a chord made up of
three tones built in thirds.
2—The root of the triad is the tone
from which the chord is built.
3—The third of the triad is a third
from the root.
4—The fifth of the triad is a fifth
from the root.
5—Triads may be built on each tone
of the scale.
(Turn to Col. 3, Page 25)
' '
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY, 1952
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
Notes of Interest on Tuning
HE keyboard charts used in this
article are to help the ambitions
and conscientious tuner to advance
himself by the way of analyzing the
chords quality and work out a better
solution by using four augmented
chords as exhibited on the charts.
The tuner should be acutely con-
scious of tone relations in order that
his chords may sound extremely musi-
cal rather than mathematical.
Each degree of the scale has its own
individual flavor according to its func-
tion in tonality. This procedure, how-
ever, is a matter of preference, for
many tuners have their own formula
worked out, and others again who
never seem to be quite satisfied with
their temperament. Perfection is the
aim. a good slogan to go by.
A major performance in the art of
tuning pianos calls for plenty of study
and practice.
How to understand the charts is ex-
plained by following the rules. Pro-
ceed slowly, and do not deviate if pos-
sible from the method until you have
gained a little insight as to what it's
all about.
First, note K.B.C. stands for charts
—"Aug" means the fifth tone has been
augmented. That is. raised a half-tone.
Defining the practical use of the
augmented fifth, it is also a minor
sixth, being raised another halftone, it
becomes a major sixth, like the one
employed K.B.C.-l, G and E. It also
takes two major thirds to be an "Aug"
fifth, and its practical use in finding
the enharmonic as seen on K.B.C.-2-A b
Aug. Counting 9 halftones each way,
you can see that G# is on the right
side of E major and A b is on the left
side of C major—Middle "C" taken
as a starting point. That at once gives
you another tonic A b G#. Incidentally,
then you can proceed to tune the other
intervals as E below A b and octave
below Middle C. Then you have the
inversions for Key of C Major.
From A b is a new root of a chord
made up of three tones built in thirds
24
MODEL C
CHORDS CAN BE CLOSELY MATCHED, THUS FORMING A GOOD BRIDGE BETWEEN
THE AUGMENTED CHORDS. THE TUNING CAN BE CHECKED CLOSELY AT EVERY
POINT AND THE CONSTANT ENHARMONIC CHECKS WILL NOT ALLOW THE ERRORS
OF JUDGMENT TO ACCUMULATE
—the only difference in the "Aug"
chord is that it has no minor. You
can see it on the K.B.C.
Explanation of the Triad
1—The triad is a chord made up of
three tones built in thirds.
2—The root of the triad is the tone
from which the chord is built.
3—The third of the triad is a third
from the root.
4—The fifth of the triad is a fifth
from the root.
5—Triads may be built on each tone
of the scale.
(Turn to Col. 3, Page 25)
' '
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW, MAY, 1952
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