Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum To play or not to play

Warm hearted response, Ed. I agree.

I guess there's a limit to how far a great tuning will carry a poor musician if one happens to be one.

What I lack in talent I make up for with enthusiasm. The rest is simply hard work.

After tuning my tech usually plays a number of big chords and then waits a few seconds after each chord. He seems to listen to how they sound.

At that time I hear how it sings and dies out, how the piano resonates, the overtones, the chord voicing, the pedaling, the damper noise, etc. I suppose that's also what he is listening for.

It seems to me that this 'playing' is a final check that the tuning is ok.

Hi all - a good topic! For years and years, I've followed every tuning with a lively rendition of "Satin Doll." Customers are used to this and typically by the time I've finished they've arrived, checkbook in hand from another corner of the house.

As a practical matter, playing a bit helps catch things I didn't notice when I was tuning. As far as for customer satisfaction it helps to show the owner that the piano is indeed well in tune (especially when the customer can't play him or herself, and is having the piano tuned for children taking lessons.)

When I really enjoy playing is when I tune the pianos at the local nursing home. I'll follow up Satin Doll with a few favorites, such as "Stormy Weather" (which has been really appropriate this spring in the midwest) or "Ain't Misbehavin'". The residents listening are very appreciative of this - makes my job fun! I'll hang out for a bit, have a few cookies with them and visit. All good! Chuck

Chuck, play "An Affair To Remember" at the old folks homes. It brings them to tears every time.

I pieced together a few-minutes medley of original to classical to pop etc. Just snatches, really, of perhaps a dozen or more tunes. Clients seemed enjoy guessing - e.g. - "was that a little bit of Gershwin I heard?" It was fun.