Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Oral tuning vs machine tuning

I'm curious about what people have to say about the latest debate that has sprung up in the tuning community. There are those who claim that a machine like a tuning hammer can't match the tuning of a skilled oral tuner. Yet others claim that oral tuning is bad for your teeth. And what's more, can cause the tuning pins to rust. Thoughts?

Sounds like it's April fools day again!

Ron Koval

how not to discuss this? A pure octave is not even true now which did your tuner. The tuner receives a fee, but "does not know WHAT he is really doing."
In Russian version, about the fact that there are no 2x identical octaves of one piano, made with an electronic tuner.

I think oral tuning is unsanitary - and impossible these days due to mask wearing. Vice Grips are the way to go.

Unsanitary, YES !!! That is why I prefer it. Once I orally tune a piano, the customer will HAVE to call me back. No other tuner would touch it !!!

If you hum the right way to the piano, the circle of sound will resonate and properly align the harmonic structure to the universal constant and you won't need to use vice grips!

Ron Koval

If you lick the keys you won't need to lick your cell phone screen any more for the calorie content. Should be pretty much the same for piano keys. And no more iron supplements if you pick all the strings and tuning pins...

Peter Grey Piano Doctor

That appears to be a hybrid method. Proper oral tuning should not require a lever.......

Merely holding a tuning fork with my mouth chipped my teeth. I’m afraid I’d have to stick with machine tuning.

What does a "lever" have to do with tuning a piano? I use a pitch fork. (and vice grips, of course)