Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Dealing with slow body clock; when middle A sounds "lower".

Last night, while I was composing a piece in a MIDI sequencer, I noticed that the instruments sounded unusually flat; At first, I thought it was Windows acting funky. However, when I switched to my portable player, I heard the same thing. I had to adjust the playback speed 1.5% faster in order for music to sound "right", or to A=446.6 Hz, a serious timebase error. I was wondering how it would affect your job tuning the piano when your internal timebase is so far off it irritates you constantly, all day.

I just ignore it.

Huh???

Since when is A = 446.6 Hz the tuning standard?

I'm lucky enough not to have one of those confusing, infernal, internal time bases!

I keep my batteries charged and take my pills.

Marty, as near as I can decipher, He is adjusting manipulatable recording and playback devices to match some mysterious internal timing organ ... I think.

The next time "I see my doctor", I'll have to ask if I have one of those internal timing thingies.

David - that was a very sharp deduction.

Sounds like the gift of pitch memory, sometimes known as perfect or absolute pitch. It is known for losing its accuracy with age.

It used to be regarded as a sure sign of musicianship but this was never completely true. People with this gift are a complete liability in a capela groups or string quartets where the flexibility of good relative intonation is important.

Many people have this "gift" in some form, Even none musicians. Rarely is it this accurate and it can be annoying.

In answer to the original question, all keyboard tuning is relative to a beginning note. Tuners have to deal with requests for different pitches. This morning I drew the short straw and was obliged to tune a fortepiano to a=430 in Young's temperament. If I had had this curious "gift" I can see how difficult it might have been.

This thread reminds me of a conversation I had a few years ago with an Indian sitarist.

According to him, the instrumentalists tune according to where the vocalist's voice is that day, rather than imposing some standard reference frequency like 440. I don't know if it is this way all over India, or if this is just regional.

It happens all over America.

Check out sacred harp singing groups.

I'm sure it's true - unless he was also an Indian "satirist"...

I will.

But now that you mention it...
Years ago, I took a fretted Appalachian mountain lap dulcimer class. We were told to tune to a "democratic" D.

To the OP,

Previous posters' remarks aside, I can relate to what you've written. Pitch memory can vary significantly. I've picked up variations in terms of the time of day, my mood, stress levels, energy levels, etc. etc.

(I don't, however, use my pitch memory to tune a piano.)

That's why we carry pitch references that are immune to mood swings or bio-rhythms, and why we don't tune according to how we feel if we want to continue getting paid for it.

the OP could not learn to tune with that method then :

[video:youtube]LsE7wQkKv4w[/video]

Actually, I use that method. I've noticed over the years that I can't tune a piano satisfactorily if I don't have a heart beat!

Would electro-resuscitation tune a piano?

CLEAR ! ! !

Having no heart at all disqualifies me.

Gooseneck is good for turning one or two particular pins in the bass, and then only rarely (resulting usually from a big factory goof). I would love to think that the thing was invented for that reason only; and that the guy who invented it would be turning over in his grave if he knew it was being used otherwise. Then, there are lots of things I'd like to believe in, but...