Re: [Harp-L] tuning - piano octaves stretched

[icemanle@xxxxxxx]

 <<<<<<<From: Doug <mr4chnt@xxxxxxxxx>

This is very interesting (about piano octave stretching) and new to me.  Would 
the middle be at 440, the low end at 439 and the high end at 441?  Over the 88 
notes on the piano about how much would the total stretch be?    Am I 
misunderstanding? 

Is this technique applicable to the harmonica?  Would it help improve major 
chords on an ET harmonica or make them worse?>>>>>>>>>>>>


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I approach piano tuning as an art, subject to the philosophies and experience of the artist, learning this skill before the advent of computerized digital tuning aids.  These aids have validity in a laboratory setting, but never seemed to take into account real life eccentricities that all pianos contain. These eccentricities (false beats in the strings, temperaments that lay unevenly, compromises that can be made to allow the overall piano to "sing" while slightly altering the relationships between notes, etc) can all be smoothed out by a skilled ear and developed techniques that lay outside of these computerized machines.

Stretch tuning is not a given formula when using this approach. Don't think of hz (439 - 441). Different pianos will "call out" for different stretches in order to give a satisfactory final result. (I always related to pianos in such a way that they would, in a sense, talk to me about what they liked in order to 'sing out' upon completion). I have experienced pianos tuned by other philosophies in which the top octave is suddenly stretched beyond my comprehension. In other words, it seemed somewhat controlled and reasonable until hitting that last octave, in which every note was yanked real sharp.

There are those on the "L" that may like to delve into the flip side of this artistry and google research papers in order to post about laboratory settings, analog and/or digitalized stroboscopic tuners set at fixed points, controlling this aspect in a sterile sense, "proofs" offered up in clinical settings ("proofs" being documentation provided by lab techs and scientists) and debating the use of certain terminologies when discussing this subject. 

This is just another philosophy and has its own points of interest, but never worked for me in the real world as well as talent does.

This technique is applicable to the harmonica. It would make chords worse on an ET harmonica. The chords are improved by tuning specific notes towards the flat direction - not sharpening or stretching.