Klarinet Archive - Posting 001201.txt from 1998/12

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] re:Intonation training
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 19:59:32 -0500

Bill Hausmann noted:

<<<Piano is pretty hard to tune to because of the richness in harmonics and
decaying tone as the note is held. There is nothing much you can do about
drummers!>>>

My (admittedly dim) understanding of piano acoustics--gleaned over a beer or
several with a piano-tuner friend--is that you can simultaneously be in and
out of tune with a piano. The pitch of a piano string is apparently not
constant during a note, and there are usually 3 strings vibrating away for
each note! The fluctuation in pitch is supposed to be a factor in the
"richness" of the sound.

Of course, the pianist cares not; they just push the buttons. Similar to
drummers.

Incidentally, here out West we do have a remedy for drummers. (They're
called "shotguns"). <g>

kjf

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