Tuning advice needed

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chriswarren
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Tuning advice needed

Post by chriswarren »

Have now had my new Kawai RX3 since last November. As posted previously, it arrived well sharp, and after two tunings where it wasn't taken down to concert pitch, it's now around 4 or 5 cents sharp across the termperament octave. I'm keen to get advice on whether I should:

- leave it to settle further (how long might it take?)
- bring it down a little at the next tuning
- bring it down to concert pitch at the next tuning

I'm assuming that even at 5 cents sharp, that that's still going to produce a discernibly different tone to concert pitch. There are also a few "zingers" around the treble break that I'm hoping might be improved by lowering to concert pitch.

Any advice gratefully received.
Model V
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Re: Tuning advice needed

Post by Model V »

My advice would be to throw away your digital tuner/uninstall your tuning ap and get on with enjoying your new piano. Unless you're planning to do ensemble work with a tuning fork.

Your piano is at worst five one-hundredths of a semitone above concert pitch. Come on!

By the way; why did you purchase a piano with audible "zingers" in the first place?

MV.
Barrie Heaton
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Re: Tuning advice needed

Post by Barrie Heaton »

5 cents sharp will make the harmonics stand out but unless you are recording as Model V says I would not get to over concerned if the pitch is up as most would not notice it. But if you do want on pitch then bang it down in one

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sussexpianos
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Re: Tuning advice needed

Post by sussexpianos »

Pianos move up and down in the seasons and i tend to leave the pitch where it is if its very close. Unless your recording or on stage, leave it. How do you know that the device you are using is correct? Have you calibrated it? Unless you spent a few hundred pounds on the right software and have calibrated it, you are wasting your time.
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vernon
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Re: Tuning advice needed

Post by vernon »

Kawais tend to arrive about 444.
Best leave it alone.
Your machine may measure 5 cents but the only animal I know that can do it is a bat.
Enjoy your RX3
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WellTempered
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Re: Tuning advice needed

Post by WellTempered »

5 Cents is worth only "5 cents" in monetary terms. It wouldn't even be a "bang down" but a tap down. The richness of tuning is down to the ear, I believe, and very personal - digital tuners are like the introduction of CD's to the music business - so much is lost and things can start sounding mechanical. Every piano is unique and wants to sing it's own song - it needs a human to hear the music it wants to sing xxx
chriswarren
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Re: Tuning advice needed

Post by chriswarren »

Many thanks for your advice. I'll leave alone - or rather I won't worry too much about the 5 cents. It does however need tuning so I'll tune to where my A reference currently is.

It's a shame about the "zingers".I played the piano for a couple of hours side by side with a Yamaha C3 which was the other option, so I was perhaps too focussed on doing the comparison and not checking every single note (which I will always do in future).
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Re: Tuning advice needed

Post by vernon »

Whatever " zingers" are I'm sure your tuner/tech wil be able to sort it..
Tuners are very adaptable
IMy wife received a call from a professional lady pianist of some esteem who reported that her previous tuner had left her two Steinways(!) sounding like" vinegar" but she had been recommended to me as a saviour as I would know what to do!
My wife assurred her I would solve the problem leaving me with a very apprehensive visit.
It all went well after a proper tuner and now she is in love with me and nobody else is the like.
Our mission in life is to tune customers--not pianos.

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