Pianotech

Tuned 7' 30 yr old Kawai Grand. Most of time only the last 2 octaves goes sharp, maybe 10 cents. Rest of piano stays on A 440. I found it sharp lately and pulled below pitch and brought back up to pitch. Next day sharp again maybe 5 to 6 cents. What am I missing here?
     Today tuned 9' Kawai. Found pitch where I left it on A440 mid section and bass. Last two octaves 10 cents sharp just like the 7'. Pulled below pitch and back up to A440. Have no confidence it will stay. Thought i knew how to tune after 40 years. Are Kawai's different? Never had this trouble on any other piano. 
     Both pianos are in terrible humid conditions. Neither has Damp Chasers. But why on upper end going sharp?

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Thomas Black
Decatur AL
256-350-9315
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Well, I’m going to answer why I pulled it below pitch, tuned it to A440 and the next day it was 5 to 6 cents sharp. I didn’t allow for the rise in pitch following tuning a sharp piano. I didn’t do a pitch lowering. How stupid is that!
Now any idea why my 2 Kawai’s in different locations are just going sharp in the last two octaves.
By the way I have some more stupid things I haven’t yet shared!

Sent from my iPhone


Original Message------

Tuned 7' 30 yr old Kawai Grand. Most of time only the last 2 octaves goes sharp, maybe 10 cents. Rest of piano stays on A 440. I found it sharp lately and pulled below pitch and brought back up to pitch. Next day sharp again maybe 5 to 6 cents. What am I missing here?
     Today tuned 9' Kawai. Found pitch where I left it on A440 mid section and bass. Last two octaves 10 cents sharp just like the 7'. Pulled below pitch and back up to A440. Have no confidence it will stay. Thought i knew how to tune after 40 years. Are Kawai's different? Never had this trouble on any other piano. 
     Both pianos are in terrible humid conditions. Neither has Damp Chasers. But why on upper end going sharp?

------------------------------
Thomas Black
Decatur AL
256-350-9315
------------------------------

Tommy

Are you tuning the last 2 octaves by ear?  I know you use an ETD. So do I. But after tuning the whole piano with the ETD, I turn it off and tune it again, aurally. Especially the upper to octaves.  What might be happening is your ear hears the pitches different each time and in the upper octaves a few cents can make a big difference.  

Just an idea.

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Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
Mililani, HI 96789
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Original Message:
Sent: 10-25-2017 19:39
From: Thomas Black
Subject: Kawai sharp

Well, I'm going to answer why I pulled it below pitch, tuned it to A440 and the next day it was 5 to 6 cents sharp. I didn't allow for the rise in pitch following tuning a sharp piano. I didn't do a pitch lowering. How stupid is that!
Now any idea why my 2 Kawai's in different locations are just going sharp in the last two octaves.
By the way I have some more stupid things I haven't yet shared!

Sent from my iPhone


Original Message------

Tuned 7' 30 yr old Kawai Grand. Most of time only the last 2 octaves goes sharp, maybe 10 cents. Rest of piano stays on A 440. I found it sharp lately and pulled below pitch and brought back up to pitch. Next day sharp again maybe 5 to 6 cents. What am I missing here?
     Today tuned 9' Kawai. Found pitch where I left it on A440 mid section and bass. Last two octaves 10 cents sharp just like the 7'. Pulled below pitch and back up to A440. Have no confidence it will stay. Thought i knew how to tune after 40 years. Are Kawai's different? Never had this trouble on any other piano.
     Both pianos are in terrible humid conditions. Neither has Damp Chasers. But why on upper end going sharp?

------------------------------
Thomas Black
Decatur AL
256-350-9315
------------------------------

I haven’t retuned by ear but will check by ear next time. Thanks,good idea.
I did for the first time tune the entire 9’ by ear today....temperament and all. It was maybe 4 to 6 cents and dead center A440 mid and bass.

Sent from my iPhone


Original Message------

Tommy

Are you tuning the last 2 octaves by ear?  I know you use an ETD. So do I. But after tuning the whole piano with the ETD, I turn it off and tune it again, aurally. Especially the upper to octaves.  What might be happening is your ear hears the pitches different each time and in the upper octaves a few cents can make a big difference.  

Just an idea.

------------------------------
Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
Mililani, HI 96789
------------------------------

Thomas,

How do you proceed through the scale when tuning? Do you start in the middle, go up to the top, and then down to the bottom? If so, it could be that the pinblcok is pivoting when the bass is tuned, moving closer to the string-frame flange in the bass and rocking further from it in the treble, raising the pitch.

Alan

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Alan Eder, RPT
Herb Alpert School of Music
California Institute of the Arts
Valencia, CA
661.904.6483
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-25-2017 18:03
From: Thomas Black
Subject: Kawai sharp

Tuned 7' 30 yr old Kawai Grand. Most of time only the last 2 octaves goes sharp, maybe 10 cents. Rest of piano stays on A 440. I found it sharp lately and pulled below pitch and brought back up to pitch. Next day sharp again maybe 5 to 6 cents. What am I missing here?
     Today tuned 9' Kawai. Found pitch where I left it on A440 mid section and bass. Last two octaves 10 cents sharp just like the 7'. Pulled below pitch and back up to A440. Have no confidence it will stay. Thought i knew how to tune after 40 years. Are Kawai's different? Never had this trouble on any other piano.
     Both pianos are in terrible humid conditions. Neither has Damp Chasers. But why on upper end going sharp?

------------------------------
Thomas Black
Decatur AL
256-350-9315
------------------------------

Alan,
I tune with a Acutuner 111 starting at A 0 through the C8. I can tune via ear and check the ETD with my ear. On rare occasions I adjust the tuning.

Sent from my iPhone


Original Message------

Thomas,

How do you proceed through the scale when tuning? Do you start in the middle, go up to the top, and then down to the bottom? If so, it could be that the pinblcok is pivoting when the bass is tuned, moving closer to the string-frame flange in the bass and rocking further from it in the treble, raising the pitch.

Alan

------------------------------
Alan Eder, RPT
Herb Alpert School of Music
California Institute of the Arts
Valencia, CA
661.904.6483
------------------------------