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CHAPTER 3-1 CHAPTER THREE SETTING THE TEMPERAMENT OCTAVE C-28 to C-40 There are many systems a beginning tuner can follow in order to set a good temperament. Most of them are very good and if followed accurately will produce the same results as the system I prefer; However, I believe the system I teach is easier to learn and a higher degree of accuracy is more probable. The system outlined in this course is the one I have used for a number of years. I recommend it because I learned by a different method and after experimenting over the years, I found that I could set a better temperament in much less time than with any other method. I hope you find it as acceptable as I have. If you have my tapes, you will see (hear) how easy it is to set a good temperament AND be sure that is a GOOD temperament before you move on the tuning the remainder of the piano. 3 "MUSTS" 1. You MUST be familiar with everything in this text up to this point before attempting to set a temperament. Some of the more technical information is not required, but every- thing else is essential. 2. You MUST practice daily, especially in the beginning stages. The learning process is very demanding of your time. You will not become a good tuner without a lot of hard work. I will provide the system and personal assist- ance (via audio tapes) - YOU provide the time. I recommend you obtain, or have access to a piano that does not need too much (or any) repair. You can't get started if the hammers won't hit the strings or if strings are missing etc... If you have the luxury of practicing on a new large grand so much the better, but I also advise you to spend a good deal of time on a lesser quality piano. Most of the pianos you will be tuning as a professional will not be "quality" pianos. 3. You MUST understand that you will not become a tuner overnight. Some may be proficient in a few weeks - others will take much longer - and some simply do not have the ability to become a professional tuner. The latter category comprises a very small percentage of those who really put out the effort required. Very little musical knowledge is necessary. Pianos are tuned by listening to and adjusting the vibrations of one string to another - NOT listening for pitch. A musical CHAPTER 3-2 background will help in understanding the theory, keyboard and interval recognition, but a tuner relies on simple mathematics rather than musical ability. Once you have mastered this chapter, you will be well on your way to calling yourself a "tuner". There are numerous illustrations included in this chap- ter and will be very helpful to you when your receive them. Also the audio tapes provided to enrolled students will allow you to HEAR the beats referred to below. You do not need these illustrations or the tapes, but I sure wish I would have had them when I was first learning. They will save you many hours of trial and error. STEP ONE NOTE: When you are asked to tune an interval, you are to play the two notes of the interval TOGETHER (harmonically) while listening for the beats. Before you begin to set the temperament octave, you must do the following: A) MUTE THE ENTIRE OCTAVE FROM C-28 TO C-40 1. Insert your muting strip so all but one string are muted off. In the case of a three string unison, you will insert the strip on the left and right sides of the unison. In the case of a two string unison, it will be necessary to insert between unisons so only one of the two strings sound when the hammer strikes. Whatever the situation, just remember that only ONE string from each unison sounds when the hammer strikes. B) MUTE THE TWO OUTER OF C-52 WITH RUBBER MUTES AND TUNE THE CENTER STRING TO THE C TUNING FORK. 1. To sound the tuning fork, hold it by the handle and strike it against your knee. Place the handle (stem) inside your ear. Close the earlobe and listen for the pitch. C) TUNE C-40 TO C-52 SO THERE ARE NO AUDIBLE BEATS. CHAPTER 3-3 D) TUNE C-28 TO C-40 THE SAME WAY. / \ \ / illus. 3-1 ____________________ STEP TWO ALL DARKENED NOTES ARE THE NOTES TO BE TUNED A) TUNE E-32 to C-28 so that E-32 is on the sharp side on beatless by approximately 5 C.P.S. - (Actual 5.19) illus. 3-2 ____________________ B) TUNE G#-36 to E-32 so that G#-36 is on the sharp side of beatless by 6 1/2 C.P.S. (Actual 6.54) illus. 3-3 ____________________ CHAPTER 3-4 C) TUNE C#-29 to G#-36 so that c#-29 is on the sharp side of beatless by approximately 1/2 C.P.S. or 2 1/2 per 5 seconds. illus. 3-4 ____________________ D) TEST - Play the minor third from C#-29 up to E-32 followed by the MAJOR THIRD E-32 up to G#-36. You will find that the minor third beats slightly faster than the MAJOR THIRD. illus. 3-5 ____________________ E) TEST - Play the interval from Ab-36 (same as G#-36) up to C-40. You should hear approximately 8 C.P.S. illus. 3-6 ____________________ CHAPTER 3-5 STEP THREE A) TUNE F-33 to C#-29 so that F-33 is on the sharp side of beatless by 5 1/2 C.P.S>. illus. 3-7 ____________________ B) TUNE A-37 to F-33 so that A-37 is on the sharp side of beatless by approximately 7 C.P.S. illus. 3-8 ____________________ C) TESTS: 1. Play the interval C-28 up to F-33 (a perfect fourth) followed by the interval F-33 up to C-40 (a perfect fifth). These two intervals will have the same beat rate. 2. Play the interval F-33 up to G#-36 (a minor third) followed by the interval G#-36 up to C-40 (a MAJOR THIRD). The minor third beats slightly faster than the MAJOR THIRD. 3. Play the interval C-28 up to G#-36 (a minor sixth) followed by the interval G#-36 up to C-40 (a MAJOR THIRD). The minor 6th & the MAJOR 3rd will have the same beat rate. illus. 3-9 ____________________ CHAPTER 3-6 D) TUNE D-30 to A-37 so that D-30 is on the sharp side of beatless of beatless by approximately 1/2 beat per second OR 2 1/2 beats per 5 seconds. illus. 3-10 _____________________ E) TESTS: 1. Play the interval D-30 up to F-33. It should beat at approximately 8 C.P.S. 2. Play a series of four MAJOR THIRDS beginning with C-28 up to E-32 followed by C#-29 up to F-33 followed by E-32 up to G#-36 and ending with F-33 up to A-37. These MAJOR 3rds will increase from 5 to 7 C.P.S. 3. Play the interval from D-30 up to F-33 (a minor 3rd) followed by the interval of F-33 up to A-37 (a MAJOR 3rd). Again the minor 3rd will beat slightly faster than the MAJOR 3rd. illus. 3-11 _____________________ STEP FOUR A) TUNE F#-34 to D-30 so that F#-34 is on the sharp side of beatless by approximately 6 C.P.S. illus. 3-12 CHAPTER 3-7 B) TESTS 1. The MAJOR 3rd D-30 up to F#-34 and the MAJOR 6th C-28 up to A-37 will beat the same. 2. The series of Major 3rds starting with C-28 up to E-32 and ending with F-33 up to A-37 will increase from 5 to 7 C.P.S. Play the MAJOR chord D-30, F#-34 A-37. It should sound pleasing to the ear. illus. 3-13 ____________________ C) TUNE A#-38 to F#-34 so that A#-38 is on the sharp side of beatless by approximately 7 1/2 C.P.S. illus. 3-14 _____________________ D) TUNE D#-31 to A#-38 so that D#-31 is on the sharp side of beatless by approximately 1/2 C.P.S. OR 2 1/2 beats in 5 seconds. illus. 3-15 ____________________ CHAPTER 3-8 E) TESTS 1. The MAJOR 3rd F#-A# will beat approximately the same as the minor 3rd C#-E. 2. The MAJOR 3rds beginning on D-F# and ending on F#-A# will increase from 6 to 7 1/2 C.P.S. 3. The minor 3rd D#-F# will beat slightly faster than the MAJOR 3rd F#-A#. 4. Ascending Fourths starting on C-F and ending on F-A# and the ascending Fifths starting on C#-G# and ending on F-C will gradually increase in C.P.S. illus. 3-16 ____________________ STEP FIVE A) TUNE G-35 to D#-31 so that G-35 is on the sharp side of beatless by approximately 6 C.P.S. illus. 3-17 _____________________ B) TESTS 1. The MAJOR 3rd D#-G will beat approximately the same as the minor 6th C#-A#. 2. The MAJOR 3rds beginning with C-E and continuing up to F#-A# will increase from 5 to 7 1/2 C.P.S. illus. 3-18 CHAPTER 3-9 C) TUNE B-39 to G-35 so that B-39 is on the sharp side of beatless by approximately 8 C.P.S. illus. 3-19 _____________________ FINAL TESTS: Play all MAJOR 3rds starting with C-28/E-32 all the way up to G#-36/C-40. They should gradually increase from 5 to 8 C.P.S. All ascending 4ths and 5ths should gradually increase in speed. In this chapter, you learned: 1. How to mute off the temperament octave 2. How to set the pitches in the temperament octave 3. All "tests" needed to check your work as you go TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL TESTS AVAILABLE. CHECK AND RECHECK YOUR TEMPERAMENT. MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NECESSARY UNTIL ALL INTERVALS SOUND PLEASING AND AS CLOSE TO THE ACTUAL BEAT RATE AS POSSIBLE. NEVER PROCEED ON TO TUNING THE REMAINDER OF THE PIANO UNTIL YOU ARE POSITIVE YOUR TEMPERAMENT IS AS GOOD AS YOU CAN GET IT. Press (P) to print out this chapter or ESC for the menu