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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
