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Re: Piano tuning


Earlier TLW wrote approximately as follows (I improved the rendering
today without changing the meaning):
If at least one of the three strings (for each note)
is still in tune, it is easy to tune the other two; and, with
constant [frequent?] attention, at least one of the three will be in
tune.

On Wed, 5 Nov 1997 14:28:32 -0500 "GARY HEMMINGER"
<Hemmig@d-e.pvt.k12.nj.us> writes:
I'd like to find the article in Scientific American, back in the
70's
I believe, which was called the "Physics of the Piano". As I
recall, it was really about piano tuning, and it pointed out that
the tuning of the three stringed notes is in fact an extremely subtle
business. These three strings share the same bridge, and thus
influence each other and make for a complicated resulting
vibration of the soundboard. The article pointed out that there is
no possibility of exact equality of the three tuned frequencies, they
will always be a bit off. On the other hand, a very good piano
tuner finds a subtle relationship between these three frequencies
which gives a superior tone. Anyone remember when this article
ran?

*****************************************
Gary Hemminger
Dwight-Engelwood School
315 E. Palisade Ave.
Englewood, New Jersey
07631
e-mail: hemmig@d-e.pvt.k12.nj.us
********************************************

Well, my tunings never sounded as good as Lucas Mason's; that's for sure.
So, I couldn't have been doing everything right. I think I made
improvements from time to time, though, in spite of my ignorance. -TLW

P.S. I really appreciate the information you are embarrassing me with.
Actually, I treat it as *important* information and it either corrects
something I believed that was wrong or it reminds me of something I have
forgotten over the last seventeen years. Seventeen years with no
acoustic piano, fourteen without music, and twenty-seven since I studied
musical acoustics. I want to get back into it all. This list server has
been wonderful. I have almost achieved my purpose in joining, but I
don't want to leave all the great people I have met and my only
connection with physics - other than Dan Wilkins, whom I knew pre-PHYS-L.
(Hi Dan.)