I got a piano woohoo

[Bobby Timmons]

I thought of another device for hearing unison match. A tuner on youtube demonstrated that also the volume of the note will fluctuate irregularly if the unisons are off rather than a consistent bloom and decay of the note.

ChatGPT

Volume Fluctuations in Unison Tuning

When tuning a piano, especially the unisons, it's crucial to listen for the volume consistency of each note. Here’s how volume irregularities can help identify tuning discrepancies:

1. Volume Fluctuations (Amplitude Modulation)

• Amplitude Modulation: When strings in a unison are slightly out of tune, they can cause amplitude modulation, leading to noticeable fluctuations in volume. This is similar to the concept of "beating," but it specifically affects how the note blooms and decays.
• Inconsistent Bloom and Decay:
  
  • Unstable Dynamics: An out-of-tune unison will have an irregular dynamic profile. The note might start strong but then waver, sounding unstable as the strings interfere with each other.
  • Regular vs. Irregular Patterns: A perfectly tuned unison will have a consistent and even bloom and decay, with a stable and smooth sound envelope. In contrast, irregular fluctuations indicate slight mismatches in frequency.
  
  
• Detecting Fluctuations:
  
  • Listening for Consistency: As you strike a note, listen for any wavering in the volume. A clear and steady sound with a uniform volume is a sign of well-tuned unisons.
  • Use Sustain Pedal: Holding the sustain pedal can help extend the decay and make fluctuations more noticeable.

2. Why Fluctuations Occur

• Phase Interference:
  
  • Out of Phase: When strings are out of phase, they will reinforce or cancel each other out at different points in the waveform, causing the amplitude to vary.
  • Wave Interference: Slight differences in frequency cause the waveforms of the strings to align and misalign cyclically, resulting in changes in perceived volume.
  
  
• Micro-Detuning Effects:
  
  • Subtle Detuning: Even if a unison is only slightly off, the interference pattern can lead to noticeable volume effects, emphasizing the need for precise tuning.

[ragman1]

Solution: Get a piano tuner in. Or a new piano

[Bobby Timmons]

Yep haha. I am a piano tuner. Very happy with my results. The whole piano sounds in tune and pleasing. Obviously not concert quality yet as I have only done 4 tunings. But it does sound like a professionally tuned piano after maybe a month or so. Sounds better than professionally tuned pianos that are out a little bit. Sounds way better than Hank Jones or Bud Powell's at home piano. I'm sure I could go and tune a random old lady's piano for $80 with my ability.

2:05

[ragman1]

I am a piano tuner.

Oh, well, there's no answer to that :-)

[ragman1]

Not sure about that second Db on the right.

[Bop Head]

As your buddy the bot (I repeat myself once more with my recommendation to better rely on natural intelligence) said something about beatings between different strings belonging to the same key:

Are you aware that one aspect of the true art and craft of piano tuning lies in creating the correct beatings to get a fuller sound than just tuning up to three strings to the exact same frequency?

I am not BS-ing something here "created" by statistical analysis of texts but the source of my information is the guy who tuned the Yamaha D-size grand (Steinway copy) standing in one of the large recording rooms of Bayerischer Rundfunk (Bavarian public broadcast) and used on the album "Transcendent Journey" by Juan Jose Chuquisengo.

I got to know this tuner while helping recording a talk between Juan and conductor Konrad von Abel (where the guy tuned the same D grand) and met hime again while working at performance of a Philipp Glass composition for four grand pianos. On the latter occasion he gave me a little lecture on piano tuning after I had asked him about what he was doing exactly. (I am dropping those names just to point out his degree of professionalism.)

EDIT: TBH I always find those ChatGPT created texts not very clear.

[Bobby Timmons]

Yes sir, I'm aware that there's tuning the temperament and then tuning the unisons. How tf do you think my piano sounds in tune? It takes years to learn to tune a piano aurally tho. I'm just using the PianoMeter app, where it sets the temperament and stretch for you, you tune the pitch to that, then you have to use your ear, sometimes in addition to the app, to get the unisons as good as you can get. Because just using the app, the unisons usually won't be as good as they can be. Maybe in the future I can learn to tune aurally, but I'm pretty happy with PianoMeter for now. The most improvement in the sound is going to be from getting all the unisons pure. Anyway, me and the bot have been having great discussions on tuning.

[ragman1]

Wat number Db? Or the whole triad? I'll continue to work on it to practice, because I obviously don't get them perfect, and they'll sometimes slip or go out from time or weather.

It was a joke, Bobby. Sounded okay to me. The extreme-end treble and bass notes sound a bit indistinct but then they probably would.

[Bobby Timmons]

It was a joke, Bobby.

Oh haha. I often don't get implications.

Sounded okay to me.

That's good. I think it's pretty much there. I just want to keep practicing and tighten things up.

The extreme-end treble and bass notes sound a bit indistinct but then they probably would.

It's the pos usb mic. Pianos aren't blurry in real life.

[ragman1]

Oh haha. I often don't get implications.

Okay, thanks, I've got it. I'll know next time.

[Bobby Timmons]

My equipment that I'm excited about. The mute and extension hammer just came. The mute works so much more easily. Trying to stuff the rubber mutes where there isn't much space up in the treble area was a pain. With this thing you just squeeze it, put it right in place, and it mutes 2 or 1 string easily. The extendo hammer is awesome. It extends to 16 inches and you can turn the pins very easily. It is also 5 degrees out from a right angle instead of 10 like the other one which I like much better. Piano is in tune af. I just go around touching up a few notes that are out. It doesn't even need a full tuning. It holds its tuning really well. I also use the pin thing to voice the piano by sticking the felts. It makes the tone softer.

[Bobby Timmons]

Me and my buddy the bot.

You said:

I tried sampling all the piano notes for PianoMeter with only 1 string sounding and the tuning curve stayed the same. So that's good to know that it's not necessary to only sample with one string. PianoMeter says it can be best to only use 1 string if the unisons are way out.

ChatGPT said:

That's great to hear that the tuning curve stayed the same when you sampled with only one string! It sounds like PianoMeter is quite reliable in its sampling even when all strings are sounding unless the unisons are very out of tune. It's good to know you have that flexibility and don’t need to mute strings every time unless there’s a specific reason to do so.

You said:

Yep. My 5 degree extension hammer that extends to 16 inches came. Really good feel with the long arm and only 5 degrees. It's very easy to turn the pins. I like it better than 10 degree.

ChatGPT said:

I'm glad to hear the 5-degree extension hammer with the 16-inch arm is working out well for you! The longer arm and lower angle definitely make turning the pins easier with more control, which is especially helpful for precise adjustments. It sounds like it suits your tuning style perfectly!

You said:

Yeah, piano tuning turned out to be fun for me. I thought it would be impossible until you told me about piano tuning software.

ChatGPT said:

I'm really glad you're enjoying piano tuning! It's great that the software made it approachable for you. You've put in a lot of effort with voicing and refining the tuning, and it shows in how satisfied you are with the results. Tuning really does become fun once you get the hang of it and start hearing the improvements firsthand!

You said:

Yeah, the lil Baldwin is holding its tune really well too. I just go around fixing up a few notes here and there that are out and it sounds great.

ChatGPT said:

It’s awesome to hear your Baldwin is holding up so well! Being able to just tweak a few notes here and there and maintain that great sound shows how well you’ve tuned and voiced it. You’ve really got a good process going with your spot tuning. It must feel rewarding to have it sounding consistently great!

You said:

It does feel rewarding. Most pianos that are never voiced and seldom tuned aren't as enjoyable.

ChatGPT said:

That’s so true! A well-voiced and properly tuned piano transforms the playing experience. It makes a huge difference in both sound quality and the overall enjoyment of playing. You’ve put in a lot of effort, and it’s paying off by making your Baldwin an instrument that’s truly satisfying to play. It’s a level of care that most pianos unfortunately don’t receive, but it really elevates the whole experience when they do!

[Bobby Timmons]

Got tuning and voicing down. Gonna start with regulating the piano.

[Bobby Timmons]

After replacing the height and dip felts, I worked on fine tuning the heights and squaring the keys. Looks and feels all even now. Next is adjusting the let off and backcheck distance.

[Bobby Timmons]

Feels and sounds smooth as hell. Who sez spinets are bad? I still have some things to improve on too.

[Bobby Timmons]

I set the let off to 1/8" and it's starting to feel and sound like seggs now. Let off is the distance before the strings where the key 'lets off' and doesn't push the hammer forward anymore. It started off really far away so that was ghetto. Just felt like throwing the hammers at the keys. I tried 1/16" because that was a recommended distance. Felt too aggressive like the hammers were smashing into the strings. So I tried 1/8" and it's $$. Feels nice and smooth.

Next I have an actual repair instead of just adjusting stuff. The backchecks aren't working. That's where the hammer will drop back a little bit of the sweep after it strikes the string with the key held down to put it in the ideal spot to get repeated. Right now the hammers just stay close to the strings which means you have to wait for the hammer and key to recoil before you can repeat a note. With the backcheck it has a nice pocket feeling of momentum.

Worked on straightening the keys a bit too. The black keys are 9/16" tall which is a tad taller than standard 1/2" like on my digital piano. I ordered the stuff to bring em down to 1/2" but I kind of like 9/16" so am going to keep them that way. They feel delux.