Piano Tuning: A Simple and Accurate Method for Amateurs

by J. Cree Fischer

Pitch. It is a matter of importance in tuning an instrument that it be tuned to a pitch that will adapt it to the special use to which it may be subjected. As previously explained, there are at present two different pitches in use, international pitch and concert pitch, the latter being about a half-step higher than the former. The tuner should carry with him a tuning pipe or fork tuned to 3C in one or the other of these pitches. The special uses to which pianos are subjected are as follows:

1st, As a concert piano. In the opera house, music hall, and occasionally in the church, or even in a private dwelling, the piano is used along with orchestral instruments. All orchestral instruments are supposed to be tuned to concert pitch. The stringed instruments can, of course, be tuned to any pitch; but the brass and wood-wind instruments are not so adjustable. The brass instruments are provided with a tuning slide and their pitch can be lowered somewhat, but rarely as much as a half-step, while the clarinet should not be varied from its fixed pitch if it can be avoided. It is desirable, then, that all pianos used with orchestra should be tuned to concert pitch if possible.

2d, As an accompaniment for singing. Some persons use their pianos mainly for accompanying. It may be that singers cannot sing high, in which case they are better pleased if the piano is tuned to international pitch, while others, especially concert singers, have their pianos at a higher pitch. Where a piano is used in the home to practice by, and the singer goes out to various places to sing with other instruments, we have always advised to have the piano tuned as near concert pitch as it would bear, for the reason that if one practices with an instrument tuned to concert pitch he may feel sure of reaching the pitch of any instrument he may be called upon to sing with elsewhere.

The great majority of pianos are left entirely to the tuner's judgment in regard to pitch. The tuner knows, or should know, to what pitch to tune the piano to insure the best results. The following suggestions will be found entirely safe to follow in deciding the question of the pitch to which to tune:

Ascertain if the piano is used with orchestra, and if clarinets and cornets are used. If so, and the piano is not too much below concert pitch, and bids fair to stand the tension, draw your 3C up to concert pitch and proceed to lay your temperament. If the piano is nearly as low as international pitch, do not try to bring it up at one tuning to concert unless the owner demands it, when you may explain that it will not stand in tune long. The slightest alteration possible, in the pitch of an instrument, insures the best results, so far as standing in tune is concerned.

If everything be left to your judgment, as it generally is, and the instrument is for general, rather than special use, set your temperament at such a pitch as will require the least possible alteration. This may be arrived at in the following way: Ascertain which portion of the instrument has fallen the most. The overstrung bass strings generally stand better than any other, and in most cases you will find the C which is two octaves below middle C to be higher (relatively) than any other C in the piano. If so, take it as a basis and tune by perfect octaves up to 3C.

The supposition is, that all strings in an instrument gradually grow flatter; and in a well-balanced instrument they should do so; but the fact is, that in certain cases some of the strings will grow sharper. The cause is this: The tension of the strings on one side of a brace in the metal plate or frame is greater than on the other side; and if there is any yielding of the structure, the result is that the overpowered strings are drawn tighter. This condition, however, is rare in the better grade of pianos. Here is a rule which is safe, and will prove satisfactory in ninety-nine per cent. of your practice where no specific pitch is prescribed:

Take the three Cs included in the temperament and the C that is an octave below 1C, and try each of them with its octave until you ascertain which is the sharpest with respect to the others; then, bring the others up to it. You now have your pitch established in the Cs and can begin on 1C and proceed to set the temperament. Before applying this rule, it is well to try 3C with tuning pipe or fork to see if the piano is below international pitch. We would not advise tuning any modern piano below international pitch. Aim to keep within the bounds of the two prescribed pitches; never higher than concert, nor lower than international. If, however, you should be called on to tune an old instrument that has become extremely low, with very rusty strings, and perhaps with some of them broken, that by all appearances will not stand even international pitch, you may be compelled to leave it somewhat below.

The Continuous Mute. Do not try to set a temperament without a continuous mute. Its purpose is to mute all outside (1st and 3d[C]) strings of all the trios included in the temperament so that none but the middle strings sound when struck by the hammers. The advantage of this can be seen at once. The tuner tunes only the middle strings in setting the temperament and thereby avoids the confusion of hearing more than two strings at once. The continuous mute is then removed and the outside strings tuned to the middle. Without the continuous mute, he would be obliged to tune all three of the strings of the unison before he could tune another interval by it, and it would not be so safe to tune by as a single string, as there might be a slight discrepancy in the unison giving rise to waves which would confuse the ear. The tuner should hear but two strings at once while setting a temperament; the one he is tuning by and the one he is tuning. A continuous mute is a strip of muting felt of the proper thickness to be pushed in between the trios of strings. Simply lay it across a portion of the strings and with a screwdriver push it in between the trios just above where the hammers strike. In the square piano, which has but two strings to a key, the continuous mute cannot be used and you will be obliged to tune both strings in unison before leaving to tune another interval. This is one of the reasons why the square piano does not, as a rule, admit of as fine tuning as the upright.

It is presumed that you are now familiar with the succession of tones and intervals used in setting the temperament. Fix these things in your mind and the system is easy to understand and remember. Keep within the bounds of the two octaves laid out in Lesson X. Tune all fifths upward; that is, tune all fifths by their fundamentals. For example, starting on 1C, use it as fundamental, and by it, tune its fifth, which is G; then, having G tuned, use it as fundamental, and by it tune its fifth, which is D, and so on through. After tuning a fifth, always tune its octave either above or below, whichever way it lies within the bounds of the two octaves. After going through one or two experiments in setting temperament you will see the simplicity of this system and will, perhaps, not be obliged to refer to the diagram any more.