Customer Reviews

Piano Tuning: A Simple and Accurate Method for Amateurs (Dover Books on Music)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This probably was a good book in 1907, but too much has changed for it to be valuable now. The author's repeated references to square pianos, "international" vs. "concert" tuning frequencies, and tuning to C-517.3 are comically antiquated.

I appreciate a mathematical approach to tuning, but the discussions in chapters 8-14 are a clumsy attempt to explain concepts that someone with a decent mathematics and music background can easily calculate -- that the ratio between adjacent notes is the 12th root of 2; and that chord, interval, and beat relationships can be derived from that ratio. A modern calculator makes much of this book completely pointless.

The author's math sequences are cumbersome, and his conclusions are sometimes wrong. His beat frequency calculations are not always correct. The beat frequency of his C-128 to G-191.78 combination should be .44 Hz., not .66 as he calculates. A simpler and more correct way to calculate the beat frequency of a 5th interval is to subtract the 2nd harmonic (2 X 191.78) of the higher string from the 3rd harmonic of the lower (3 X 128).

The discussion on where/how to place mutes is helpful, as are the points about taking proper steps to ensure the validity of piano hardware before tuning. Also, the method of setting temperament by 5th and octave steps is useful.

In summary, if you have enough math and music experience to see through the dated material, the cumbersome derivations, and the false conclusions, this book gives a few helpful tips. I would not recommend it to most tuning amateurs, however.

I first read this book in 1973, after which I tuned--and tempered--a piano. What a kick! The book is old, but so are vibrations. I found the math to be un-necessary unless I chose to follow the author's logic or "play" with the figures. I recently re-read the book because I had forgotten the ideas behind "just" and "compromise" temperament. I found what I wanted, then continued to re-read the whole book again--though I skimmed over parts I remembered.

If you want to become a piano tuner, you should either apprentice with one, or take a mail-order course offered in a detective magazine. If you want to know how it's done--and might like to try tuning your old upright for the sheer joy of it--this is your book--but don't touch grandma's Steinway, okay?

Dover publishes a lot of old books, many of which have reverted to "public domain" and don't require royalty payments. That's no sin, and it's clearly reflected in their prices. As Will Shakespeare might say, "There are still a few old books worth reading." Thanks, Dover.

This book is ancient, I think from the early 20th century, but still holds true and is an excellent and straight forward resource. As a pianist, it has been a revelation to understand how it is done, and even more fun to actually achieve a reasonable tuning myself (with a little help from my professional piano tuning friend.. OK, so I cheated a little...!). Highly recommended. To make life a little easier, I recommend getting a quality electronic (chromatic) tuner to tune the middle octave, after that use the octaves and 5ths to do the rest.
Full marks to Dover - again. They provide a great collection of classics on music, especially piano related stuff. I think I have perhaps 5-6 books by this publisher.

While I have not seen many other books about piano tuning, I was surprised how this book always comes straight to the point. It covers not only how to tune a piano, but also how a piano works (upright and grand), how to repair it and the theory of temprament.

The book has originally been written in 1907 for people who wanted to become piano tuner. In the recent edition, however, they removed the chapters on Business Hints and Charges :-)

If you own a piano and you want to maintain it yourself, this book is for you.

I don't have it in front of me, but I believe this book was actually first published in 1877. It's somewhat of a scholarly work. I enjoy reading the old English. I'm sure it was used in many piano tuning guilds.

Piano Servicing, Tuning, and Rebuilding, Second Edition : for the Professional, the Student, and the Hobbyist (Paperback) by Arthur Reblitz is a more current book that covers tuning pianos in depth.

But this one's a gem. Obviously, or it wouldn't still be around over 100 years after it was written.

As other reviewers have stated, this book (published in 1907) is so dated one wonders how it is even still in print. Perhaps the only value is the author teaches you about tuning the piano using the slower beating 4ths and 5ths method (once the main method, aural tuners now predominantly use the faster beating 3rds and 6ths method). However, even this method is explained cumbersomely by the author. The section of repairing piano parts and regulation is anemic and terribly short considering the complexities of a piano. Poor illustrations with an antiquated writing style, this book is best left in the dustbin of piano literature.

I bought this (vintage) book to learn how to tune my (vintage) Baldwin baby grand, seemed (perversely) logical. For that purpose the book was of no use. I did learn a new appreciation for a simple hand-held calculator (there are lots of tables of dubious accuracy and of little practical use that can be replaced by a few keystrokes on a calculator). There are some interesting insights on what it might have been like to start a business and advertise on the cheap back in the depression (or whenever). Well intended, mildly amusing, of historical interest only.

Granted, the 12th root of 2 remains exactly as described, unaltered. And the theory of harmonics remains unchallenged, even if awkwardly presented. In the original edition (a century ago?) this was doubtless a deep read.

If the goal is to tune your piano, and to tackle it systematically, and to feel like you know what you're doing and why you're doing it, and so it sounds really good when you're done, this is not your book.

I bought this book thinking I would be able to tune my piano in a few simple to read steps. It tells nothing. Just a book full of stories about parts, how they work and charts. Some tuning procedure but too ridiculous. Very dissappointed and I'm sending it back pronto! Buy yourself a Korg tuner for around 20. and be selective when you go to the library, thats what I'm doing.

I just bought a player piano for my wife. I know nothing about playing or tuning them. This book gives a basic understanding about music, then about tuning. I was hoping for something a bit simpler, but it gives alot of required background to do a proper job.

I think what would really help if there were illustrations to show a point. It's important to have illustrations just to keep the interest level as well. I found just reading text quite boring and I was losing interest quite quickly. Illustrations help you understand much more easily and lead you on to the right track.