Do you tune by ear or by machine?
The short answer:
The long answer:
For 30 years I tuned pianos with a tuning fork and ear only. the problem with electronic tuning relates to inharmonicity. Inharmonicity is a subject large enough for several books full of formulas and numbers that will put most people to sleep after a page or two. Briefly, the harmonics of a piano steel wire string are not true to the standard mathematical description. The difference is just enough that a tuning wil not sound right unless inharmonicity is dealt with. This can be done by ear, but not by an inexpensive tuner such as used for guitars or your school band.
Recently, several different skilled piano technicians who also are experts in computer programing and other technological disciplines have produced equipment that measures inharmonicity, stretches octaves as needed for the individual piano, divides the octave for equal temperament or any of the several historical temperaments, and makes automatic allowances for pianos that are far out of pitch to begin with. These devices are not cheap and are aids ONLY. There are still many decisions that must be made for each piano by a skilled and trained ear.
After 30 years of giving the easy answer answer of "Ear only! Those machines just don't do it right.", I changed my mind. The program I use is written by Dean Reyburn, RPT. He is both an experienced, expert tuner and a talented, dedicated programmer. He and his team have created a set of programs that allow me to go far beyond my unaided ability to analyze pitch and inharmonicity. Each tuning is tailored to its piano. I control the choice of how much octaves are to be stretched, based on my own hearing and trial tuning of several sample notes. The result is greater stability and consistancy than I ever achieved working alone. I always finish my tuning by testing by ear and correcting anything needed. I would stress that a "tuning machine" is an aid only. My ear still needs to be at work all the time and is the final judge.
