Text: From: aleach@easynet.co.uk.geentroep (Andrew Leach) To: editor@foxtail.com Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 22:31:41 -0000 Subject: Tuning 48-Key Wilhelm Bruder Soehne Organ Recent items on tuning prompted me to find an old article I wrote on tuning which may be helpful. My own Wilhelm Bruder Soehne organ restoration is progressing well. It's a Model 79, 48 keyless, made in 1926. All the pipes have tuning slides! It should be easier tuning than so called 'fixed' tuning! This is the method I use to tune. There are probably other ways of laying the scale but are probably more difficult. TUNING SCALE in fifths and octaves C to G above 2 beats flat to G below perfect octave to D above 2 beats flat to A above 2 beats flat to A below octave to E above 2 beats flat to B above 2 beats flat to B below octave to F# above 2 beats flat to C# above 2 beats flat to C# below octave to G# above 2 beats flat to G# below octave to D# above 2 beats flat to A# above 2 beats flat to A# below octave to F above 2 beats flat to F below octave - this to the first C should be 2 beats flat. The last F should be played to the first C (the pitch pipe) and it should be two beats flat. If not, start again! You may find you have to move your head around slightly whilst tuning to hear the beats properly; it takes practice and concentration but the beauty of this method is that you do not have to be able to hear perfect pitches, as some lucky people can. Just be patient and keep doing it until the last F-C interval test proves correct. Once this initial octave is done the whole organ can be done in octaves to it, a relatively simple task because you are then aiming for no beats. Finish tuning the first single rank in octaves; it is a good idea to try and make sure this rank is at the back of the organ. If it were at the front it could later get knocked out of tune whilst leaning over it. Work through similar size ranks first and proceed downwards through the organ to the basses last. Some stops, such as the Dutch bourdons and Unda Maris, are double ranks where one of each pipe is purposely tuned either flat or sharp to its mate. In the case of Dutch bourdons, for example, the back rank is tuned in unison and the front tuned sharp, usually about 5 beats per second, although you can experiment with this beat rate until it sounds nice. The reed pipes are tuned last of all; they also are often the most temperamental. Andrew Leach The organ plays 43 notes, and the bass division is 'white keys only' (no sharps or flats), so it's a good candidate instrument for a well-tempered tuning method like this. -- Robbie

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