Hi all It was interesting to hear of Bruce Clark's problem with noise
distraction [MMDigest 980329].  When I was at Newark College learning
to tune, each student was allocated a _very_ small booth containing a
strung back and a piano.  There were about 16 of these booths in an
intimate, but somewhat claustrophobic annex to the main college.

They were all adjacent and only separated by very thin board walls.
With 12 tuners going at it under test conditions you can imagine the
racket.

You very quickly had to learn to ignore distractions.  Things even
got to the point where beats were heard as a result of your neighbour
tuning a string close to your own.  Some of the more mischievous
students found it amusing to follow your own tuning pattern exactly --
playing their keys especially hard.

Ah!  The joys of a mature education!  Whilst on the subject of tuning I
recall one of the lads -- an experienced technician used to tuning with
an electronic device -- coming back for a year to learn how to tune
by ear.  What does that tell us about artificial aids?

 [ Eh?  Eh?  Speak louder, m'lad, I'm a calliope tuner!  ;) -- Robbie

Roger Waring
Solihull
England