Jungfrauenregalbass
Sep 26 2008, 08:24 PM
Well I got fedup of wating for the organ tuner to come and not tune the organ again.
I have a concert tomorrow and my organ is out of tune.
so what do you think I did?
I got out an oboe pipe but I didnt know that they came apart
the bottom fell down a gap but was found 50 mins later after takign apart most of the instrument
It was a top B and now all I can get it to play is an Bb so can someone tell me how you go about tuning an oboe pipe??
hello_cello
Sep 26 2008, 09:15 PM
i think if you get a chainsaw and just cut a small slit in the pipe about halfway it will tune it a semitone lower.
mcm
Sep 26 2008, 09:35 PM
QUOTE
The techniques for tuning flue pipes vary with the construction of the pipe:
* A stopped pipe is usually tuned by moving its stopper up or down.
* A capped pipe is usually tuned by moving its cap up or down.
* On a slotted metal pipe, some or all of the metal cut out to make the slot is rolled up to the slot can effectively be shortened or lengthened, thus changing the pitch of the pipe.
* On a slotted wooden pipe, a wooden slider is provided to shorten or lengthen the slot.
* A conical metal pipe will sometimes have a tuning slide, but often are tuned by moving the large ears on either side of the pipe's mouth.
* An open metal pipe usually has a sliding collar at the top of the pipe that can be moved to change the pitch.
* Small metal pipes are often "cone tuned", whereby the top of each pipe is deformed inward or outward using a heavy hollow cone. Such tuning is extremely stable, but at the cost of gradual damage to the pipe over time.
* An open wooden pipe usually has a metal flap partially covering its top, which can be rolled or unrolled, or bent upward or downward.
Reed pipes may be tuned in any of several ways: (1) by lengthening or shortening the vibrating length of the reed tongue by means of a wire protruding from the boot of the pipe; (2) by adjusting the effective speaking length of the resonator; (3) by adjusting the metal flap in the side of the resonator or the cap on the top of the pipe (especially with fractional length pipes). All of these methods can also affect the tonal regulation of the pipe, so tuning reed pipes is trickier than tuning flue pipes.
From
Wiki. Tools used are 'knives' and cones -- no mention of chainsaws
Holz Gedeckt
Sep 26 2008, 11:03 PM
Ok. Firstly, you really should let the organ tuner do this. Organs are expensive, and it's quite possible for a well-meaning amateur "organ tuner" to do a lot of damage. And, are you really likely to need that particular note on the Oboe?
But, if you decide to go ahead, this is the best course of action. Ensure that the pipe is perfectly in position on the rackboard, and that it doesn't sound as if any unnecessary wind is leaking from the foot compared to other pipes. If you have to touch it with your hands, leave it for 20 minutes before tuning to allow any heat from your hands to disperse.
Ideally, you'll need a tuning knife. In the absence of one of these, a longish screwdriver will work reasonably. Draw the Oboe stop and, if you have one, the 4' Principal (preferably in the Swell). If you don't have one, use the Gemshorn 4'. If you don't have one of these, try the 4' Principal on the Great. Get somebody to hold this note down, or pin it down with a weight, pencil, whatever so that both stops are speaking on that note.
Go to the Oboe pipe and - without touching it by hand - look for the tuning spring. This will be a piece of metal coming up out of the boot of the pipe, with a 90 degree bend at the top. Get your "tuning knife" a centimetre or so below this 90 degree turn and gently start tapping the tuning spring upwards, until you hear the pitch flatten. Be patient and gentle!
Now, start gently tapping the top of the tuning spring so that it very gradually moves in the opposite direction (downwards) until you hear the note getting closer to B (the "beats" will slow down as you approach). Go more and more slowly and gently until the beats stop and the pipe is speaking B, and then leave alone. If you go too far, repeat the entire process, don't just knock it back up to B as it won't stay in tune properly.
Be very careful, too, not to touch other pipes, or you may find yourself having to retune those too....!
You may well find that this will change the regulation of the pipe a little bit. Don't worry about this, as this is the easiest method for you to use rather than tuning from the top of the pipe which is what your tuner - if he knows his stuff - should do. If the regulation is a bit different (ie that pipe is a bit louder/softer/slightly different tone compared to other pipes around it), just make a note in the tuning book for the tuner to sort out when he visits.
Hope this helps.