French Musette Tuning

[MrD]

I'm working on tuning two middle reeds to a nice French Musette. I've
read this is +20 cents. However I also understand that tuning the entire
scale as +20 cents will result in the upper end being extremely wet with
lots of beats. I've read that a more gradual tuning is preferred-- for
example, starting a 2 beats/sec at the low-end and ending up at 6
beats/sec at the high-end. However my calculations show that 2 beats/sec
at 440 Hz is only 7.85 cents.

Anybody have any suggestions on what to start out with?

This is my first musette tuning-- all my previous practice is on a cheap
LM dry-tuned accordion.

[j***@ntlworld.com]

Post by MrD
I'm working on tuning two middle reeds to a nice French Musette. I've
read this is +20 cents. However I also understand that tuning the entire
scale as +20 cents will result in the upper end being extremely wet with
lots of beats. I've read that a more gradual tuning is preferred-- for
example, starting a 2 beats/sec at the low-end and ending up at 6
beats/sec at the high-end. However my calculations show that 2 beats/sec
at 440 Hz is only 7.85 cents.
Anybody have any suggestions on what to start out with?
This is my first musette tuning-- all my previous practice is on a cheap
LM dry-tuned accordion.

It was a dark and stormy night. . . . when the first guy tried to tune
a "French" musette using just two reeds. It didn't take long to realise
that a "pukka" musette needs THREE MIDDLE REEDS. Any attempt to make a
"wet" two reed "musette" is doomed to failure. It ends up with the
de-tuned reed just sounding what it is - out of tune!!

[MrD]

Post by j***@ntlworld.com

Post by MrD
I'm working on tuning two middle reeds to a nice French Musette. I've
read this is +20 cents. However I also understand that tuning the entire
scale as +20 cents will result in the upper end being extremely wet with
lots of beats. I've read that a more gradual tuning is preferred-- for
example, starting a 2 beats/sec at the low-end and ending up at 6
beats/sec at the high-end. However my calculations show that 2 beats/sec
at 440 Hz is only 7.85 cents.
Anybody have any suggestions on what to start out with?
This is my first musette tuning-- all my previous practice is on a cheap
LM dry-tuned accordion.

It was a dark and stormy night. . . . when the first guy tried to tune
a "French" musette using just two reeds. It didn't take long to realise
that a "pukka" musette needs THREE MIDDLE REEDS. Any attempt to make a
"wet" two reed "musette" is doomed to failure. It ends up with the
de-tuned reed just sounding what it is - out of tune!!

Ok, I botched the terminology. What do you suggest for a "wet"-tuned
LMM accordion?

[ike milligan]

Post by MrD

Post by j***@ntlworld.com

Post by MrD
I'm working on tuning two middle reeds to a nice French Musette. I've
read this is +20 cents. However I also understand that tuning the entire
scale as +20 cents will result in the upper end being extremely wet with
lots of beats. I've read that a more gradual tuning is preferred-- for
example, starting a 2 beats/sec at the low-end and ending up at 6
beats/sec at the high-end. However my calculations show that 2 beats/sec
at 440 Hz is only 7.85 cents.
Anybody have any suggestions on what to start out with?
This is my first musette tuning-- all my previous practice is on a cheap
LM dry-tuned accordion.

It was a dark and stormy night. . . . when the first guy tried to tune
a "French" musette using just two reeds. It didn't take long to realise
that a "pukka" musette needs THREE MIDDLE REEDS. Any attempt to make a
"wet" two reed "musette" is doomed to failure. It ends up with the
de-tuned reed just sounding what it is - out of tune!!

Ok, I botched the terminology. What do you suggest for a "wet"-tuned
LMM accordion?

2 beats/ sec at the low end is way too fast, if you are going to 6 at the
high end. Better to have 1 persecon at the low end. Just my preference.
Anyway few people prefer the Musette at 20 cents any more. If it is too slow
for you, you can always go back and raise it weakening the reeds less than
if you tried to flat them. Once I tuned an accordion 10 cents straight all
the way up and down the keyboard. A street musician bought it to play in
Paris. 20 cents on the high end will sound badly out-of-tune but maybe
that's the way you want it.

[MrD]

I made an Excel spreadsheet where I enter the beats for each note, and I
get a graph of the cents vs. frequency.

If I go from 3-beats to 9-beats every half-scale, A3 (440) is about
20-cents sharp. F3 (175) is at 30-cents. And A6 (1760) is at about
9-cents sharp.

Is this reasonable?

Post by MrD
I'm working on tuning two middle reeds to a nice French Musette. I've
read this is +20 cents. However I also understand that tuning the entire
scale as +20 cents will result in the upper end being extremely wet with
lots of beats. I've read that a more gradual tuning is preferred-- for
example, starting a 2 beats/sec at the low-end and ending up at 6
beats/sec at the high-end. However my calculations show that 2 beats/sec
at 440 Hz is only 7.85 cents.
Anybody have any suggestions on what to start out with?
This is my first musette tuning-- all my previous practice is on a cheap
LM dry-tuned accordion.

[ike milligan]

Post by MrD
I made an Excel spreadsheet where I enter the beats for each note, and I
get a graph of the cents vs. frequency.
If I go from 3-beats to 9-beats every half-scale, A3 (440) is about
20-cents sharp. F3 (175) is at 30-cents. And A6 (1760) is at about
9-cents sharp.
Is this reasonable?

I'm not sure what you mean. A 440 is A4. Anyway this could make sense on
those frequencies if it sounds good.

[TommyMemphis]

Post by MrD
I'm working on tuning two middle reeds to a nice French Musette. I've
read this is +20 cents. However I also understand that tuning the entire
scale as +20 cents will result in the upper end being extremely wet with
lots of beats. I've read that a more gradual tuning is preferred-- for
example, starting a 2 beats/sec at the low-end and ending up at 6
beats/sec at the high-end. However my calculations show that 2 beats/sec
at 440 Hz is only 7.85 cents.
Anybody have any suggestions on what to start out with?
This is my first musette tuning-- all my previous practice is on a cheap
LM dry-tuned accordion.

Good Lord man, do you engage in self-surgery as well? Take your
accordion to a professional, ONE WHO DOESN"T MUTILLATE REEDS with a
power tool.

Also, FRENCH MUSETTE is actually TIGHT TUNING.

The French no longer play the coarse tunings they were once known for.
Why would you want a tuning that is out dated? Unless of course this
accordion is only going to be used for that one sound.

[MrD]

Post by TommyMemphis
Good Lord man, do you engage in self-surgery as well? Take your
accordion to a professional, ONE WHO DOESN"T MUTILLATE REEDS with a
power tool.
Also, FRENCH MUSETTE is actually TIGHT TUNING.
The French no longer play the coarse tunings they were once known for.
Why would you want a tuning that is out dated? Unless of course this
accordion is only going to be used for that one sound.

Bah...I bought this beater on eBay for $59. I've found that rewaxing
reeds is simple. Tuning is a bit harder, but with modern tools (tuning
software), it isn't that hard. A $25 software program tells me
everything I need to know including a measurement of beats/sec. All I
need to do is come up with a reasonable tuning chart.

I'm using small hand files, a brass rod, and a brass plate. No power
tools for me.

That said, I'm encountering the most difficulty in getting this bellows
tight. The valves are leaky...adjusting is a pain in the ass. I took
apart the entire bass mechanism last weekend to clean it up. Put it back
together, but the bass valves are leaky. Now I need to take it apart
again.