RE>SAT usage

[Danny Boone]

In reference to Newton Hunt's message of 9/23:

I would like to be able to use the SAT for FAC tunings with as much ease as
Newton does; perhaps I can still learn.  Since I have stated in the past how I
use the SAT, I won't recount that again.  All of the FAC tunings that I have
tried to do took more time and effort than they were worth.  By the time I
have measured and stored the F, A, and C, and rolled it over into memory, I
could have already aurally tuned a third to one half of the temperament.
Every FAC tuning that I have done did not have smoothly progressing thirds and
sixths or evenly smooth 4ths and 5ths.  My FAC tunings have all required aural
repair, and since that is what I am doing when I tune aurally, I don't see the
benefit of not doing it right the first time.

On a good day, it only takes me12 to 15 minutes to set a good temperament
aurally, but 20 to 30 minutes to finish an FAC temperament.  What am I doing
wrong?

Danny Boone, RPT
Baylor
--------------------------------------
Date: 9/23/94 8:42 PM

I am so glad to see meaningful questions being asked about the SAT.

First when doing a pitch CHANGE  I will pick up a compensation factor from the

middle of the bass section and tune the entire bass to that one factor.

Because the changes are far more rapid in the middle section I like to pick up

a new comp factor every major third.  F A C# F as an example.  The bottom of

the middle section changes the least and it is easy to over compensate if you

use the first note; instead I go up a major third for the first comp factor
and then skip to the third third for the next one.

When you pick up a comp factor many times the SAT will display the partial
that is being tuned.  When you move to the next note the display is corrected.

A CAUTION!  It has happened to me that I am tuning along in the TUNE mode
instead of the MEM mode.  The problem is that in the TUNE mode the cent value

does not change so I am tuning in a straight line, not the rising curve.

When you wish to cancel a compensation factor do a SHIFT RESET, TUNE, MEM and

the comp factor is canceled.  You can turn off and then on but why bother?

I have found that pitch changing in practice rooms with a comp factor of six

to eight cents I can do a real fine tuning that does not need to be tuned a
second time.  Going over the piano a second time is a good idea except when
you have three hundred more pianos to do the second time becomes real
redundant.

I would like to see an exchange of ideas, techniques and procedures in the use

of the SAT so we can all help each other understand the machine better and to

help get the most out of our time and the machine.

I have included my crib sheet that I give to the work study students that wish

to learn to tune.  I have found that they can do a crditable job in a very
short time with the machine and requiring far less supervision on my part.
If you find it useful please use it.

                        Using SAT FAC Procedure
I.     Push On button.
II.    If lights are steady push Tune; if not use Cent Up or Cent Down
       to reset.
III.   Use Cent Up or Cent Down to set an offset, push shift RESET
       to lock in offset.  A442 = 7.9c, 10c = 442.549, 443 = 11.76c,
       430=-39.8c.
IV.    Push Note Down to F4 and Oct Up to F5.
V.     Tune F3 until lights stop.
VI.    Push Oct Up to F6.
VII.   Stop lights with Msr (measure) and Cent Up / Cent Down.  Range
       6-17c
VIII.  Hold shift and tap STORE, display should be A5, if not turn off
       SAT and restart from I.
IX.    Tune A4 until lights stop.
X.     Push Oct Up to A6.
XI.    Stop lights with Msr and Cent Up / Cent Down.  Range 6-10c
XII.   Hold shift and tap STORE, display should be C6
XIII.  Tune C6 until lights stop.
XIV.   Push Oct Up to C7.
XV.    Stop lights with Msr and Cent Up / Cent Down.  Range 4-8c.
XVI.   Hold shift and tap STORE, display may be F3 or anything else.
XVII.  Use shift PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN to pick the required
       target page for the calculated tuning.
XVIII. Rollover Stretch Mem and wait 11 seconds.
XIX.   Push Note or Octave Up or Down to pick first note to tune and
       so SAT looks up note value from current page.
XX.    Tune.

Strings that are hard to read may be plucked.  To use pitch raise or
lower compensation factor stop lights with Msr or Cent Up and Cent
Down then rollover Msr shift.  Watch Note and Cent windows to be
certain SAT is in memory mode.

I use a strip on uprights because it is more difficult getting a felt
wedge between the strings.  On grands I use one felt wedge, one tuning
hammer and one SAT.

I use it for all my tunings, practice rooms, studios, recitals,
concerts, two piano tuning, class rooms, customers homes, community
concert hall, harpsichords, fortepiano and my work study students make
free use of it when I am not using it.

I do not use it when aural tuning would be faster or for touch up
tunings.

I have been tuning for more than 30 years and I would be loath to give
up a power tool I have found to be an effort saver just like my
bandsaw and drill press.  My point is that it can tune with greater
consistancy than can I with less effort.  Use it to perfectly tune a
good piano and then aurally varify the tuning.  You should find no
meaningful changes to make except to fit taste!

           Newton J. Hunt