Frequency accuracy?

Brian Trout btrout@desupernet.net
Thu, 17 Jun 1999 08:08:45 -0400


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Hi,
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I have been tuning aurally for most of the time I've tuned.  When I =
first started out, I got a chrome plated steel tuning fork.  It's not =
very loud, but it seems to be pretty stable.  I've heated it up to well =
over 100 degrees, and put it in the freezer to cool it down, and =
measured as best I could in both extremes.  It doesn't move much, =
perhaps 1 or 1 1/2 cycles from one end of the extreme to the other.  =
(It's hard to measure, because it starts changing back to room =
temperature before I can really get some good "listens".)
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At work amongst the tuners, we have 3 tuning forks, and 3 "machines", =
none of which are over about $200 machines.  My personal observations to =
date lead me to believe that the forks are all very close to each other. =
 However, the machines are quite different, one of which actually tunes =
a piano sharp enough to hear audible beating when played with another =
piano tuned with a fork.  (This is when you're trying to set the pitch =
at A-440.)
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My question is, how does one determine which A-440 is right?  Is there =
an easy way to do that without finding an electronic frequency counter?  =
I can't think of anyone who has one.  I'm just trying to figure out if =
real tuning fork accuracy is possible in a real world.  To what do we =
pay homage as the "ultimate" standard measuring device?  Who's =
"ultimate" standard measuring device is right if they don't agree???  If =
I find one person with an SAT and one with an RTC and the A-440's aren't =
the same, who's right?
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I'm not trying to be obnoxious here, but I've been reading about the =
"big test", and what's involved.  It all starts with the basic premise =
that we start at A-440.  It's been worrying me a bit.  Who's A-440?
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Any thoughts out there?
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Brian Trout
Quarryville, Pa.
btrout@desupernet.net
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