A= 440 Fork - advice please

[Terry L Jack]

Hello Jim,

thank you for taking the time to write back!  I am pretty sure my SATIII is
calibrate correctly. It starts up properly, is new and has not been messed
with.

I will be going out to my shop tonight and following your instructions to
adjust my fork. I will let you know what happens.
thought I'd down load a few dry fly patterns while I am on line first *grin*

Thank you,

Terry Jack
Eugene, OR
Chapter
----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Coleman, Sr. <pianotoo@imap2.asu.edu>
To: Terry L Jack <tjack@pacinfo.com>
Cc: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 1999 5:04 PM
Subject: Re: A= 440 Fork - advice please


> Hi Terry:
>
> Assuming your SAT 3 is in calibration (it should be unless someone has
> messed with it. It's easy to correct) you have a lot of filing to do on
> the ends of the times. I like to lay a file down on the workbench and
> drag the ends of both tines on the file. I rotate the fork after every
> two strokes. If the fork builds up heat (and it will) you can test this
> by placing the fork on the side of your face. It is stabilized when it
> feels neither hot nor cold to your face. When it gets to about -1.0 cents,
> go a little slower to let it have time to normalize in temperature.
>
> Another problem some people have is being able to judge the beat rate
> produced by F2 and the fork. It sometimes helps to raise the F2 a little
> to slow down the beats rate so that you can actually count the beats in
> groups of 4. Tap your foot once for every 4 wavers you hear using the
> fork. Then with your foot continuing at the same rhythm, play the fork
> and the note A49. Tune to achieve the same rhythm. Of course it is simpler
> to first tune the A49 in unison with the fork the best you can, being
> sure to sock the key hard to help stabilize the strings. The F2 test is
> used primarily to tell if you are high or low so you will know in which
> direction to aim in your correction.
>
> Tuning to a fork can be confusing. You must discipline your mind to
> concentrate on listening to the fundamental and not the 2nd partials.
> A tuning fork does not have a 2nd partial, but when it is placed upon an
> object to amplify its sound, the object may breakdown into other partials.
> Besides this, your ear and your brain can manufacture partials for the
fork.
> These are called subjective tones.
> This is why it is so important to use the F2 test so that you can
> concentrate upon the 5th partial of F2 and the fundamental of the fork or
> the A49 note.
>
> Jim Coleman, Sr.
>
> On Wed, 27 Oct 1999, Terry L Jack wrote:
>
> >  Much simpler to tune your fork to the SAT II at body temperature.
> >
> > > When you take your test, hold your fork under your armpit to keep it
> > > in tune when you need to use it critically.
> >
> >
> > I am a student of Randy Potter and have been working on tuning
temperments.
> > I have been having trouble proving my A-49 with a 17th test so have been
> > using my SAT III.  I want to be good at aural tuning  and do not want to
get
> > to where I can only tune with a machine.
> >
> > Reading this thread about tuning forks I decided to check mine, making
sure
> > to warm it up under my arm pit first.  The fork I have is a John Walker.
> > The reading I got on my SAT III after numerous tests is  -3.6 !!  I know
I
> > am a newby and suspect I must be doing something wrong, however this is
such
> > a simple measument I wonder.
> >
> > Any advice?
> >
> > Terry Jack
> > Eugene, Oregon Chapter
> >
> >
>