Pitch Raise Questions

[Farrell]

"Of course, I'd be much slower with that marvelous machine called the Verituner!"

Please expand on this and tell us why. Thanks.

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "SUSAN P SWEARINGEN" <ssclabr8@flash.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2002 6:23 PM
Subject: Re: Pitch Raise Questions


> I always pitch raise from A0 and tune the unisons as I go.  I use a rubber
> mute when I go from the single low bass strings to the bi-chords and have
> all the tri-chords strip muted.  When I get to the tri-chords I use a
> pattern that speeds up things considerably.  I will tune the center string
> of, say, A4 (with my ETD).  I'll then pull out the left side of the strip
> mute and tune the left string of A4 to the center string of A4 (aurally).  I
> will then move up to A#4 and tune the center string (with my ETD).  I then
> pull out the left side of mute as before and then tune the left string of
> A#4 to the center string of A#4 (aurally).  At this point, I drop back down
> to A4 and aurally tune the right string of A4 to open center and left
> strings of A4. I then move up to B4 and repeat the procedure.  You would be
> surprised how fast this goes.  I'm a new tuner myself (Randy Potter
> graduate) and doing pitch raises in this manner takes me about 20-25
> minutes.  It allows me to schedule a 2-hour tuning appointment - pitch
> raise, fine-tune, and make any minor repairs and adjustments.  Of course,
> I'd be much slower with that marvelous machine called the Verituner!
> 
> I use 20% overpull in the bass, 35% overpull for the first 6 plain-wire
> strings in the tenor, and 25% overpull for the rest of the piano.  Why?
> Because Dr. Sanderson has shown that using these overpull amounts along with
> tuning unisons as you go, gets you very very close.  When using this method,
> I have found that strings tend to fall 1 to 2 cents away from perefect - and
> this is with pitch raises up to 100 cents.
> 
> Corte Swearingen
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2002 8:31 AM
> Subject: Re: Pitch Raise Questions
> 
> 
> > Have you enjoyed your varying responses? Anything over 25 cents is a pitch
> raise (PR)? Anything over 4 cents is a PR? Use 25% offset? Use the SAT PR
> feature, but adjust offsets?
> >
> > I am also a Randy Potter grad. What all the above means is that you need
> to experiment and find out what works for you in various situations. All the
> responses are correct - for the person responding. I would give you a whole
> additional set of responses!
> >
> > My suggestion is to start by following Randy Potter instructions and SAT
> instructions. See how these guidelines work, and then modify them as you see
> fit, so that you get the results you want.
> >
> > I don't think you will find any definitive guidelines for when a pitch
> raise is needed. It always comes down to a benefit/cost thing. If you do not
> use any pitch correction on a piano that is below standard pitch, and you
> use standard pitch as your target, you will ALWAYS end up with your tuning
> below standard pitch. Even if the piano is an average of ONE cent below
> A440, if you use no pitch adjustment and a one pass tuning, the each note on
> the piano will end up approximately 1/4 of a cent below A440. Now, that
> would be acceptable in most any situation.
> >
> > But what many do with a SAT, is use the SAT PR feature to calculate a
> target pitch. Read your SAT manual. Instruction are pretty clear. Most techs
> would agree that using the SAT III PR feature on a piano that is between 2
> and 5 cents flat will yield an acceptable tuning in one pass. Personally, I
> lean toward the 2-cent limit - some go to 10 or 20 cents in one pass. I'm
> simply not comfortable with that. But in any case, if you are doing a
> one-pass tuning on a piano that is one/two cents or more flat - use the SAT
> PR feature.
> >
> > The SAT manual says to tune unisons as you tune each center string.
> >
> > Doing two passes is strictly up to you and the results you want. Two
> passes will always get you a better tuning. On really junky pianos where
> there is no hope for a fine tuning anyway, I will go up to 10 cents in one
> pass. On any better piano, I will go two passes for anything more that about
> 2 cents flat. It just comes out better for me that way.
> >
> > Regarding measuring how flat the piano is. The more notes you measure, the
> better idea you will have of average pitch deviation. I measure at least all
> the As, if not all the As and Ds, and sometime even more notes to get a real
> good idea of what I am dealing with and what my approach is going to be.
> >
> > Hope this helps. Good luck with the course. Check back in.
> >
> > Terry Farrell
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: <euphoniac@juno.com>
> > To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > Sent: Monday, June 24, 2002 11:19 PM
> > Subject: Pitch Raise Questions
> >
> >
> > > I am currently a Randy Potter student with some questions about pitch
> > > raising.  When I measure the pitch of A4 with my SAT III, how low (in
> > > cents) should it be for me to need to perform a pitch raise?  Also, when
> > > performing a pitch raise, is it better to raise only the single strings
> > > all the way up, or should I raise all of the strings of each note as I
> > > go?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Don Palmire
> > >
> >
>