FAC averaging

[FSSturm@aol.com]

<<Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 14:38:54 -0600 (CST)
From: Avery Todd <atodd@UH.EDU>
Subject: FAC Averaging

List,

I'd like to know if anyone using a SAT has ever tried averaging the FAC
readings when tuning two pianos together. I'm referring primarily to
teaching studios/practice rooms with two pianos in them.>>

I think the notion of using the "same" tuning for two disparate pianos is
misguided, for the following reason: The sameness of the tuning is only for
those partials which the tuning program reads, ie, 6th partial in the bass,
4th in the tenor, 2nd in the mid treble, 1st in the high treble for an SAT.
Now, if you play the two pianos together, they will sound more in tune to each
other if their first partials correspond throughout (that's an over-
simplification, I know, but reasonably accurate. At any rate, the 4th or 6th
partials are rarely the optimum partials to match).
	I believe it is better to tune each piano to itself, and let the chips fall
where they may, for the most part. I have done this with considerable success
for many years. Our piano teaching studios each have a Steinway B "matched"
with a Yamaha G-2, quite disparate. Never had a complaint. 
	In a concert situation, I would place the pianos together and play unisons
throughout to pick up any oddities, but again, my limited experience with
disparate pianos (most of the time I deal with two Steinway D's in this
situation) has been that, once again, the best results are to tune each piano
to itself, and there is very little that will stand out when the two are
played together.
	Just my two cents.

Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico