<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><HEAD><TITLE>Measuring FAC (was Re: [CAUT] Re. Link to Young Paper)</TITLE>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<STYLE>v\:* {
        BEHAVIOR: url(#default#VML)
}
o\:* {
        BEHAVIOR: url(#default#VML)
}
w\:* {
        BEHAVIOR: url(#default#VML)
}
.shape {
        BEHAVIOR: url(#default#VML)
}
</STYLE>
<STYLE>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</STYLE>
<STYLE>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
        {font-family:Tahoma;
        panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
@font-face
        {font-family:Verdana;
        panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
        {margin:0in;
        margin-bottom:.0001pt;
        font-size:12.0pt;
        font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
        {color:blue;
        text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
        {color:purple;
        text-decoration:underline;}
p
        {mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
        margin-right:0in;
        mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
        margin-left:0in;
        font-size:12.0pt;
        font-family:"Times New Roman";}
span.EmailStyle18
        {mso-style-type:personal-reply;
        font-family:"Times New Roman";
        color:windowtext;
        font-weight:normal;
        font-style:normal;
        text-decoration:none none;}
@page Section1
        {size:8.5in 11.0in;
        margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.Section1
        {page:Section1;}
-->
</STYLE>
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.5730.11" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY lang=EN-US vLink=#800080 link=#0000ff bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Yes David I will but I must leave for 2 days in New
York City so will reply in detail on Thursday. Sorry for
disconnect.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Chris</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=ilvey@sbcglobal.net href="mailto:ilvey@sbcglobal.net">David
Ilvedson</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org
href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, January 22, 2007 10:30
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [CAUT] Measuring FAC (was
Re: Re. Link to Young Paper)</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">So
Chris, where do you start your tuning? 1st tenor string going
up? Temperment sequence? Could you give an example of
your DOB use? <BR><BR>David Ilvedson, RPT<BR>Pacifica, CA
94044<BR><BR>
<DIV
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 3px solid; PADDING-TOP: 5px">
<HR>
Original message<BR>From: "Chris Solliday"
<SOLLIDAY@PTD.NET> </SOLLIDAY@PTD.NET><BR>To: "College and University
Technicians" <CAUT@PTG.ORG> </CAUT@PTG.ORG><BR>Received: 1/22/2007
4:32:18 PM<BR>Subject: Re: [CAUT] Measuring FAC (was Re: Re. Link to Young
Paper)<BR><BR>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Personally I stick to the Accu-Tuner III using
Fred procedure for the A factor and then store the tuning on a page in memory
using the defaults 8.0 for F and 6.0 for C. Everything else I calculate on the
fly with the DOB Calculator,e.g., I no longer need many pages in memory as
each tuning is custom and accurate. This is the most felxible use of the
Accu-Tuner III and since the battery almost never runs out why would anyone
use anything else? As part of my habit I also check unisons by ear to the 3rd
partial. This gives me as good a tuning as I can get aurally and is
replicatible to boot.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> BTW forget parainharmonicity since it
doesn't exist.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=dporritt@mail.smu.edu href="mailto:dporritt@mail.smu.edu">Porritt,
David</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org
href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">College and University Technicians</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, January 22, 2007 6:31
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [CAUT] Measuring FAC (was
Re: Re. Link to Young Paper)</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Fred:</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">I no longer have an SAT. I’ve found TuneLab to
be easier to measure as it’s semi-automatic. It needs 4 notes I use
6. It does a good job. Still, I tune from F3 – C8 checking
things along the way. When I tune from E3 – A0 I turn off TuneLab when
I get to the wrapped strings. I’m much more interested in smooth
octaves than compliance to a particular octave size (6:3, 8:4 whatever) or
smooth progression of beat rates. It also helps battery
life!</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">dave</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">David M. Porritt</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><A
href="mailto:dporritt@smu.edu">dporritt@smu.edu</A></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<HR tabIndex=-1 align=center width="100%" SIZE=2>
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">
caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] <B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of </SPAN></B>Fred Sturm<BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Monday, January 22, 2007 4:55
PM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> caut<BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> [CAUT] Measuring FAC (was Re:
Re. Link to Young Paper)</SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><FONT face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">On 1/19/07 8:30
PM, "Jim Busby" <jim_busby@byu.edu> wrote:</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Hi
Fred,<BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial
color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT
face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT
face=Arial color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">At a convention
someone mentioned this as “the” way one should take the FAC measurements.
Wasn’t this in the journal once too? I’m still unclear as to the “step by
step” instructions. (1, 2, 3…) For the gadget impaired, (me) would you give
those instructions???<BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Arial
color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT
face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT
face=Arial color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Thanks,<BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT
face=Verdana><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT
face=Arial color=#000080 size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Jim
Busby</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><FONT face=Verdana
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Hi
Jim,<BR> I am not aware of anyone teaching this
particular method. I have heard of a couple of different variants, at least
one of which was published in the Journal, but they were substantially
different and for different purposes.<BR> Here are
step by step instructions:<BR>1) Turn on SAT, press tune button. You are at
A4, 0.0 cents. Tune the string and stop the lights. (Side effect: WOW! You
have tuned a string to the pitch where you want to leave it).<BR>2) Octave
up to A6. Play A4 holding the measure button to stop the lights (or do cents
up, whichever you prefer, and whichever produces more accuracy – maybe a
combination).<BR>3) Take that number and multiply it by 0.8. (Eg, 10.0 x 0.8
= 8.0). Using the cents down button, move the display number to the
resulting number (Eg, from 10.0 to 8.0). Enter that number (Shift/Stretch)
and the display will now move to C6, 0.0
cents.<BR> (For ease in doing this in my head, I
prefer to think of it as reducing the number by 1/5. Divide the number by 5
and subtract that from the total. And, hoping not to confuse the issue, an
additional mathematical trick to accomplish this is to multiply by 2 and
then divide by 10. So, eg, 11.7 x 2 = 23.4 / 10 = 2.3. 11.7 – 2.3 = 9.4. If
this seems like gibberish, ignore it. If it makes sense, use it.).<BR><BR>4)
Now you are on C6 at 0.0. Tune C6 to stop the lights. <BR>5) Octave up to
C8. Measure. I find it helpful to do cents up with the cents up button to
about 30 cents, then use the measure button (makes it easier for the SAT to
find the pitch). <BR>6) Take this result and divide it by 5. (Eg, 35.0 / 5 =
7.0). Octave down to C7. Cents down to the resulting number. Enter that
number (shift/stretch). The display moves to F5, 0.0 cents.<BR><BR>7) Do F
as usual. <BR> But I’ll comment a little on the F
number, which, it seems to me, is the weakest link in the FAC system. I find
that it doesn’t really serve well for pianos that have high inharmonicity
for F3. The major effect of a high F number is seen in the bass, from A0 to
B2, and high F numbers will produce octaves that are too wide (IMO),
especially for those spinets to studios which have the highest numbers.
<BR> And, of course, it all depends whether F3 is
wound or plain wire. The scaling of a Hamilton is very close to that of an
Acrosonic, except the Hamilton has a plain F3 while Acrosonic has a wound
F3. So the Acrosonic’s F number is a lot lower. There are lots of other
similar examples.<BR> Bottom line, I reduce high F
numbers, usually to a nominal 10.0<BR><BR>8) “Across the break.” As long as
I’ve gone into this much detail, I’ll mention a bit about tuning across the
break, meaning in pianos with a big jump in inharmonicity between plain and
wound strings. Sanderson provides an article or two (or they did ten years
ago) suggesting the use of two tuning pages to smooth the tuning across the
break. One tuning uses the measured F number, the other uses a lower number
derived by measuring the top wound string, as I recall. The instructions are
to use the page with the higher F number for the plain wires, the lower
number for the wound strings. This does make for better octaves in the tenor
and bass (as I described above, in advocating for a lower F number), but it
does nothing to smooth the transition across the break, defined as making
the M3, M6, M10 beat rates progress more evenly. In fact, the two tuning
pages will have numbers that are identical in the area across the break (or,
at most, varying by 0.1 to 0.2 cents, basically insignificant).
<BR> Bottom line, I’d advise not bothering. If you
want to smooth the break, I can give you a way to do it with a SAT. I’m not
convinced anyone but a tuner would notice. People notice the break, but not
because the M3s don’t progress or have a little jog in beat rate. It’s
because the inharmonicity changes, so the sound of the notes themselves, and
especially the sound of octaves and 5ths changes. And there is nothing we
can do about it in tuning the piano. The partial ladders line up
differently, and they are going to no matter what. Better to “let the
numbers fall where they may” and focus instead on unisons in that area,
IMO.<BR><BR>I hope this is helpful.<BR>Regards,<BR>Fred Sturm<BR>University
of New Mexico <BR><BR></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<HR align=center width="100%" SIZE=2>
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">
caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] <B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of </SPAN></B>Fred Sturm<BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Friday, January 19, 2007 4:47
PM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> caut<BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Re: [CAUT] Re. Link to Young
Paper<BR></SPAN></FONT><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><BR></SPAN></FONT><BR><FONT face=Verdana><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"><BR>On 1/19/07 3:29 PM, "David Brown"
<David.C.Brown.2@asu.edu> wrote:<BR><BR>Dear Fred-<BR><BR>I wonder if
you could expand on this a bit more. I attempted to calculate FAC this way
after reading your post but I must have done something wrong. The difference
between the first and fourth partial of A4 seemed to yield a wider octave (
larger A number, to be expected I suppose) than the normal reading,
but the difference between the first and fourth partial of C 6 yielded
numbers well into the 20’s or 30’s! I tried the the difference between the
first and second partial of C7 as well and still no real usable numbers for
me. There must be a way to enlighten me! <BR><BR><BR>Hope all is well in New
Mexico.<BR><BR>Regards-<BR><BR>David<BR><BR><BR>Hi
David,<BR> The A4/A6 difference needs to be
multiplied by 0.8, to factor out the difference between 1st and 2nd partial
and leave the difference between 2nd and 4th partial. The C6/C8 difference
needs to be multiplied by 0.2 to factor out the difference between 2nd and
4th partial and leave the difference between 1st and 2nd partial. The
difference between 1st and second partial is 1/4 the difference between 2nd
and 4th partial (it’s a logarithmic scale, based on a square of the
difference between partial numbers, kind of).<BR> So,
if you read A4/A6 as 10 (zero A4 and read its 4th partial at A6 as plus 10
cents), you enter 8 as the A number. When you have calculated the tuning,
the number for A4 (the tuning offset, tuning it’s 4th partial) will be 10.
For C6/C8, if the number is 35 (C6 zeroed, its 4th partial at C8 read as
plus 35 cents), you enter 7. (Obviously when you enter the number, you have
to go to the right note name and octave, and scroll cents up or
down).<BR> Is this clearer?
<BR> (BTW, David is referring, I believe, to some
posts I sent to pianotech around ten years ago, when I was coming to terms
with my SAT).<BR><BR>Regards,<BR>Fred Sturm<BR>University of New Mexico
<BR><BR> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN></FONT> </P></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></SPAN></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>