Pitch raise with the SAT

[Bill Spurlock, RPT]

> . . . when I first started using a
>SAT,  I  found myself falling back into the usual routine of unconsciously
>setting pins, and trying for clear unisons by the time I was in the middle
>of the pitch raise. Don't do it!
>Just toss them all near pitch, then spend the time to tune properly.

I think that this approach deprives you of much of the benefit of the SAT in
pitch raising. When properly used, the pitch raise or lower will come out so
accurate that many pins will not have to be changed -- or will only need the
slightest change -- during the final pass through. Taking the time to "set" the
pins and strings during the pitch raise minimizes the number of movements you
will have to make to each pin during the pitch raise and tuning process.
Stability is improved for two reasons. First, since you know what condition each
pin was left in during the pitch raise (for example, raised slightly high, then
lowered to desired pitch or however you describe your pin setting technique),
you know better how much and in what direction to move any pins during the final
pass. In other words, each pin will have a predictable feel, and its pitch will
react to your hammer movements predictably. This minimizes tuning pin movement
and improves stability. Secondly, since strings will tend to drift the most
right after being set, and after adjacent strings are moved, you don't want to
be making any more changes during the tuning pass than absolutely necessary. By
keeping unisons as clean as possible during the pitch raise, you allow the most
time for any further small drift to occur before the tuning pass. The tuning
pass then consists (ideally) of very minor corrections and consequently any
further drift in the following hours is extremely small.

Of course not all pianos respond the same, but I find the following procedure
gives extremely consistent results overall: Make an FAC tuning, then do the
measure & offset on note A1. Use that offset starting on A0, then do another
offset about the middle of the bass bichords and use that to the top of the
bass. Then pull out the temperament strip and set the bass unisons. You must set
unisons as you go in the ret of the piano. The low tenor is critical, so check
the measure & offset on the first 3-4 tenor notes, and choose one that's an
average. (During the measure/offset procedure, the amount of the offset appears
in the cents window as you release the MSR button but before releasing the SHIFT
button.) Use that for 6 notes or so, then offset again. If the existing tuning
pattern is erratic, measure & offset more often, and also check 3-4 notes ahead
and use the average. If the existing tuning is very consistent, one offset per
octave is plenty.

I strip mute the entire piano, then tune plain wire unisons as I go by raising
the center string, pulling out the strip to the left, then raising that left
string and the now-open right string of the previous unison. If unisons are
being squirrely, I follow with a mute to the left of the previous unison. I can
then easily recheck the left string of the note two unisons below. Thus each
time a loop of temperament strip is pulled out, the mute is advanced one unison.
The left string is set, followed by the previous right string, followed by a
recheck of the left string two unisons below, followed by a recheck of the whole
unison three unisons below. This way any unison drift is cleaned up as soon as
it is likely to have occurred, and while I am in the neighborhood.

In my experience verticals are much less predictable than grands. However you
soon learn how to second guess them and compensate for their misbehavior. I
depart from the above procedure as follows on verticals:

Just below tenor/treble break - These last 4-6 notes below the break tend to
come out too sharp, so "look ahead" by doing the measure & offset about 6 notes
before then, and choose the lowest offset you see. Back off a little extra on
the last two notes below the break, by leaving the lights rotating slightly
flat.

Top of the dampers on up - Here you have to raise pitch more than indicated by
the SAT. Starting right above the break, measure & offset ahead several notes
and choose the biggest offset you see. In addition, starting around the top of
the dampers, raise further by leaving the lights rotating sharp when setting the
middle string, so that by the time the third string is set the lights are
stationary or still slightly sharp. Back off increasingly for the top 3-4 notes.

Kimball consoles - For some reason these always turn out way too sharp in the
tenor for me if I use standard procedure. Instead, I set the middle string only
in the tenor section, being careful not to over shoot. I then pull up the
unisons, then proceed to pitch raise the treble as usual, tuning unisons as I
go.

If you don't bother setting pins and unisons carefully during your pitch raise,
the assertion that the pitch raise will not be accurate will become a
self-fulfilling prophesy. On the other hand, by pitch raising *almost* as
carefully as during a regular tuning, and by paying attention to the special
areas of the piano as above, you will get the most stable end result in the
least amount of time. Any extra time spent on a careful pitch raise will pay off
in even more time saved during the final tuning pass.

Bill Spurlock