Pitch Rasing using the SAT

[Wimblees@aol.com]

This topic might have been talked about before, but I want to pose a couple of
questions regarding pitch rasing using the SAT or RCT.

When Dee Schaefer gave her program on pitch raising using the SAT at our last
chapter meeting, she discribed how the SAT instruction require that a pitch of
a string needs to be measured, and then the SAT would automatically determine
how much the string needs to be raised. When Kent gave his class on the use of
the RCT, I believe he mentioned that the same thing is done with that program.
(Am I right so far?)  Dee also said she never raises the ptich of the bass
strings over A440, for fear of breaking the strings. 

I got to thinking about that proceedure, and how it is different than I do a
pitch raise, using the SAT. I measure the pitch at A, and then offset the
machine 1/4 higher, (the "normal" proceedure). I then set a FAC, ( or use a
preporgramed tuning)  and tune the whole piano. I then retune the piano,
again, setting a FAC, or using the preprogrammed tuning. 

Now the question. The way I see it, the original method, (measuring each
string, or a group of 5 or 6 notes worth of strings) and then raising them
accordingly, seems to be approaching the pitch raise from a point of view of
where the individual (or small group) strings were, as apposed to where the
all the strings have to go. While it is important to know that the whole piano
is in need of having the pitch raised, and even to know approximately how much
the pitch has to be raised, wouldn't it be better to raise the pitch to where
the whole piano is supposed to wind up, rather than adjust each string
according to where it was? (Am I making any sense?)

Another question, one that I posed at the end of my pitch raising post.  Some
of you mentioned tightening the plate screws before doing a pitch raise. Since
I never do this,  is there something I am doing wrong? How important is
tightening plate bolts?

Willem Blees RPT