Hi to all: I am planning to do at least 3 messages like this one for users of other equipment, but I'm starting with Tlab users. I decided that a cookbook style approach to using the PTG tuning testing program would encourage more associates to prepare for their tests. I have some additional notes which I will gladly share with those who would like more help in tuning with Tunelab. Here is the system which I used today in giving myself a tuning test on a 7' baldwin SF10. It should work for any other good piano. TuneLab3.0 PTG tuning Exam Tlabptg1.txt This file attempts to describe how one can use the TuneLab program to give a mock self Tuning Exam. ESTABLISH THE VERY BEST TUNING POSSIBLE USING YOUR TLAB PROGRAM. 1. Use the Coleman/Scott Template method or the Dave Porritt "Calcul8" program. Then tweak the tuning to the best of your ability if necessary. It is best to have a well scaled piano to practice on. 2. This can involve using contiguous 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, and 6ths along with the cross checking of 6ths-3rds. Listen for evenness in all progressing intervals throughout the Mid-Range area. As an example: check the note A#3 with a 4th below and a 4th above. Also check it with a 5th below and a 5th above. If the upper interval is not slightly faster than the lower interval, obviously the middle note A#3 needs to move to make both intervals relate better. The same is true with all contiguous 3rds. Anytime you can move the middle note of two contiguous intervals, you will improve the evenness of your temperament. Play through the aural procedure of the Baldassin/Sanderson temperament for ear training practice. RECORD THIS TUNING AS A MASTER TUNING, OR SUPER TUNING. 1. Select the tuning titled "RPT-Exam" (this came with your instal- lation). To do this: Double click on TuneLab 97 icon on the desktop. 2. Hold down ALT key, press F key, then press the letter "O" key. This will bring down a screen which is titled Open Tuning File. 3. With mouse click on the right arrow in the table listing the various tuning files available. Keep clicking until you see "RPT-Exam". Double click on this file. This file uses the same partials as the regular PTG Tuning exam. You must give this a new name so that this file will always be available for future use. 4. Hold down ALT and press letter F key, then touch letter A key in order to save this file with your own new name. Type in the word Master-1 and press ENTER key. Now you are ready to record the tuning which you had carefully prepared above. To do this, you should use the cents control keys u, i, and o (which will increase the cents readings by 10, 1, and .1 respectively), the keys just below them will decrease the cents by the same amounts respectively (j=-10, k=-1 and l=-.1). You could also ulso use the keys p and ;, which make changes of .01, but this will just slow you down. 5. Start by measuring the display movement of Midrange area first. Play C3, touch the up or down cents keys (i or k) repeatedly til the display stops. Then hold down the Ctrl key and press the letter "e". This will combine the offset and the Stretch variation to form one new value in the "Stretch = (value)". Proceed to the next note and repeat this procedure. I would suggest doing this in the Midrange area only (C3 to B4) for starters. This is the area which is most scary for those wishing to pass the PTG Exam. Later you can record the whole piano It is a good idea to frequently save the file as you proceed. To do this, hold down the ALT key, press the letter F key and then touch the letter S key to save the record or file. MAKE A DETUNING RECORD OF THE MASTER 1. Save this same file as a Detuned-Master . Hold down ALT-F, then touch letter A. Give this master tuning a new name such as Detund-mstr and hit Enter key. The original Master is still saved for future use and comparison. 2. Click on Edit or hold down ALT,e, and then touch letter "d" to turn this master tuning into a detuning file which will enable you to detune the piano such that the notes will be alternately sharp and flat, etc. This keeps the tension of the piano the same so that you do not have to fight soundboard shifts during your mock test. 3. Detune the piano according to this record. TUNE THE PIANO WITH YOUR VERY BEST AURAL TEMPERAMENT (I recommend using the Baldassin/Sanderson 2 octave temperament) Write for my notes on how to practice your aural temperament. 1. Tune beyond the temperament to include notes C3 thru B4 READ YOUR EXAMINEE TUNING 1. Click on the TuneLab icon. 2. Click on File, Open, and select PTG-Exam and hit Enter key. (or hold down ALT, F, letter O and with mouse select [double click] on PTG-Exam) 3. Save As My-exam1 by using ALT F, A and typing My-Exam1, ENTER key. 4. Program comes on at A4, 2nd partial, change to fundamental by touching F3 function key once. 5. Play A4 and stop display with the cents keys. 6. Hold down Ctrl key and touch letter "r" to record your A4 pitch 7. Change A4 back to 2nd partial by touching F4 function key. 8. Hit PgDn twice and Right arrow 3 times to get to C3. 9. Play C3, stop display with cents keys u,i,o or j,k,l. 10.Hold down Ctrl key and touch letter "e" to place the offset into the stretch value. 11.Repeat this for each note thru B4. SCORE YOUR EXAMINEE TUNING 1. Click on View and click on "Compare with Master Tuning File", or hold down ALT, v, c 2. In this pop-up screen, you can select your temperament octave. The default is F3-F4. If you prefer to be judged by another 13 note octave, click on the down arrow at the edge of the F3-F4 box to select some other octave (your choice), then hit Enter key. 3. From this drop down screen, select the Master which you prepared above (Master-1) by double clicking it. 4. This immediately shows in a temporary notepad file the readings from your Examinee tuning, the Master Tuning, and below a record of the Differences between the two after the pitch correction is factored in. Any error points will be shown to the right of any difference reading which is beyond the allowed tolerance for that note. These Points will be whole numbers with a minus sign in front if the note was on the flat side. 5. Total up your points for the temperament section, ignoring the minus signs for the moment. If you used the F3-F4 temperament, start looking for points across from the note F in the 3rd column. Continue down to the bottom of that column and then from the top of column 4 down through the F row. Let's say that you totalled up 6 points within that temp. oct. You can multiply that number by 2.5 and subtract that product from 100 to get your percentage score. 6. Next total up all points from C3 thru B4. Multiply these by 1.5 and subtract that product from 100 to get your Midrange score. 7. At the bottom of this record you will see any error you may have made in tuning the A4 fundamental. You get one cent free tolerance, after this, count each .1 cent as one percentage point which will be subtracted from 100 to get your Pitch Score. If one had a 3.0 cent error on the A4 the final score would be 80%, just barely passing. 3 cents equals 3/4 bps at A440. Practice with your fork until you can get within .3 cents repeatedly. Then there will be no sweat during the test. When you take your real test, at this point you will be asked to identify whether a note is sharp or flat for any error points that were marked. You will not see the record of your scores until later. You can try various intervals to see if you agree with the computer for the way the error points were marked. In most cases the computer will be correct, however, in the case where you have aurally hidden the errors well, some tests may show the marked note to be flat while other tests would show it to be sharp. Such ambiguous points will be scratched out and not counted against you in the real test. If you do not score well above 80%, you will need to do more practice so that when you take the real test, and possible nerves kick in, you will still pass with flying colors. Ask for help. Get my notes on how to practice your temperament in easy steps. Jim Coleman, Sr.
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