'C' fork users only (inferior 'A' fork users need not apply)

[Paul]

Bill
Thanks for going over this. The numbers part of tuning is becoming more
fuzzy as I do not use or relate to it regularly. I appreciate your comments.

Paul Chick
----- Original Message -----
From: <Billbrpt@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2001 1:03 PM
Subject: Re: 'C' fork users only (inferior 'A' fork users need not apply)



>
> Bill Garlick covered this in his class too.  A4 at 440 cycles per second
is
> what is known as "Standard Pitch".  C5 at 523.3 is not "Standard Pitch" it
is
> merely the result of multiplying 440 by the twelfth root of 2 three times.
> It is the *equivilant* of Standard Pitch but only theoretically.
>
> Therefore, these days, it is usually recommended to use an A-440 pitch
source
> when tuning, even if tuning a temperament other than Equal.  Technically,
one
> should expect that if a C fork is used when tuning Equal Temperament (ET),
> the A4 would be expected to be off by a very small amount because of
> Inharmonicity.
>
> As a practical matter, however, (and this is what is important), that
small
> amount is generally so small that it cannot be detected aurally.  This
means
> that it would be an amount of less than one cent which is indeed not
> significant.
>
> This is definitely not true for Historical Temperaments, however.  If a C
> fork is used when tuning most any popular HT, the A4 will fall flat by as
> much as 2 cycles per second (8 cents).  Many HT enthusiasts cannot
reconcile
> tuning from an A fork.  C is supposed to be the starting note, and that's
> that.  They seem to believe that if you start on A, you are necessarily
> making A be the tonal center but it simply is not true.
>
> Actually, using A as the pitch reference when tuning an HT causes all
notes
> to be nearly the closest they can be to the theoretical equivalent of
> Standard Pitch.  That is why I use A-440 as a reference *and* the starting
> note of my temperament, regardless of which temperament I am tuning, even

> such an ancient and classic temperament as 1/4 Syntonic Meantone
Temperament.
>
> So, ET tuners, never fear, C or A does not make any significant
difference.
> Use whichever one you are most used to and comfortable with.
>
> Bill Bremmer RPT
> Madison, Wisconsin
>