ETDs & Pitch Corrections: Verituner

[John Formsma]

Terry,

I think the procedure in the manual is to tune a outer string of A4 (so the
VT can measure it and it won't throw the overpull off for the middle string
later). Then tune an outer string of A3 to measure it. Then go to the first
tenor string and tune up to C8, using overpull. Then the first bass string
down to A0 using overpull.

In my experience with the VT, before I got frustrated with it, I was getting
to the point of thinking that it just made sense to measure all the A's
first so the machine could get a better sense of the scale throughout. But
that wasn't what the manual said. I was doing aural testing so much in an
attempt to make the machine behave that I decided to sell it and get on with
it by ear.

The VT's real limitation, in my opinion, is that it can't calculate optimum
octave stretch on the fly. It can do some calculations, but it still must
follow the preprogrammed octave stretch from its various stretch points.
Because it has to do this, it fits the tuning in according to the octave
stretch points. It does this precisely I'm sure, but on some pianos, there
is too much stretch and makes the intervals too wide (like dbl octaves,
tenor 4ths, etc.).

For instance, we can aurally determine the best stretch of A3-A4 by checking
with 4ths and 5ths. E.g., play A3-D4 and D4-A4 too see how the octave width
will affect the relative 4th/5th beats. Or, similarly, F3-C4 and C4-F4 or
F3-A#3 and A#3-F4. By comparing intervals, we can hear if the piano wants a
4:2 octave or a 6:3 octave, or a combination thereof. But, the VT starts off
with a predetermined A3-A4 octave. It might be right, or it might not. As I
said above, I'm sure the machine is brutally precise from here on out, but
if it starts off slightly wrong, the cumulative errors will be more
noticeable later on.

Hope that makes sense.

JF

On 2/16/07, Farrell <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com> wrote:
>
> My understanding is that the procedure that will yield the best calculated
> tuning in one pass is to measure all the A's, measure the two adjacent
> notes
> at the tenor/bass break, then start tuning a A3 and go up to the top. Then
> return to A3 and work your way down.
>
> Sometimes what I do is measure the A's and then measure all the notes from
> A0 to A4. Recalculate tuning and start tuning at the low tenor to C88 and
> then high bass to A0. Gives you an optimal calculated tuning and only
> takes
> about five extra minutes at most.
>
> Terry Farrell
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> > With Verituner you are to pull A4 up to pitch and measure its
> > inharmonicity and then pull A3 up to pitch and measure its
> inharmonicity.
> > After that where you tune is up to you.  I like to tune down from A4 to
> > the bottom then up from A4 to the top.  Makes sense to me as Verituner
> > does partial matching and you don't know what nonsense you will discover
> > at the big break if you come from under it.  I always have Verituner
> > recalculate before doing a second pass as accounting for some of the
> > breaks (scaling breaks aren't just between bridges) will result in a
> > change in note placement, a change that I am more likely to agree with.
> >
> > Andrew Anderson
> >
>
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20070216/586970ee/attachment.html