[pianotech] SAT IV extended

[David Love]

You just turn on the machine and flip through the pages.  Pianos that I tune
regularly (like weekly or monthly) I work with until I get a setting I like
and then save it to a specific page which I write on the piano plate
somewhere in chalk.  I don't measure each time I go to that piano and don't
worry about how humidity might change the measurements.  

Once the f6 measurement goes beyond 10.5 I just stop there and set it and
tune the bass by direct interval checking i.e., aural/electronic style.  The
lower the F # the more stretched the bass will be.  But recall that the F #
on a small piano (where the large numbers occur) is measuring a compromised
low tenor that really isn't in keeping with the piano overall.  It's a
limitation of the SAT idea.  Generally the smaller pianos, ironically, tune
narrower, not wider.  The settings, for example, on the Verituner for small
pianos will give you a tuning curve that is narrower.  

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of David Ilvedson
Sent: Sunday, December 27, 2009 5:54 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] SAT IV extended

But how do you access the page of memory quickly?   I'm assuming you go
through the pages until you find the serial # or description?   I think we
all can come up with different FAC numbers.   I remember you mentioning
disregarding F numbers over 10.5.   What I don't understand is what happens
to the intervals if you, for instance, use a lower F #?   I think the SAT IV
can show you on your computer the spread of numbers...?   No matter what, of
course, we are aurally listening to what the tuning sounds like.   

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos at comcast.net>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 12/27/2009 2:54:58 PM
Subject: Re: [pianotech] SAT IV extended


>Saving to a page # is a little easier than inputting the FAC numbers even
if
>you don't have to actually measure.  BTW, I often come to pianos with FAC
>numbers written on the plate and it's not unusual for my measurements to
>vary, sometimes considerably.  Interestingly, I also often find that the
>measurement can be so far off from what I know will produce a desired curve
>(for example a "C" measurement of 9 or more when I know it will sound
better
>at around 7 or an A measurement on a Steinway that's around 9 or 10 when I
>know that my preferred setting there is 7.5 - 8.0 and will sound better
with
>fewer adjustments when set there) that I often fudge the curve anyway and
>check a few intervals to see if my "guess" is more correct.  Often it is.
>Similarly I don't much pay attention to F measurements over 10.5 and always
>check them aurally anyway but especially if they are high--overstretching
>the bass is one of the things to watch on the SAT.  The degree of
>variability in the actual measurement stage itself is another reason to be
>careful and listen to what you've created.  Also, I've sort of come to the
>conclusion that you can pretty much use a generic setting for a particular
>model (say, a Steinway L, B or D).  I run into more problems when I try to
>be very customized for the piano at the settings stage--too many anomalous
>readings and settings that don't really work that well.  Either way, you
>need to pay attention.   

>David Love
>www.davidlovepianos.com






>Sent: Sunday, December 27, 2009 2:27 PM
>To: pianotech at ptg.org
>Subject: Re: [pianotech] SAT IV extended

>Hi James,

>I have a SAT III and have had it for a long time.   I have never used the
>memory function.   I have checked out the hysterical tunings areas but that
>is it.   I usually enter the FAC onto the piano in pencil...grands at the
F,
>A, C plate area or on the upright hammers.   I just enter them into the FAC
>sequence on my SAT when I come back to the piano and away I go.   Don't you
>have to have some way of knowing where the memorized tuning is?  i.e.
>University Room 32, Steinway or whatever.   I don't see the usefulness of
>memorizing a FAC tuning?   Maybe you or anyone can explain to me the
>reasoning behind memorizing tunings.   I can understand if you or saving an
>aural tuning and want to recreate that tuning...

>Thanks in advance...

>David Ilvedson, RPT
>Pacifica, CA  94044