Robert Conrad, Registered Piano Tuner/Technician, Tucson, AZ
Understanding SAT IV Light Behavior The SAT IV is highly sensitive and detects everything, including false beats and other types of “noise” that are produced by vibrating strings. This sensitivity can sometimes result in the SAT IV’s rotating lights appearing fuzzy, unstable, or difficult to use when tuning certain notes. The presence of false beats…
Overview of Partial Changes in ETD Tuning Partial changes are an inherent aspect of using any Electronic Tuning Device (ETD) for tuning a piano. These changes occur because different partials are utilized for tuning various sections of the piano: the bass, midrange, and treble. Selection of Partials in ETD Systems Each ETD tuning system employs…
What Is a Partial in Piano Tuning? A partial, in the context of piano tuning, refers to one of the individual frequency components that make up the sound produced by a single piano string. When a key is pressed, the string vibrates in several ways at once, not just at its fundamental frequency. These multiple…
The Double Octave Beat (DOB) feature has undergone significant changes since its initial introduction. Originally, the DOB range was limited to +/- 2.0, which placed constraints on treble tuning flexibility for technicians. Early Limitations of DOB When DOB was first implemented, its range was set at +/- 2.0. With this configuration, the maximum DOB setting…
Refining FAC Tunings: Procedures and Best Practices This document provides a detailed guide for refining FAC tunings using the AccuTuner IV, emphasizing recommended settings and step-by-step procedures to achieve accurate results. It introduces the “A Multiplier Default” parameter, advises setting it to 0.8 for optimal double octave contraction, and explains how midrange stretch adjustments can…
Mapping (and tuning) notes during the mapping process is the equivalent of setting the temperament in aural-only tuning.
Lowering the tenor partial change to G#2/A2 results in a full 2-octave (A2-A4) range with all notes within that range using their 4th partials for the tuning. Not having any partial changes within the A2-A4 range, makes the tuning more accurate by eliminating even the possibility of a partial change error between A2-A4. In the treble, using the 1st partial instead of the 2nd @ A5 makes determining and tweaking the treble stretch easier.
This post explains the process of correcting partial changes in ‘computer generated’ piano tunings, specifically using the Partial Change Correction (PCC) feature on the Sanderson Accu-Tuner IV. It details the typical partial changes found in FAC tunings and provides step-by-step instructions for using the PCC feature to improve tuning accuracy and adjust the overall pitch…
Start by setting the SAT’s ‘Up or Down Memory Storage’ to DOWN. The STO/MEM + Note UP or DOWN command sets the direction the SAT will automatically go, after a note is stored. Press BluShift and then STO/MEM to store the settings for B2, A#2, and A2. (Contains button pressing video).
When using the A2-A4 range for tuning a 2-Octave Temperament, all the notes within that 2 octave range need to use their 4th partials. This eliminates any possibility of a partial change error in that A2-A4 range. (Contains button pressing video).
The need for this tweak has been around for some years now, but it should be used whenever using an FAC tuning. (Contains button pressing video).
We need to know exactly where the 4th P of A4 is so we can be sure the FAC tuning is tuning A4 to @ A440.
This post is on how to create a header sheet for the xMem sections of the SAT IV. There are probably more ways to do this than the one contained in the video, but this one works nicely and is fairly quick. This method uses Excel and Word. I hope this video can be used by those with only limited experience with Excel. Those with a basic knowledge of Excel, will have no problem with this method. (Contains video)
Library Files or .LIB files are the type of files used by the Sanderson AccuTuner IV’s ‘Extended’ Memory. This upper memory or ‘Extended’ memory greatly expands the capacity – the number of tunings – that can be stored in the SAT IV. This video will show how to use and work with Library files and Piano Manager for storing and retrieving tunings in the Extended memory of the SAT IV. (Post contains Video)
Piano Mapping and Tuning Workflow Overview Introduction This section provides a detailed walkthrough of the process for mapping and tuning a piano using the Littau-Conrad (LC) Spreadsheet in conjunction with the SAT system. The workflow focuses on establishing reference points, entering target tunings, making necessary adjustments, and exporting the finalized tuning for use with the…
Piano Tuning Workflow Using the Littau-Conrad Spreadsheet and AccuTuner Introduction This section provides a comprehensive overview of the process involved in creating and refining a piano tuning utilizing the Littau-Conrad (LC) Spreadsheet. The workflow encompasses entering tuning targets, performing detailed adjustments across multiple spreadsheet tabs, addressing rounding errors, shaping the tuning curve, and finally saving…
Even the smoothest set of software-created numbers for the prime octave’s tuning ‘curve’, will often not be a good fit for the piano.
Because we can’t use the same partials to tune A0 and C8, there must be at least one partial change in every tuning software system. All tuning software systems contain partial ‘changes’. Whenever the software switches from one partial to another during the course of the tuning, an error at that partial change is very likely. Since every partial change is a potential tuning issue, the fewer partial changes the better. The higher partials are less reliable then the lower partials.
Inaccurate partial changes combined with scaling issues, can create problems in tunings.
A low 4th A4 Number just means that when the prime octave is tuned as a pure 4:2, the resultant 2:1 is also pure or very close to pure.
This procedure is for pianos whose 4th A4 Number is generally less than 2.0 c. When the 4th A4 number is less than 2.0 c., the prime octave’s 2:1 can be either expanded or contracted – based on what the prime 5ths dictate – and still remain less than 3.0 c. wide. Most of the time on these pianos, the prime 4:2 octave will be either wide or pure.
My approach to midrange tuning is minimal beating. I don’t want to stretch any more than necessary to get a pair of good sounding prime 5ths contained within the prime octave.
Though not absolute by any means, there is a useful ‘relationship’ between the prime octave width and the widths of the prime 5ths.
This system uses the relationships of the prime octave (A3/A4) to the prime 5ths (A3/E4 & D4/A4) to determine the ideal widths for both the prime octave and the prime 5ths. This relationship will be found using the A4 Numbers the 4th A4 Number, and ‘Templates’.
The “A4 numbers” are the locations of the 2nd, 4th, and 8th partials of A4 when A4 is tuned to A440 (1st Partial).