Robert Conrad, Registered Piano Tuner/Technician, Tucson, AZ
Best-Practice Overview When refining FAC tunings, start by setting the A Multiplier Default to 0.8. This usually places A4 very close to the A440 standard. Next, lower the tenor partial change from the FAC default of B2/C3 to G#2/A2. Check the A2/A4 Double-Octave Width After the tenor partial change is lowered to G#2/A2, both A2…
A Multiplier Default In SAT IV, the default “A” Multiplier for FAC tuning is 1.0. You can change this value through the SAT IV MENU feature. Recommended Setting for A440 To place A4 closer to the A440 standard, set the A Multiplier Default to 0.8. Without this adjustment, FAC tunings often place A4 slightly sharp.…
Overview of Partial Changes in ETD Tunings 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…
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…
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).
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.
All computerized tunings have partial changes and those partial changes may contain an error. Correcting these errors can improve the sound of the tuning. This procedure will show how to correct the three FAC partial changes when using an AccuTuner SAT IV. But before correcting the partial changes, consider lowering the tenor partial change from…
This Partial Change Correction (PCC) feature is relatively new to the SAT IV’s programming. So if your SAT doesn’t seem to be responding to the STO + MSR command it’s program may need to be updated. Being able to correct partial changes is unique to the AccuTuner. An FAC tuning has fewer partial changes (3) than any other tuning system, and yet it is the only device capable of correcting them. (Contains button pressing video).