tuning forks and beat rates

[John M. Formsma]

Jason,

"From Chicago to New York" is supposed to be a 7bps rate.  There is another
one for the 8.7 bps from Dean Howell's book on tuning, but it escapes me at
the moment.  You can buy some cheap tuning forks which will produce the 7
bps when struck together.  For instance, an A435 and A442 will make 7bps.

What I did was to buy the Sanderson Beat Rater, which produces the
theoretically perfect beat rates for the three main thirds in the
temperament octave.  One can carry the little device in his car with him,
and memorize the right beat rate while driving.  :-)  Of course, the beat
rates don't always work out on every piano, so you have to adjust them
somewhat.  Having the 7 bps rate in your mind helps because you can get the
others right if you have that one set properly.

John Formsma

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
Of Jason Kanter
Sent: Thursday, October 28, 1999 11:27 PM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: tuning forks and beat rates

and speaking of beat rates - I only remember one mnemonic for getting beat
rates, which was to repeat "from mississippi to new york" while watching a
second hand tick. This produces 8 syllables per second. There were other
mnemonics too, one for 7/sec and probably one for 9 or 10, but I don't
remember them. Can anyone chime in? This is just for sentimental value and
conversation piece, you know.

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   JASON KANTER * PIANO TUNING
425 562 4129  *  fax 425 562 4132
     jkanter@rollingball.com
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