ETD question re: unisons

Murray Seminuk seminukm@cadvision.com
Thu, 15 Feb 2001 19:28:59 -0700


Hi Terry
I too tune my unisons as I go but in that area I only use 1 mute .Which
string do you tune first after Mr. Centre? I usually tune the left string
first and then the centre next.At this point if there was a drop in pitch I
would think that it was a result of increasing the tension of the same
complete string as it loops around the hitch pin .This is all relavent to
the amount of pitch raise of the note as to how mutch it might move.If it
moves I go back and bring it up.Then I bring the right string in,Moving to
the next note I am working with the same looped string as the right string
on the previously tune note and at times I find that bringing it up to pitch
can effect it the same way.Carrying on up the scale I always check a fifth
below the note that I am working on and I find that notes below can and do
move ever so slightly,so one is always touching up.I attribute this to the
increase downbearing on the bridge in this very sensitive area.Dealing with
shorter and shorter strings also make the margin of error is smaller.After
going all the way to note 88 I check double and triple octaves chromatically
down and again there are notes to touch up. I have read in some previous
post that the  lights on their  SAT spin up  and then  settle back down to a
stop.I have never noticed that with either my SAT11 or 111.I do notice a
difference in their tuning calculations and I really like the SAT 111 over
the SAT11.What are your thoughts?

Regards
Murray









----- Original Message -----
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2001 5:20 AM
Subject: Re: ETD question re: unisons


> Just to add to what folks observe. I routinely observe this phenomena. I
> tune with my SAT, use two mutes and tune my unisons as I go. I kinda like
> that because I can easily observe my center string pitch to make sure it
is
> stable. I tune Mr. center to the SAT, and then pull in my first unison.
> Often in that killer octave area I see the whole thing drop a tad on the
SAT
> (go flat) and I think, hmmmm, did my center string drop or did this funky
> thing occur? I move my mute so that only the center string sounds and
> Walla - right back to pitch! This happens often. It sure seems real to me.
> And it definitely varies from note to note. Some notes will have no
change,
> some a tiny little bit, and some a frustrating amount.
>
> Terry Farrell
> Piano Tuning & Service
> Tampa, Florida
> mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Murray Seminuk" <seminukm@cadvision.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2001 12:31 AM
> Subject: Re: ETD question re: unisons
>
>
> > Hi Roger
> > If  you can audibly here that the note is out of tune with the octave
> after
> > all these attempts at tuning the unisons,then the note did not stay in
> tune
> > period.If the full blush of the Rct acts the same as the rotating lights
> on
> > the Sat ,I think that one does not have to look any futher.The unison
can
> > only be tuned pure with the ear and good hammer technique.You also
> mentioned
> > that this is a newly strung piano. I don't think that this piano would
be
> > very stable yet to do a test like this and produce any kind of results
to
> > make any reliable assements.Keep on  testing.
> > Regards
> > Murray
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "jolly roger" <baldyam@sk.sympatico.ca>
> > To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2001 9:37 PM
> > Subject: Re: ETD question re: unisons
> >
> >
> > > Hi Muray,
> > >                The test was done on a newly strung and hammered piano,
> > > regulation set with very close letoff. etc.    Each string was sampled
> 10
> > > times on the spectrum analyser to ensure the partials on each string
> were
> > > close. Also verified by ear. Each string was tuned several times for
> full
> > > blush on RCT, .01cent.  The test was done with back and front duplex
> > scales
> > > muted.
> > > The piano was a really nice Steinway O.  But I have have had similar
> > > results from my SD10.
> > > Several notes were done in this manner each showed a drop of 0.2 - 0.3
> > cents.
> > > And yes you can just hear the shift when checking the octave. .3 cents
> is
> > > very audible within the unison
> > > To do this test all string temination points have to be in good
> condition.
> > > Ron is slowly winning me over, re a connection to either impedence, or
> the
> > > reverse, reactance.
> > > Some serious study of the principals of reciprocity is badly needed
> before
> > > we can begin to start to understand what is going on.
> > > Traditional piano thinking has been to look at the effect of loading
> with
> > > respect to the impedence of the board.  Mechanical reactance (I
think )
> > > will be looking at the boards effect on the strings.
> > > They are not nessesarily the same.
> > > The subject is so complex that it would make a great PhD project.
> > > Good to hear from you.
> > > roger
> > >
> > >
> > > At 08:26 PM 2/14/01 -0700, you wrote:
> > > >Hi Roger
> > > >I'm really on a roll tonight , this is my 3rd reply.Correct me if I'm
> > wrong
> > > >,but are you saying that you tune each string a number of times with
> the
> > > >RCT,then take a reading of the three together and have a pitch drop
of
> .3
> > > >cents.I have been using a Sat for a number of year sand I find that I
> > cannot
> > > >always use the lights to tune a unison.I do not have a RCT to do a
real
> > > >comparison but I find that when the lights stop there still is a
> "window
> > ''
> > > >to tune within.With my SAT a difference of .3 cents would be
noticable
> to
> > > >the ear.I would wonder if all that has happened is that one of the
> > strings
> > > >is not in unison.
> > > >Regards
> > > >Murray
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: "jolly roger" <baldyam@sk.sympatico.ca>
> > > >To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > > >Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2001 9:27 AM
> > > >Subject: Re: ETD question re: unisons
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >> Hi Howard,
> > > >>                  Yes it is easy to confirm.  The test that I have
> done
> > > >with
> > > >> a RCT show about a 0.3 cent drop in octave 5/6. The test was
> performed
> > by
> > > >> tuning each string individually several times, to over come the
> > > >> interaction. then the net 3 string unison was measured.
> > > >> The effect is known as string coupling.
> > > >> My own theory is that. as all strings start to increase the amount
of
> > > >> energy into the bridge, the board is moving through a greater
> > excussion,
> > > >> and hence dropping the frequency a tad.
> > > >> Now I've been out to lunch before, and I could be off base on this
> one.
> > > >> Regards Roger
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >> At 10:47 AM 2/14/01 -0500, you wrote:
> > > >> >Hi everyone,
> > > >> >
> > > >> >Since I know nothing about ETD's my question might be naive.
> > Nevertheless
> > > >> >here goes: I believe that Virgil's assertion that a 3 string
unison
> is
> > > >> >flatter than each of the single strings heard singly, is a bit
> > > >questionable
> > > >> >or should I say not fully accepted. Wouldn't it be easy and
> conclusive
> > to
> > > >> >check this thesis by using an ETD to measure this? Thanks!
> > > >> >
> > > >> >
> > > >> >Howard S. Rosen, RPT
> > > >> >7262 Angel Falls Ct.
> > > >> >Boynton Beach, Fl  33437
> > > >> >
> > > >> >hsrosen@gate.net
> > > >> >
> > > >>
> > > >>
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>



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