SAT Stock Tunings

[Farrell]

As a follow up to the recent thread on using the stock SAT tunings VS always
using FAC values from the piano. I agree. Use FAC values from the piano.
BUT, if for some reason that is not possible/practical/etc..........

I tuned two pianos yesterday, a recent vintage Kawai KG-2 grand (decent
piano) and a 1902 Kimball upright (REALLY bad news). On both pianos I could
not get an "F" value. I even tried nearby strings. I first zeroed in on the
F5 partial and then went tabbed the machine one octave up to measure the
inharmonicity, and on both pianos, I could not get a light pattern. The SAT
would not pick up the partial.

SOooooooooo, what did I do? Rely on my non-existent aural skills? No way.
For the Kawai, I used the generic KG-2 tuning. The F value looked
reasonable, and the A and C values were EXACTLY what I measured on that
piano. Sampled some octaves & double & triple octaves and they were right
on. No need for DOB adjustment. Kimball - same thing. I used the Baldwin 52"
generic tuning - didn't even check the A and C values on the piano (it was
soooooo baaaaad). Check a few octaves, BINGO!, perfect. No DOB adjustment.
If the octaves were a bit off, I would simply have used the DOB feature to
adjust my octave widths.

Yesterday was a good day to use Sanderson's generic tunings. And yes,
otherwise I always use measured FAC values from the individual piano (plus I
always measure all three of the A strings and average if they are close -
sometimes I even measure other strings).

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com