I went back tonight to measure, re-treat, and re-tune the piano.
This is how the A's drifted in cents from the last time:
A0 0.0
A1 -0.3
A2 +0.1
A3 -7.5
A4 -5.3
A5 -2.1
A6 -1.1
A7 -1.6
When measuring tonight, I measured the unisons, not individual strings. Close enough to let me know what's going on.
After measuring, I re-treated the board.
I re-leveled the pitch with one quick pass.
I then re-tuned the piano. Last time, I decided to go exactly with the VT. But, the octaves weren't as good as I'd like with the default VT stretches. So, I tried the other stretches suggested on the VT forum.
None of those seemed to get me close enough, either. So I decided on the "Simple Kaplan" Style and set the notes between A3 to A4, (the VT's temperament octave) strip muting the bass and tenor. I decided to try the "1/7 CM with 1 Pure 5th" temperament. Then, I tuned the rest of the piano by ear.
After using the Vt to set the temperament between A3 to A4, I expanded the temperament downward to A2. Not sure of how to expand a UT by ear only, I used the ascending 4th/descending 5th test compromising with the M3/M!0 test compromising with the octave/double octave test.
Then, I expanded downward to A1 using the same tests, as well as the single-octave/double-octave/triple-octave test.
Then upward to A5 using the same tests, as well as the single-octave/double-octave/triple-octave/quadruple-octave test.
Then , to A0. Then, to A6, to C8... finally verifying with the 2^x octave tests all over the keyboard as a last step.
Then I decided to measure and record the differences between where I put the As by ear, vs where the VT using the Simple Kaplan Style wanted them.
A0 +7.5
A1 -0.6
A2 -1.7
A3 +0.1
A4 0.0
A5 0.0
A6 +3.1
A7 +1.0
Yes, I noticed A3, too. The SK Style is the one that got the A3-A4 octave cleanest. So, I made due. Life is imperfect; life is short.
Edit: I think I'm going to create several more octave styles myself with the only consideration being choices for the A3-A4 octave. That way, I can set a UT by machine, then tune the rest of the piano by ear if necessary.
-Joe
