A new demo clip of Harmonic Tuner Drum Set is on Youtube now!
This clip shows how to tune your drums with the latest Harmonic Tuner Drum Set app. In this example, a tom is tuned to fundamental pitch of A=110 Hz, and the main batter head pitch is tuned in consonance with this, a fifth higher at E=165 Hz. The demo shows how to use the app to understand the interaction between resonance frequencies of a drum and to equalize the drum tuning at all tuning lugs.
Get the app on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.grainapps.harmonictuner.drumset
New: Improved Strobe Look pattern, improvements of reference pitch frequency dialog, wider level range for very sensitive microphones, removed blur effect from note histograms.
The secret of the classic Beatles and Motown bass sound lies in the short sustain time of the notes. Use Harmonic Tuner Sustain Analyzer for Android to measure sustain times of string instruments or to adjust sustain times using string mutes. String mutes shorten the sustain times of a note’s harmonics depending on their material, size, pressure and position, shaping and defining the timbre of an instrument.
Sustain Analyzer allows to measure and compare sustain / decay times for the individual harmonics of the notes. Note decay typically varies within the note range of an instrument (Example: dead spots on guitars / basses have a significantly shorter sustain time on their first harmonic = fundamental frequency than on the harmonics above).
With the note protocol features of Sustain Analyzer you can compare sustain behaviour of different strings on your guitar or of the notes on different instruments (Example: Sustain behaviour with guitar different bridges, Sustain behaviour with or without tremolo).
Demonstration of sustain adjustment (with an adjustable foam mute) and systain / decay measurements using Sustain Analyzer and a Fender Jazz Bass:
This Harmonic Tuner Intonation Expert app measurement shows, how inharmonicity varies from string to string and increases on upper frets of a Fender-scaled electric guitar (0.010-0.046 strings).
Inharmonicity on plucked or hammered strings is a consequence of string stiffness an leads to widened intervals between a note’s harmonics – compared to the perfect intervals formed by theoretically exact harmonic overtone series (as achieved by bowed strings or blown instruments). Harmonic Tuner’s metric of inharmonicity is Cent per harmonic (c/h) and expresses, by how many cent harmonics are tuned too high compared to the next lower harmonics. See Harmonic Tuner’s special bargraph view of harmonic’s individual tuning below – the example shows the note A (440 Hz) played on a stringed instrument resulting in a significant inharmonicity metric of 4.3 c/h.
To make intervals sound consonant on instruments with hammered/plucked strings like pianos, stretch tunings are applied. They widen intervals between fundamental frequencies to get a better match of harmonic’s frequencies. Harmonic Tuner Intonation Expert allows for widening tunings in the range of 0 to 5 cent per octave. Use the inharmonicity protocol as shown above to quickly measure, what’s the inharmonicity of your instrument’s strings and find a matching stretch value.
Short demonstration of Sustain Analyzer for Android: Sustain of a Strat-style (synchronized tremolo) electric guitar is measured with Sustain Analyzer’s modules & compared to a Telecaster.
1. Sustain Graphs module (Showing level decay curves of the first harmonics and Sustain values / T60 decay time in seconds & dB/s)
2. Sustain Bargraph module
3. Automatic recording of the measurements in a Protocol, store measurement as Protocol Overlay preset. Compare to previous measurement on a Telecaster guitar (Both measured on the D string)
What to see in the D-string measurement shown here: The low note’s fundamental frequency (1st harmonic) on the Strat-type guitar has a significant shorter sustain its harmonics and than on the Tele guitar (due to the strings on the Strat being attached to a tremolo spring system).
Both Strat and Tele style guitars have dead spot frets, where the fundamental frequency decays very fast (only the harmonics stay audible then), but the Strat/tremolo guitar has more of them on its D string – propably due to the tremolo acoustics as well.
The Telecaster measured here is a Fender Baja Tele (Ash body, 1-pc maple neck). The Strat type guitar is a low-priced asian model
Sustain Analyzer and Guitar Setup: new features in the first common update of the Harmonic Tuner apps as a family of 7. Visit Grain Apps on Google Play.
The new instrument bridge/nut adjustment features of Harmonic Tuner Guitar Setup app are now also a part of the most versatile tuning tool Harmonic Tuner Intonation Expert. Use it here with stretch tunings (suiting your guitar’s inharmonicity, easily measured with Intonation Expert) or use it to adjust intonation even of unusually fretted instruments of unequal temperaments.
Sustain Analyzer now has some new useful features:
Compare several stored sustain measurement protocols directly
Display the initial levels of the measured harmonics at note attack (as additional bar diagrams or intuitively as brightness of the sustain bargraphs)
Configurable unit of sustain (Seconds or dB/s)
New curve-style protocol look
Improved sustain / decay measurement for more accuracy
Example: Similar dead spots of first harmonic (fundamental) on two “Tele”-style electric guitars (new curve-type plot):
The same dead-spot measurement data in the conventional dot-style diagram.
Initial levels of harmonics displayed in the sustain bargraph module if activated in app settings – now displaying decay time T60 in seconds.
Easily set up guitar & bass intonation: Detect bridge and nut errors & adjustments with Harmonic Tuner Guitar Setup.
Harmonic Tuner Guitar Setup is a novel tuner app for easy and quick intonation assessment & setup of fretted instruments like guitar, bass, mandolin, ukulele etc. Only a well-intonated instrument sounds perfectly in tune along the whole fretboard.
The app shows how much bridge and nut of a guitar should be adjusted to get optimal intonation on your instrument based on only a few automated tuning measurements of your string’s notes. If string length is too short or too long at bridge or nut, the errors are shown as millimeter or inch values.
Use the app to perfectly set up your own instrument or to compare instruments in the shop, checking if the nontrivial task of nut adjustment was properly done by the luthier / manufacturer.
The protocol diagram shows the tuning difference of fretted notes to the open string. Use the Zoom Button and Intonation Table for a detailed view. Adjustment of bridge and nut is usually only needed if average tuning deviation exceeds a 1 cent tolerance significantly.
Harmonic Tuner Guitar Setup eases the precise intonation assessment and correction of guitar setups. Compared to the conventional intonation setup method, this app does not require the string being precisely tuned +/-1 Cent to reference, because only the tuning difference is relevant here. Harmonic Tuner has the advantage of evaluating multiple notes to calculate a more precise adjustment error. Furthermore the amount of error is displayed, so time-consuming trial-and-error adjustments can be skipped.
More tuning protocol features (storing, comparing protocols, …) are available in Harmonic Tuner Intonation Expert. The upcoming next version of Intonation Expert will have the new Guitar Setup features as well, supporting even stretch tuning adjustments and adjustments for special unequal temperament fret/nut layouts.
See how significant the degrading effect of worn strings on intonation and adjustability is: Worn vs. fresh strings, measured with Intonation Expert for Android.
Harmonic Tuner Schnellmessung: Naoki Kitaya (#Cembalo bei @maurice_steger @rheingaumusik @dlf) spielte auf Stimmton 417 Hz für seine Darbietung der frühbarocken Cento Partite sopra Passacagli von Girolamo Frescobaldi. Bestimmung des Stimmtons mit der Harmonic Tuner App für Android-Geräte während der Wiedergabe der folgenden Live-Aufnahme des Deutschlandfunks vom Rheingau Musik Festival 2017 in Hofheim: Stream ab ca. 10 min.
Zur Verwendung der App:
Die App zeigt die aktuelle Verstimmung der dargebotenen Musik an (im Halbtonbereich -50/+50 Cent um die gesetzte Tuner-Stimmreferenz), außerdem zeigt sie, welcher Stimmreferenzfrequenz diese Verstimmung demnach entspricht. Ist der Tuner auf den Standardwert 440 Hz eingestellt, ergibt das Cembalo-Stück eine 7 Cent zu hohe Stimmung, d.h. ein Stimmton bei etwa 442 Hz. Mit Hilfe der eingebauten Tonartschätzung (sie ergäbe bei Tuner-Referenz 440 Hz hier das vorzeichenreiche und deshalb barock-untypische Des-Dur) und Kenntnis der 415-Hz-Konvention für Alte Musik kann man allerdings schlussfolgern, dass die Aufführung Kitayas den Stimmton nicht im Halbtonbereich um 440 Hz hat, sondern höchstwahrscheinlich im Bereich von einem Halbton tiefer (um 415,3 Hz) dargeboten wurde. Nach dem entsprechenden Herabsetzen der Frequenzreferenz von Harmonic Tuner um einen Halbton ergibt die Stimmton-Messung den plausiblen Wert von 417 Hz und die gängigere Frühbarock-Tonart D-Dur.
Philippe #Herreweghe & Collegium Vocale Gent recorded Johann Sebastian Bach’s Easter Oratorio for @hm_inter at a baroque tuning reference of ca. 416 Hz in 1994. Measured with Harmonic Tuner app for Android mobiles by playing back the opening Sinfonia to the mobile phone. The key detection lets you conclude, if tuning reference is within the range of today’s standard 440Hz or a semitone below/above this range, as in the case of Herreweghe’s performance.
Harmonic Tuner app: #Oxford Academy / @paulgoodwin123 recorded Johann Sebastian Bach’s St Matthew Passion on baroque tuning pitch of ca. 417Hz on period instruments. Reference pitch meaurement was done playing back the the e-minor opening chorus “Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen” to the mobile phone & app. The key detection feature lets you conclude that reference pitch is not at standard 440 Hz but one semitone below, at baroque tuning pitch.
Demo clip of Harmonic Tuner app’s reference pitch and key detection features:
Analyze and compare tuning temperaments and create your own temperament presets using Intonation Expert’s new temperament editor feature (demonstration clip in German language) – Get a free trial version on Google Play:
Messung mit der Intonation Expert app: Die Orgel in @Bellelay2014 geschaffen v. @OrgelbauKuhn hat eine mitteltönige Stimmung (ca. 1/4 Komma) bei 458 Hz:
Schnellmessung von Stimmungsart und Referenzfrequenz mit der Harmonic Tuner Intonation Expert App für Android: http://harmonictuner.grainapps.com
Für die Messung wurde folgende Orgel-Aufzeichnung einer Aufführung des Organisten Etienne Baillot wiedergegeben, während die Harmonic Tuner-App auf einem Mobiltelefon die jeweils aktuellen Messwerte anzeigte:
Intonation Expert mobile app shows: The historic spanish #organ in @fresnes_94, France @orguedefresnes has a 1/4 comma meantone tuning at A 390Hz (restored by @OrganoDesmottes)
Tuning was measured while playing back this William Byrd performance of Jean-Luc Ho to Harmonic Tuner Intonation Expert mobile app:
Harmonic Tuner mobile app shows: Xavier d Maistre & @lesartsflo recorded their #Krumpholtz album for @harmoniamundi on a special tuning pitch of 430Hz.
The image shows the Spectrum Tuner app for Android analyzing the recording of Jean-Baptiste #Krumpholtz‘s Concerto for Harp and Orchestra in B-Flat Major, a work of the 18th century.
If your Android auto-update function is disabled, get the latest version of your Harmonic Tuner app via Google Play to have the newest improvements and extensions added during the last months: New sustain measurement, better tuning accuracy, reference tone generator, temperament editor, audio and stability improvements. Latest version 1.12 is from March 2018. Check your Harmonic Tuner version number via Menu/About and open Google Play via Menu/Upgrade or via this link: Harmonic Tuner on Google Play
#Chopin’s waltzes were played by @atharaud on a piano tuned to A 442Hz for his 2006 @hm_inter album. Measured with Harmonic Tuner Intonation Expert app for Android:
Demo clip: How to measure the reference pitch of a performance or recording using Harmonic Tuner for Android:
Play along with the classic @sparksofficial song: tune down to 432 Hz, as the song was recorded far below standard 440 Hz. Measure tuning pitches of performances / recordings with Harmonic Tuner app fo Android:
#Storace organ works recorded by @JoergHalubek @ #HMDK Stuttgart: Meantone 1/5 temperament at 443 Hz – Measured with Intonation Expert for Android while playing back the recording to the mobile phone.
Rock classic Undone – The Sweater Song was recorded by @Weezer @_mattsharp @RiversCuomo slightly off standard tuning: on 444 Hz. See Harmonic Tuner app for Android:
