Best Download Tunner ?

[Rob]

With luck my Earnie Ball light guage go back on my guitar tonight.Instaed of using my cheap $30.00 Yamaha needle 440 tunner I would like to try something more exact on line if there is such a thing. Have heard there are all kind of free downloads out there that claim to work.. Can someone give me the download to one that works well but doesn't add a bunch of junk to my pc causing trouble with it down the road or pop-ups trying to sell me more garbage I don't need? Just want to do the basic tunning and drop-D down the road if your program has this function and tell me how to get to the drop -D with this program so Ican take a look for the future. Big thanks in advance.-Rob

[Tim Mace]

I keep one on my desktop called Gieson Interactive that I got free online....works for me though I can't vouch for its accuracy
when you leave the house.

[Rob]

Thanks for that Tim as this one intrests me to try. Can you tell me what I need to make this work. It is my assumption I will need some kind of mic plugged into the back of my pc tower. Is there a certain type of mic I will need to buy to be accurate at my local Radio Shack or Future Shop?

[Tim Mace]

Probably all you need is macro/flash. You don't plug in ...you hear tone and match that w/your impeccable ear unless you play folk music.As for the drop D just match it to the 4th string except 1 octave lower.Good luck!!

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

Why do you think the Yamaha is inaccurate? Yamaha stuff is most of the time of good quality. If it annoys you because the needle is too much instable, try another pickup/tone selection on the guitar (I usually have better results with the neck pickup and tone control all the way down).

[Rob]

Yes the needle seems un-stable on this YT-150 model even with a new battery.Just here through the grape vine at work stobe tunners are more accurate but maybe thats simply a opinion. This is just a acoustic with no pick-up in it yet but plan on installing a LR Bagggs under the soundboard unit with built-in preamp barrel jack and sound hole. Best price around here is $140.00. If someone has such a similar unit even a Fisher under the soundboard brand they pulled (collecting dust) in favaor on a full on-board system they would like to sell let me know with thanks alnog with you asking price? -Rob

[Ned Knepp]

Rob,
Have you checked the 12th fret note against the 12th fret chime on each string? In my experience, if those are right, chances are everything else is too. If your tuner isn't exactly stable it should still read the same for both notes in each string. Of course, you can always do it by ear.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of electronic tuners because there always seems to be some sonic interference from ambient noise, (the shaky needle?) . Of all that I have tried I find that the Inteli tuners work the best for me because they rely on transduced vibration in the instrument rather than sonic vibration.

[Ned Knepp]

BTW, If you are interested in looking at these, look at the IMt500. It has a back lit screen and is only a few dollars more than the 501 which doesn't.

[Dave Fox]

I don't have any tuners on the computer, however, I do have an iTouch. I downloaded the Peterson Strobosoft for iphone from the Apple iStore. I use a headset from the 2nd Gen. iPhone (because it has the microphone built into the wire) and I LOVE how it works. I use it for instruments, taptuning, as well as using it every day for tuning up the kids in band. It works perfect, and is extremely fast and accurate. I can also recalibrate it many different ways.

Also, previous to getting that one, I had also loaded ClearTune, another tuner app that seems to work pretty well, too.

Dave Fox

[Michael Shaw]

I would try a clip on headstock tuner. i have found less problems with these then standard tuners for acoustic. I have one of these intelli tuners and it has a slow acting digital needle that moves slowly and not all jumpy when tuning.
http://www.audio-depot.com/images/Intelli-Tuner%20IMT500.jpg

[Rob]

Thanks -This little outfit looks impresive so will pick one up at my local guitar store or see if they can order one in! Don't really want to download program into the pc if Ican get a more stable tunner. On first check on 12th fret tunning it is a touch to the sharp.Think the string pressure shortened the nut to saddle distance a touch my guess due to a cheap trust rod in this original Martin copy Granada. Second Imay have sanded just a tab too much thinckness off the ivory saddle as Ican acually see a tiny tilt forward on the saddle withstring pressure on the saddle. I am wondering if a should remove the saddleafter marking the (out of slot line) and run a tiny bead of my super high quality of super glue to prevent any lean. Also wonder if I add sone brake angle into the pin holes if that may be a better way to make the saddle more perfect straight once again and get the scale length closer to Gary's formula .Which way would you go?
Also the saddle appears to be just a touch tall which would add to the distance being a touch shorter on 12th to saddle with the foreward tilt and of coarse cauing a bit of high action as you travel down the fret board.Not sure what the height on the two E strings should be on the first fret as it appears higher than my D-35 Guild.
Anyone know how tall the middle of this 16" radius saddle a 64D-18 Martin copy saddle should be between the G &D strings? Thanks in advance for tips from all you experts.-nanccinut.

[Rob Mercure]

Hey Rob,

I'd like to line up with the folks who suggest that a better tuner may be unnecessary - have you ever had your hearing checked and/or had a friend or fellow musician play with an audio oscillator to see how well you discern pitch? It may be a fun and worthwile endeavor as our hearing is extremely variable and suggestive and fatigues quickly. The "experts" on hearing are primarily psychologists who specialize due to the subjectivity and all of us at times are devilled by hearing out of tune beats on our guitars that generally go away when we just change "something!!" Thus "better" tuners are sold than necessary and for many years I just used an A pitch fork and only went to an electronic tuner so that I could tune on a noisy stage - I use an "Accu-something" that clips on the peghead so that I can have it quickly at at hand during a song if necessary - visually tuning.

Yeah, the "Strobo" type tuners are more accurate and the mechanical ones the best if you're willing to invest in keeping them calibrated. And that's one of the advantages cuz' if you're going to spend the resources to get a high dollar tuner then you should get something that can be calibrated 'cuz if not you're only depending on the random sampling of an assembly line for accuracy (most cheaper tuners, such as I use, can't be calibrated as all the functions are within a large integrated circuit - but any 'lab" quality instrument allows for calibration. To calibrate it yourself required calibration standards. I've also got a OSHA certified dB meter with different "weighted" scales as well as the calibration standard necessary although I've not used them in years.).

Be easy on yourself and just enjoy your instrument. Getting hung up in the accuracy of tuning really takes away from the muscianship and throws one into the realm of technician. And having been an on/off technicain for almost 40 years I really like just letting go and playing even if I've got a slightly off string, etc.,. as long as the overall effect of the instrumentis pleasing to myself and audience, if any.

The other Rob.

[Rob]

Thanks for the wise advice. Already went out and bought new high quality Duracell 9-Volt battery and does seem to give me a more stability. Also my-A tunning fork is reading a more steady 440 now so as you say will just start picking some Willie Nelson and call the problem fixed. Will be nice down the road later this month to get a pick-up in the old axe.With the 12th fret to middle saddle showing a touch sharp when I pull the strings to do the pick-up will try to re-shape the brake edge of the saddle to the max at the backside which should get very close to that 25-5/8" total scale beteen the G&D strings which right now is just above the back of the slot instead of the middle or 1-1/2 32nds too short of 12th to middle saddle which is part of the reason it is a bit sharp.Backing that up along with taking a touch off saddle height should get me there at last!
Gave my old E'Dagas away with pick-up intact to my friends son .Another guitar with high action. Thanks for all the expert advice gang! -Rob AKA- nanccinut (Canada's biggest Nanci Griffith fan)