Hi,
I recently bought the Verituner app, and just thought I would check my understanding of the procedure with other users. English is not my first language so I'm just curious if I get it right:
First. Fill in the <I>'s on A4 and A3 without tuning anything yet.
In coarsemode: Tune only the middle string until it's 0 or slightly above 0, starting from the 1st tenor up to C8, and then from tenor and down.
In fine-mode, tune in the same order until the arrow almost stops.
Either tune each unison to the Verituner or by ear to perfect.
This is how I have done it, and it seems to be slightly off when I do checks or play each note chromatically.
Are you suppose to tune the strings during the filling of the I's or after?
Does it matter if some of the notes goes unmeasured? Sometimes the I's just wont fill up.
Can you skip right to fine-mode if it's close enough to 0 when checking the A4 and A3?
Thank you very much for your time!
Hello LeneM!
Welcome to the forum.
I am also a Verituner user. However, i started with the original "black box" version and currently use the version for netbook. It appears that you are using the version for cell phone or tablet. There may be differences between how my version functions and how yours does.
I suppose one of the key differences between Coarse and Fine modes is that in Coarse Mode, the targets are not locked. As you keep tuning, and the app acquires more information about more notes, it will keep computing more ideal targets for notes you have already tuned, except for A4, of course.
In Fine Mode, the notes will lock as you tune them. The VT will keep measuring, but it won't automatically keep refining the target once the little padlock icon closes.
It's important to know that the temperament octave is between A4 and A3. If you are working with an unequal temperament, this is very important to take into consideration.
It's also useful to understand a little about the history of the VT. When the VT100 was released,it was advertised as a "One-Touch" solution. You just turn it on and go to work.
The way it was explained to me, A4 was the most important sample when starting a tuning in Fine Mode (and Coarse Mode, too). You want to get the very best sample you can of A4.
G#4 was the second most important note to sample when starting in Fine mode.
As for getting 100% of the I's filled on all notes, you probably reach a point of diminishing returns. You do want good samples in the temperament octave, on both sides of the breaks, on the wound string to unwound string transition, and unicord to bicord unisons. But, don't stress over the odd note here and there that doesn't completely fill the I.
If you cannot get good samples, try sampling different strings of the same unison. Also, moving the VT around to different locations may also help to acquire better samples. If that doesn't work you might want to add an external microphone. You will need to experiment.
I found that when starting a tuning in Fine Mode for a piano for the first time that was already at A440, tuning from A4 down to A0, then tuning from A#4 to C8, all without any Recalc'ing along the way, 'usually' gave me very good results.
Edit: Also keep in mind that when you ReCalc, you may move the targets for the notes you already tuned. Then, you may need to redo all the work you already did.
Oddly enough, sometimes recalc'ing makes things worse, IMO. Usually, recalc'ing makes things better.
There are pianos I tune with the VT where I begin with a completely new file each time because they sound better without reusing the old tuning file. There are also those that recalc'ing does improve. You will need to experiment and come to your own conclusions.
Today, the instructions say to tune A4, then A3, then tune upwards to C8 chromatically. Then, work your way down through the bass. I'm not sure why. It's possible that the software no longer works the same way that is used to. Maybe the design of the VT has changed. Or, maybe this is the procedure that tuners are reporting works best for them.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the VT does a great job on most pianos. However, there are those pianos that simply sound better when tuned by ear, IMO. There can be significant variations between pianos.
If you go to
http://www.veritune.com/support.html , you should be able to download the instruction manual for your particular version.
http://sforum.veritune.com/forum/ will take you to the Verituner user forum. This is also a great place to ask questions about the VT (Verituner).
http://www.veritune.com/support.html has the contact information for "official" VT support.
Best of Luck and Welcome Aboard !
-Joe