Have you got an iPhone? Did you ever have a look at the vast array of applications, the so-called apps downloadable from the iTunes store?
There are thousands of applications coping with all imaginable tasks, starting from a simple to-do-list to scientific calculators, from project planning to entire dictionaries.
Of course there are various musical apps as well. Many of them freeware, others for a few bucks at the iTunes store.
A couple of weeks ago I installed an app, Stay in Tune, version 1.3 written by Sonzea, LLC. It’s a chromatic tuner, driven by the iPhone’s built in microphone.
When I started using this app I was a little sceptic. Would a cellphone meet my demands as a professional musician? Would the software be precise enough and easy to handle?
Installation went flawlessly via synchronization with iTunes. When we start the app we see a large and very clear display:
The tuning is done very easily. The bar doesn’t jump around and the tuning is supported by additional red and green marks showing if you have tuned precisely.
There are some default configurations showing correct tones for different instruments. That’s particularly interesting for people having less experience with their instrument and helps to identify the right tone.
For the violinists among us a 5-string banjo isn’t exactly what we are looking for but the violin/mandolin works fine. With increasing experience we’ll probably chose “chromatic” sooner or later.
The actual tuning is done very easily. Push the icon, wait for two seconds and start tuning until the bar is in the middle and you get a green light. That’s it. No adjustments, no fumbling, no fiddling. It’s simple as that.
Of course, if you are unsure how the correct “A” would sound like you have the option to let the software play it for you.
An essential point for us is the option to calibrate the tuner. Orchestra musicians nowadays will almost always tune their instruments with a 443Hz A, not the older 440Hz.
The software is able to calibrate the A from 400Hz to 480Hz, a huge range that will be sufficient for nearly any situation. Without such a calibration a tuner would be almost useless for anyone playing in an orchestra.
The display is very large and clearly visible. If you are not happy with the default depiction just turn your iPhone 90 degrees and it will show the display in the landscape mode:
Now comes the most interesting part:
How precise is such a cellphone/software solution?
As I wrote at the beginning I was sceptic. But when I tried it out I was amazed how precise this tuner works. I compared it with my Korg tuner and some sinus waves as well and I must say precision is very good.
There is just one issue I have come across. Calibration seems to be exactly 1Hz off, at least on my iPhone. To tune your instrument to 443Hz you’ll have to calibrate the software at 444Hz.
The first picture was made with a 443Hz sine wave. The tuner was calibrated to 444Hz. As you can see we are exactly on the spot.
I checked it with different sine waves, it seems to happen with any frequency. Always calibrate 1Hz higher and you’ll be fine.
The developer wanted to check this issue. Perhaps there will be an update to fix this.
Let’s come to the price. You’ll have to spend $3.99 at the iTunes store to get this app. I think that’s a very fair price looking at the overall precision, the ease of use, the clear display and the option to calibrate this thing.
Despite the issue with calibration being exactly 1Hz off I highly recommend this app. If you own an iPhone anyway you might as well save your money and use this app instead of an external device.
Stay in Tune 1.3
Sonzea, LLC
Price: $3.99
