RCT vs Tune Lab

[Cy Shuster]

MessageThere's a lot of personal preference in how a given display looks, just like in tuning lever design.

I got started with TuneLab because Bob generously put TL97 out there as a shareware version (ten years ago!), and then moved to Pro using the free trial (trying to fit my laptop under grand lids).  Having been a software developer, I'm impressed with how TL is both simple and deep.  The display is fairly simple at first, but if you get into all the offsets and temperaments, it just gets gradually more complex as your learning improves.  I'm still finding new stuff, like the tuning exam mode.

The latest version measures iH and pitch much faster than previous versions, and automatically tweaks the tuning curve for you, so the learning curve is less than before.  I still use it to measure pitch of all the A's before tuning, to see how the piano's doing, and for pitch raises, where it's a huge timesaver.  With auto-measure and auto-partial selection, you can go A0 to C8 in under half an hour and wind up within a few cents of your target, for most raises under 20 cents or so.  With the spectrum display (like an oscilloscope), you don't need any mutes on a pitch raise, as each peak is visible as you bring a string up.

RCT leads the newbie to getting correct iH measurements a little better, but TL now gets fewer off-the-scale readings.  Personally I don't like how RCT's components are scattered across Chameleon, Spectrum Analyzer, etc.; it's harder to us.  I've just used Verituner twice, once on the box and once on an iPaq.  It's very easy to get started with, and seemed to do a good job.  A low learning curve isn't that big of a benefit for a tool you us every day.  The interface on the SAT is clumsy, for me, like first-generation microwaves, but it's purpose-built and rugged.  The fact that TL is cheaper by far than any of them sealed the deal for me.  It's never crashed, on a PC or iPaq; it reads all my files created with previous versions; improvements are nicely integrated without drastic redesigns; and upgrades are reasonably priced.

Works for me.

--Cy--
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