Jim Coleman and others have been discussing the SAT 3 and RCT here on PianoTech.
Mitch Kiel here jumping in with both digital feet.
Full disclosure: I'm not just a piano tuner and avid RCT user. I also
have a business relationship with Dean Reyburn of Reyburn CyberTuner
that in some ways might be similar to Jim's relationship with Dr. Sanderson
and the SAT. I am an authorized sales distributor for RCT
(in a happy coincidence, I bought my SAT 2 from Jim in 1994),
I teach RCT classes at conventions, and I like to write about how to use RCT.
Jim Coleman wrote:
>I have deliberately avoided getting into a public battle of RCT vs SAT.
I think it's perfectly OK to talk about RCT and the SAT.
"Enlightening discussion" is a better descriptor than "battle" for the way we
should conduct this conversation, as I'm sure my peace-loving friend Jim
Coleman would agree. Both ETDs have made important contributions to
the state of the art of piano tuning, both have a large and loyal following,
and both will be around for many years to come.The SAT and RCT are
competitors, it's true, but friendly competition is what makes
the world (and PTG?) go 'round, n'est pas?
>The RCT which I have is a 2300c...
It will help focus our discussion if we differentiate RCT, which is software,
from the computer that runs it. RCT runs on many different model laptops of
different speeds and cost.
>Although I have been more fortunate than others, I have not had to send
>mine back to Apple for service.
Jim's experience of no warranty problems is quite typical. Very few Mac
laptop computers ever need warranty service.
For instance, I owned the same model as Jim, a 2300c, for almost two
years and had zero problems. About four months ago I upgraded to a new
faster 2400 and, again, have not had a single problem.
Admittedly, complicated electronic devices (and complicated machines
like pianos!) do have occasional problems. That's why there are
warranties and technicians. For instance, I had a warranty problem with
my SAT II‹an internal short rendering the SAT unusable‹so I sent it back
to Inventronics in Boston, whose fine service department fixed it for free
and returned it in less than a week‹ almost as fast as Apple ;)
Jim, maybe you haven't heard about our new loaner policy. If any
computer purchased from us needs service within the one-year warranty
period, we send out a free loaner computer *before* the machine is sent
in for repair, and you can keep the loaner until *after* you've received and
fully tested your repaired machine.
>It only takes 1 minute to calculate a custom tuning with the SAT. With RCT
>it takes 1 minute 46 seconds to calculate a standard OTS tuning with
>default selections already made and the computer already on and warmed
>up.
In my opinion, the extra 46 seconds is well worth the additional
accuracy and quality of the tunings RCT creates.
In that small amount of time, RCT takes a very large set of samples. RCT
samples A4, A3, A2, A1 at four partials each, A5 at three partials and
(optionally) A6 at two partials. Furthermore, it samples each of these notes three
times then averages the three samples together for increased statistical accuracy
(and displays a number indicating the internal consistency of the three samples).
That's 21 partials measured three times each, which means RCT measures 63 partials
from low bass to mid treble. (BTW, RCT automatically measures and records all
samples, which helps minimize user-bias or error.)
RCT tunings sound so darn good because it also calculates tunings by directly
matching partials, just like aural tuners do. In other words, to tune A3 to A4,
RCT matches the sampled 4th partial of A3 to the sampled second partial of A4.
This is exactly what aural tuners do when we use the 3rd:10 test.
I actually spend *less* total time at a piano because RCT's tunings sound
so great that I almost never need to modify them and because RCT's cool
features like Target blushing, auto note switching, etc. help me move very fast.
>It takes me longer to tune with accuracy with the RCT than it does with
>the SAT.
My experience is very different. It takes me *less* time to tune *more* accurately
using RCT than with my SAT or tuning aurally. Target blushing,
new in the March 1998 release of RCT 2.5, has especially helped increase my
speed and accuracy more than ever.
>At the default speed of 2 in Hz mode, the full
>blush
>is indicative of .4 cent accuracy.
I believe that's true only at A4. I'm not an expert with number stuff,
but I believe beats double every ascending octave, whereas there's always 100 cents
between semi-tones. Therefore, if Jim's Spinner is set to 2 *beats* per rev/sec,
full blush Targetting will be at .1 *beat* per second, which is theoretically
.4 cents at A4, .8 cents at A3, 1.6 cents at A2, 3.2 cents at A1, 6.4 cents
at A0, and treble-ward .2 cents at A5, .1 cent at A6, .05 cents at A7.
(Partial 1 is not normally used when tuning the low bass, but I
hope I've made my point.)
I prefer setting the Spinner (and therefore Target blushing) to cents, as does
almost every other RCT user. Cents is much more precise in the bass and much
more controllable in the treble.
>The SAT has only one display mode and it relates to beats.
RCT has two display modes, beats or cents. Your choice.
Furthermore, with RCT you can adjust the sensitivity rate from the
super-sensitive 1 cent (or beat) per revolution per second all the way up to
just-get-it-in-the-ballpark 16 cents (or beats) per rev per second.
RCT also lets you set different rates (and Spinner colors!) for Fine tune
mode and each of its three Pitch Raise modes.
>The RCT has the ability to change an equal
>tempered
>tuning into an historical tuning. The SAT III also has that (up to 14
>different kinds).
RCT comes with 57 stored Historical Temperaments, taken from Owen
Jorgenson's book "Tuning." And with RCT you can create and store
an *unlimited* number of your own User Temperaments for which, like
all RCT tuning records, you can view a spreadsheet and graph of all
88 notes' cents readings and partials.
By the way, the graphs of tunings using non-equal temperaments are very
interesting. Some graphlines are very "toothy" which indicates they deviate from equal
temperament more than ones whose graphlines are only "bumpy."
Using the spreadsheet, you can ascertain the cents widths of many intervals,
and hence predict their beat rates.
>The RCT has temperament sequencing so that you can tune
>in the order of your favorite Temperament. The SAT has a collection of up
>to 4 different temperament orders which can be utilized.
The next version of RCT will store many additional temperament sequences which you
will be able to customize, name, and save. Educational benefits already in
RCT include an 88-note keyboard showing the note being tuned, its tuning partial
note and number, and in Aural Temperament mode a dot shown on the key of
every temperament note that's been tuned.
>Both machines
>have an infinite number of ways to stretch a tuning scale according to
>one's preference.
With RCT, you can add stretch to any note on the fly using the
Offset box or the Tune box. But it's much easier, and creates a more balanced
stretch for the entire tuning, to pre-select one of ten overall stretches with just
one click of your mouse. To further adjust the stretch in the low bass you can
select a low bass octave type (6:3, 8:4, 10:5, or 12:6).
In RCT's Custom Equalizer, you can also micro-adjust the stretch of every octave
at A0, A1, A2, A3, A5, A6, and A7 by as little as 0.02 beats *and*
preview a graph of interval widths (in either beats or cents! ;) of octaves,
double octaves, fifths, twelfths, etc.
> The SAT battery is
>a very definite advantage...
I disagree strongly. I think the huge advantage of the laptop's superior
speed, storage capacity, and full-display screen vastly outweighs the SAT's
longer battery life.
Anyway, for me the battery question completely vanished a year ago when I realized
I could plug my laptop into an AC outlet at almost every piano using a 99˘ 10' extension cord.
This way I *never* run out of power ;)
And my new 2400 has a new-technology Lithium-Ion battery, which has twice
the power per ounce as the old technology Nickel Metal Hydride battery.
>There are definite advantages to having a computer with you on the job.
>There
>are small organizers which are cheap and take care of most of those things
>for which you may need a computer on the job. The thing that still
>bothers me is that I have tied up over $4000 in my RCT and I still don't
>have everything I would like to have on it for other purposes.
As Jim correctly points out, the hardware RCT runs on can be used for
many useful tasks other than tuning pianos, such as keeping customer records,
email, shooting down alien spaceships. In this regard, RCT has a clear advantage.
But it confuses our comparison of the SAT3 and RCT if we veer off into
a discussion of using computers for those valuable "other purposes" Jim mentions.
If we want to talk about using computers as a business tool, I suggest we
start another thread.
The dollar amount Jim mentions is much more than anyone needs to spend.
For instance, RCT (software only) sells for $795. If you already have a laptop,
that's all you need to invest.
We offer several complete packages which include RCT and a laptop computer.
The least expensive is $1395 and includes RCT and a 66 mHz/ 8 megs RAM/160
megabyte HD laptop, and is designed for people who want only to tune pianos.
(List, please forgive the discussion of $$, but I thought it important
to respond to Jim's comments.)
>Jim Coleman, Sr. (with flame suit handy)
Mitch Kiel
(no flame suit needed I hope, just my fuzzy flannel pj's cuz it's way past midnight)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mitch Kiel, RPT
authorized Reyburn CyberTuner sales and support
1-888-I-LUV-RCT (1-888-458-8728)
11326 Patsy Drive SE
Olympia, Washington 98501 USA
email: mitchkiel@olywa.net
Visit the RCT Web site at www.reyburn.com
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