Hi Mitch, are there any opportunities to use-see the RTC at RI? Joe Goss ---------- > From: mitchkiel@olywa.net > To: PianoTech <pianotech@ptg.org>; CTuner Dean Reyburn <ctuner@reyburn.com> > Subject: RCT and SAT3 (long) > Date: Tuesday, June 02, 1998 6:44 PM > > 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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