ETD's; selling RCT and Mac powerbook

[Alan McCoy]

List, 

I'm new on the list and don't know whether it is an appropriate place to
advertise this but here goes anyway. I am switching platforms not out of
disatisfaction with Macs, but just want to have a windows machine in the field
to go with my windows desktop. I would prefer to sell RCT and machine as a
bundle, but I'll certainly consider separating them.

"Switching platforms. Need to sell Apple PowerPC 2300c powerbook 100 MHz, 603e
processor, 1.1 gig hard drive, 14.4 Express modem, 44 megs RAM, active-matrix
color screen; Duo Dock (full dock); monochrome monitor; keyboard; mouse; 3x CD
drive; cover for keyboard, monitor and dock; surge protector; OS 8.1; misc Mac
software; Reyburn CyberTuner version 3.0.1f4. $1775 obo. (Or $675 for RCT and
$1100 for hardware) Contact Alan McCoy at (509)448-8861 Spokane, WA emailto:
amccoy@icehouse.net"

Thoughts on ETD's:

I tuned aurally for about 15 years, used SAT for about 3 years, and have now
used RCT for a little over a year.

1. Battery: SAT is the clear winner here. Laptops suck a lot of juice and
battery technology is just not quite there yet. For my laptop I always use an
extension cord. I know there are some RCTers who do use batteries successfully.
I just have made the decision to use AC so I don't have to worry about power
management.

2. Size: No clear winner. I was initially concerned about where I would put the
larger laptop. It has become a non-issue for me. I almost never put the laptop
on the piano. Pianos wiggle while being tuned and I don't like the idea of
wiggling my laptop and I don't want to change my hammer technique to accomodate
the machine. And what I discovered and love about RCT is that 1) the RCT
display,  that is what you actually look at while you are tuning the piano, is
so large and easy to read and 2) I don't have to manually noteswitch (except
for some large pitchraise situations) so I put the machine on a chair, music
stand, table, bench, floor or some other handy place. The machine is often 5
feet away from me while tuning. Easily read and no need to manually massage the
beast.  OK, for some tuners the SAT is a clear winner because it doesn't have a
lid to flap around and it is small enough to fit most anywhere. But for me the
RCT display is by far better - more information and easier to interpret.
(Incidentally, my clients who have always virtually ignored the SAT are
invariably intrigued by the RCT display. It is somehow more immediately
understandable to them - to me too!). 

3. Computer: No clear winner. RCT requires a computer. For some that is great
because of all the things you can do with the machine in the field. For others
it would be a headache. Your choice. But one advantage of a computer is that
the software it runs can be updated easily. To update SAT it must be sent back
for a new board. How many SAT III machines are there out there? In the year I
have had RCT it has gone from version 2.0 to 2.5 to 3.0. RCT updates are
downloaded from the Reyburn web page.

4. Pitchraising: I'll go out on a limb here and cast my vote for RCT.  Both
machines are indespensible aids in pitch correction. There is no way in hell
aural methods can achieve such accurate and quick pitch correction. Both
machines are truly unbelievable. However, I think RCT is quicker and more
accurate. Dean has put a lot of work (including technician feedback over the
years) in coming up with overpull percentages and weighted averaging which
combine to make accurate pitchraising automatic. Having said that I also have
no doubt that a person with good knowledge of how specific pianos respond to
pitch correction and who really knows how to use the pitchraise calculator of
the SAT can achieve very accurate pitch correction. I think however, that
accurate pitch correction is just more easily accomplished with the RCT.

5. Bass/tenor break and related scale-challenged pianos: I'm not sure there is
a clear winner here either. You just can't stop using your ears and the
computer between your ears. Some pianos just require unacceptable compromises -
either there is a glitch in the thirds and sixths, or the octaves, fifths, and
fourths are terrible, or all of the above. The SAT uses the 4th partial and 6:3
octaves into the bass, and RCT lets you choose the 3rd or 4th partial and the
5th or 6th partial. I have tried both. If there is an advantage here I believe
it is with RCT because you can choose your poison. With both machines you have
to devise some method of compromise. I can't stand bad octaves or bad fifths so
I tend to favor them, but in so doing my thirds don't progress smoothly (what
the hell - some pianos just have outrageous glitches!)  For this region of the
scale it is often simplest to just do it by ear rather than with either
machine.

6. Customization: Both machines allow infinite customization. But again I will
assert that customization in RCT is easier. Choose your octave style for your
taste for this particular piano in this particular location. Tweak it with the
Custom Equalizer. You want tight octaves on your Yamaha C3 in the mid range yet
want to open up the top end for this concert? Definitely doable with SAT, just
easier with RCT. Want to really stretch out the Steinway D for Gearge Winston?
Use the 12th partial in the bass with octave style 8. But get those unisons
dead! Again the SAT will do a great job as will RCT. I think RCT provides more
flexibility and ease in this regard.

---Alan McCoy
amccoy@icehouse.net
Spokane, WA