My Review of the Tuner Pitched App

Hello Harp Techs, I decided to download and bench test the “Tuner-Pitched” chromatic tuner for iOS platform (version 3.2.0). For the Google Android platform, you would download the Pitched Tuner. Developed by Jo and Andy at Stonekick. The free version has ads, and the $1.99 version is ad-free (worth it for me)

Initially, go to the settings:

1. Microphone Sensitivity. Use the default setting of Normal to start. If you believe your device has a weak microphone, you can select High. 

2. Select Tuning Pitch. The default is 440Hz. For harmonica tuning, you need to change 440Hz to 442Hz

3. Accidentals. Many harmonica players prefer viewing (b) flats, instead of (#) sharps. This app has a default of displaying (#) sharp, for example, A# = Bb, C# = Db, F# = Gb, etc.

4. Note Names. Select the most comfortable for you. This app is automatically set for A, B, C, D, E, etc

5. Instrument Transposition. No changes here

6. Theme. I chose the default Light Theme

7. Advertising Content. If you use the free version, this part might be important to you

If the needle moves to the right of zero (increments of 5 cents) your reed is Sharp. If the need moves left of zero, your reed will be Flat. For this screen shop, my 1st octave D#(Eb) reed is sharp by 20cents. For those of you who tune by exact Hertz (Hz) readings, then this app is for you. 39.5Hz is precisely a 1st octave D#(Eb) pitch! Of course there are tuning recipes that will satisfy tunings that sound terrific in Blues, Jazz, Rock and Folk. You will find a few here at https://www.bluesharmonica.com/harp_tech_studies_3

You’ll notice in the upper right hand corner, the A4 (4=middle octave) has changed from the original 440Hz to 442Hz. 

On the main screen, the default setting will display Chromatic. Keep it here for harmonica tuning.

If you are tuning other instruments, tap on the word, Chromatic and a selection of other instruments will appear on a pull down menu. At the top of the screen is an option to enable “Instrument Tuning Mode On”--keep it enabled. Tap on the word, Chromatic again and it will return to the normal Tuner view.

You will also notice, in the upper right corner, a note symbol. Tapping this will open up another wonderful feature of this tuning app, called “Sound Note”. Tapping on this will switch the Tuner view to a pie shaped circle (not Circle of 5th) with 12 slices representing each note of the chromatic scale. Tapping on the upper right symbol will drop down a menu of choices on how you want the tone engine to sound a note for you. Tip: this is invaluable for "tuning by ear", because if the reed you are tuning does not match the frequency of the tone engine, there will be an obvious “quiver”. This means you will have to continue tuning (b/#) until you cancel the audible quivering sound. I also found this feature to challenge me on my bending exercises. THE TUNER DON'T LIE!

You can choose between four tones; Sine Wave, Piano, Guitar, Clarinet. Below the circle of notes, is a horizontal display of: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Selecting anything other than the default 4, will either lower the octave of the same pitch, or raise the octave of the same pitch. Super cool stuff.

For those of you who were having issues with other tuners (and you want to prove it wasn’t the person in the mirror ;o) The Tuner-Pitched and it's Android counterpart, the Pitched-Tuner will be an invaluable addition to your tool bench and gig bag.

Your Harpsmith, Kinya