Tunelab question?

[Brian Trout]

Hi List,

Those of you who have seen Tunelab will likely know what I'm talking about.
I'm not sure if RCT is similar.

When I measure the inharmonicity of the 5 or so notes I need to use the
Calcul8 program, and hit "Calculate", it produces what the mathematics
consider to be a good tuning.  (Sometimes it's better than others.)  I am in
the habit of going to the graphic tuning editor immediately after using the
calculate function just to get an idea of what it has done, and see if I
want to do a bit of tweaking.

What I noticed is that instead of a smooth sort of "S" shaped curve like one
might anticipate, it looks more like a modified "saw tooth wave".  I had
noticed in an advertisement for one of the new Peterson tuners a graphic
representation of a tuning and did notice a very smooth curve, not the "saw
tooth type" that the Tunelab tends to produce.

I have noticed on occasion that the beat intervals are not always as even as
I would try to make them if I was tuning strictly aurally, and I have
suspected that the way in which the tuning "curve" is calculated, using
these "modified saw tooth wave patterns",  might explain the variations in
beat rates.

Does anyone have any ideas of why the tuning curves are calculated that way?
I'm guessing there is a very good reason.  I just don't know exactly what it
is.

Jim C.?  Rob S.?  Dave P.?

Not meaning to be critical.  Inquiring minds just want to know.  <grin>

Have a nice weekend, all.

Brian Trout
Quarryville, PA
btrout@desupernet.net