User Guide Sections: SECTION 1
Contents
1. window Just Temperament MacNeill Lenihan Gold Medalist World Champion Pipe Band Equal Temperament Concert Bb New Delete The system will prompt you for a temperament name After you have entered a name the system will create a Pitch Pipe Temperament File PTF in the Temperament_Files directory on your computer Properties Temperament Name My New Temperament Temperament Author Your Name Filename My New Temperament ptf Pitch Reference Pitch 475 Fa EF Enforce Pitch Override C Yes f No You may adjust the temperament and author s name of any temperament file by adjusting the value in the text boxes and clicking on Apply The Pitch settings for each temperament allow the user to set the reference pitch that is displayed as well as if the system should prompt the user to the reference Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 18 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 pitch or not Note The reference pitch that is stored with the temperament file will not override the pitch a user has set on his her system Only if the Enforce Pitch Override is set will the user be prompted to accept the new reference pitch For example a soloist will not care what the stored pitch is for a temperament file as he she will set the system reference pitch prior to tuning But a Pipe Major that is using the tuner will want to ensure that the members of the band do use his2. If you have additional questions or comments on how this user s guide to be made better please let us know Visit us on the web http www pitchpipetuner com Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 20 of 20
3. Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 9 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 FOS hiy Pitch of Note Low amp Set Releience i Piteh Low Ali The system will display the status of each detected pitch as either flat sharp or in tune as well as display the pitch in Hz on the gauge display and in the area labeled Pitch of Note This system will also detect which note is closest to the detected pitch and display it in the area labeled Detected Note Please see the ADJUSTING THE PITCH OF YOUR PIPES section below if you need help adjusting the pitch of your chanter or drones Display File Metronome Temperaments Options Help v Tuner On ctritO bs r Tuner Off Ctrl F A A H Display g v Waveform Display Level Histogram Set Ref Pitch Sipe ee Pitch Histogram Audio Setup dB Gain Wiza 4 110 The Pitch Pipe Tuner has three options for the display window located at the bottom of the main interface The user may select Waveform Level Histogram or Pitch Histogram by selecting each option under Tuner gt Display on the menubar Note Most Windows 2000 ME 98SE users will not be able to select the Waveform view Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 10 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 Pitch Histogram 5 Level Audio Setup E dB Gain E Wizard The Pitch Histogram view graph
4. reference pitch and thus he would want to send out a PTF that has the Enforce Pitch Override enabled The Alpha and Beta that comprise the coefficient can be adjusted for a temperament by entering in a new number or click on the up down arrows to adjust each value by 01 Ratios Note Hi A HiG F E D E B Lo LoG Doe ap as ap ar a5 Sp ppe 2 Alpha f a5 a a o a g ag a A 1200 1017 59 884 358 701 955 519 551 386 313 203 910 0 203 910 Tonic O 950 855 791 666 712 5 641 25 593 75 534 375 475 422 222 Close Apply Clicking Apply commits the changes to the temperament file Clicking Close closes the Temperament Configuration window To Distribute Pitch Pipe Temperament Files PTF You may send others temperament files you have created by sending them the file and instructing them to copy it into the directory labeled Temperament_Files under the directory folder where the application was installed fi Temperament_Files Using Temperament files others have sent you To use a temperament file that someone has sent you via email diskette web download etc simply copy the file into the directory labeled Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 19 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 Temperament_Files under the directory folder where the application was installed Thank you for your interest in the Pitch Pipe Bagpipe Tuner
5. the Set Reference Pitch button on the left of the screen 475 Hz USHUN A y H LoA Set Reference meference 474 8 Hz Pitch Low Al S The system will allow either manual entry great for ensemble players or automatic detection w Set Low A Tone C Manual Enty 474 8 an Hz Pitch Capture System will capture Low amp in 8 Seconds Please blow very steady Manual Trigger If the Detect Low A option is selected the system will start a timer and count down for 10 seconds During this time you need to start your pipes position your chanter in front of the microphone and blow a low A If you are working with a friend he she can trigger the system by clicking on the Manual Trigger button which will capture the pitch when pressed The number of seconds the system waits before detecting the Low A can be configured under the Options menu toolbar of the main display Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 7 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 Number of Seconds the system wil wait until detecting Low 4 Decimal precision for pitch analysis Display Waveform C Chart Graph Note Waveform only available for Windows XP Tuning After a reference pitch for Low A has been set you are ready to use the tuner to assist the tuning of your chanter and drones To tune your chanter select the Chanter tab on the right of the scre
6. Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 16 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 SECTION 5 CREATING AND SHARING TEMPERAMENT FILES To create or adjust the temperament setting for your tuner select the Temperament menu item on the main interface display Temperament Configuration Properties Temperament Name Harmonic Temperament Temperament Author Pitch Pipe Products Equal Temperament Concert Bb Filename _Harmonic_ Temperament ptf Pitch Reference Pitch Enforce Pitch Override Delete Lo LoG HA CHG TE T RAI DES eS B 1200 958 825 684 358 701 955 498 044 386 313 203 910 o 231 174 950 831 25 791 666 7125 633 333 593 75 534 375 475 415 625 The difference between two notes can be described in relative term by a coefficent or in absolute term using cents 1200 ial i ay log 2 cents Example Low A 475 Hz Harmonic Temperament System for tuning D Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 17 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 1200 log cents gt 498 04 log 2 Pitch 475 633 34Hz a MacNeill Lenihan Temperament System for tuning D 1200 log pi cents 519 55 log 2 A Pitch 475 a 641 25Hz 20 To create a new temperament file Select the New button on the left of the Temperament Configuration
7. Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Pitch Pipe PC Based Electronic Bagpipe Tuner Pitch Pipe Tuner User s Guide Version 1 0 User Guide Sections Section 1 Overview page 1 Section2 Getting Started page 2 Section3 Tuning your Pipes page 7 Section4 Temperament Overview page 14 Section5 Creating and Sharing Temperament Files page 17 SECTION 1 OVERVIEW The Pitch Pipe Bagpipe Tuner offers real time pitch detection tuning software for the Great Highland Bagpipe Using musical sound input from a conventional microphone the Pitch Pipe Tuner shows the tuning status of the instrument and displays the performed note graphically on the user s interface The scale of the modern Great Highland Bagpipe differs from the scales used by most Western instruments The Pitch Pipe Tuner s simple interface allows anyone to easily and exactly tune the bagpipes to any desired temperament without guesswork Pipe Bands and other ensemble groups will find that using the Pitch Pipe tuner will GREATLY increase the precision of their tuning as the software acts as an unwavering and absolute reference that members can tune to before and during rehearsals Even an experienced professional soloist s ear can become accustomed to hearing and playing notes whose frequencies are slightly off from the desired temperament Using the Pitch Pipe Tuner program can help beginners and professionals easily and consistently tune their pipes to
8. Player Line In Synth Daughter Microphone Telephone Stereo Mix Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance l4 p F 9 0 9 de F d o POT Siy Volume Volume Volume Volume Volume Volume Volume i Ci Select Select Select Select Select Select Select Santa Cruz tm After you are certain you have selected the correct audio input most users will select the Microphone slider launch the Microsoft Windows Sound Recorder by Clicking on Start gt All Programs gt Accessories gt Entertainment gt Sound Recorder Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 2 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 2 Sound Sound Recorder aia Fie Edit Effects Help Position Length 0 00 sec 0 00 sec E Recording a tune Make sure you have an audio input device connected to your computer On the File menu click New To begin recording click Record 9 Play the first part of your favorite tune o on your pipes For best results place the microphone 4 to 8 inches from the chanter 5 To stop recording click Stop J Pegon INO Listen to your recording by pressing Play How does it sound If the chanter is clear and not distorted then you will know for sure that the Pitch Pipe software will also hear your chanter loud and clear If the recording sounds some
9. cording mixer settings Recording Control Options Help Aux CD Player Line In Synth Daughter Microphone Telephone Stereo Mix Balance he Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance Balance b it gt F de F 4 0 F Qo 4 b F db Volume Volume Volume Volume Volume Volume Volume C Select CO Select O Select CO Select Select C Select CO Select Santa Cruz tm The Level slider will adjust the Microphone input level This feature is on the main display window as a convenience Its functionality is the same as the Microphone slider on the sound card mixer The dB Gain Wizard button launches the dB Gain Wizard function This function will assist the user in setting the level of the input audio Note If you are experienced with recording audio on your computer you do not need to use the function The Wizard will do its best but the human ear and eyes can do a better job when it comes to initial setups For those who have had trouble setting up Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 4 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 their microphone or don t really understand sound devices and computers the Wizard should help quite a bit To use the db Gain Wizard function click on the button Audio Level Wizard Step 1 This wizard will attempt to set the optimum dB gain for your computer s default sound card Please have your pipes ready to blow a Low A Use Li
10. d in this way has unique and interesting melodic properties particularly when one considers the various pentatonic scales which can be derived from it Piping Times October 1997 Analyses of recent recordings by well known soloists from North America and the U K show that tuning practice has changed in the last 4 decades Ds vary from piper to piper but are generally tuned very close to the Just D a 4 3 ratio with low A rather than the significantly sharper 27 20 ratio High Gs are also tuned much flatter apparently at a ratio of 7 4 which might be termed the Harmonic high G since in this case the note s harmonics coincide exactly with every 7 harmonic of the bass drone Low Gs are frequently exactly an octave lower at 7 8 In practice the tuning of high A almost always departs from a true octave relationship with the drones and is typically tuned 10 to 30 cents flat Recordings Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 15 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 of John D Burgess provide good example of this effect It is perhaps done in order to make the high A more audible against the drones or to guard against the reed sharpening up during a performance but is probably best regarded as a matter of convention or taste Certainly the ear of the pipe music aficionado becomes used to the flat high A to such an extent that a true octave high A can sound overly sharp and shrill End MacPherson
11. en if it has not been selected already and select the detection mode and temperament Chanter Automatic Manual C Hertz 475 er Temperament Just Temperament MacNeill Lenihan Gold Medalist World Champion Pipe Band Equal Temperament The Automatic detection mode will select the closest note to your pitch The manual mode will allow the user to select the scale note from a drop down list The Hertz setting will allow the user to target a specific Hertz value Note To hear a note played on your computer for a scale name select Manual select a note from the list and then click on the speaker icon The tone will sound for 2 seconds The Drones tab allows the user to select the drones detection mode Most users will select Automatic Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 8 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 Detection Mode Automatic Tenor Drone Bass Drone The user may also choose to adjust the resolution of the tuner by adjusting the detection and analysis resolution settings Detection Resolution Coarse C Medium C Fine Analysis Resolution Coase C Medium C Fine The detection resolution will round the detected pitch more for coarse and less for fine The analysis resolution will widen the in tune area for coarse and narrow it for fine ei Pp Clicking on the Tuner On button will activate the tuner Last
12. et the chanter close to a target pitch or how a piper will establish the pitch the chanter wants to be at by checking the Low A and High A until they are the desired pitch without any tape To adjust individual notes of the chanter the size of the holes can be adjusted via tape and in extreme cases a knife If a note is sharp and needs to be flattened placing tape over the hole below the note the piper is fingering will flatten the note Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 12 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 If the note is flat and needs to be sharpened the reed can be sunk into the reed seat until the note is at the correct pitch and then the other notes which will have sharpened as well can be flatten via tape OR It is not uncommon for experienced pipers to CAREFULLY carve out the holes of their chanters in order to raise the pitch of a specific note If you have never done this before please consult a local Open piper a local Pipe Major or a local Pipe Maker for instruction on how this should be done If a piper is not a steady blower this type of modification should never be performed NOTE ON CARVING UP YOUR CHANTER Pipe makers are very clever folks who have sized and placed the holes on your chanter in very exacting locations However blowing pressure temperature humidity reed maker etc are also critical variables to getting the chanter in tune While pulling out a D
13. ne In Next Select Microphone In or Use Line In Most users without advanced audio equipment will simply have a microphone connected to their computer s soundcard Use Microphone In should be selected unless advanced audio equipment is being used Have your pipes ready to blow a Low A and click Next w Audio Level Wizard Analyzing in 7 Seconds Please blow a steady Low A Play a Low A for about 20 seconds You may play with or without drones It is recommended to play with drones in order to ensure consistent air pressure through your instrument For best results place your microphone 4 to 8 inches from your chanter When the system has determined the best levels you will receive the following prompt Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 5 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 Pitch_Pipe Bagpipe Tuner x Wizard Complete Clicking OK will return the user to the main tuner display window Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 6 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 SECTION 3 TUNING YOUR PIPES Setting the System Reference Pitch For the system to accurately tune your pipes the target reference pitch must be established The bagpipes are unique in that there is not a consensus on what Low A s pitch in Hertz should be Before starting to use the tuner this pitch must be set It can be set by clicking on
14. o of 5 4 gives a major 3 A to C and a perfect 5 A to E has a ratio of 3 2 In solo pipe music the frequency ratio we are concerned with is always that between the chanter and the drones Since the drone notes are A one or two octaves below the chanter s low A we can just define the frequency of each note on the chanter by the ratio of its frequency to that of low A Thus for example low A will have a ratio of 1 1 and high A will have a ratio of 2 1 Not all of the frequency ratios on the chanter are universally agreed upon and tuning styles like the overall pitch have changed with time Some notes the As C and E for example are very easy to set relative to the drones with clearly audible beating when out of tune but others are less straightforward In particular there are several schools of thought on the tuning of D and high G In the non piping world the simplest and purest tuning scheme known for a Mixolydian scale is a type of Just Intonation which simply means a scale using whole number frequency ratios in which D is tuned to a frequency ratio of 4 3 above low A and the high G is tuned to a ratio of 16 9 However in 1954 J Lenihan and Seumas MacNeill published a study of the tuning of 18 pipe chanters in which they concluded that Ds were tuned to 27 20 and the high G to 9 5 These values are sharper than the simple Just values although since they are whole number ratios they are strictly speaking just A scale forme
15. oduce scales that closely approximate the Mixolydian lonian and Aolian modes Many Western instruments today use equal temperament where each semitone or half step of the scale is equidistant and exactly 100 cents apart Bagpipes evolved to play unique scales with unequal ratios between each pitch These ratios are slightly different from those used in Western modes All of this makes it very difficult for bagpipes to play in tune with instruments that use equal temperament Today bagpipes are usually tuned very close to just temperament Other common temperaments include the Seumas MacNeill temperament and Harmonic temperament each with slightly different interval ratios between certain pitches The tuner also comes with two preset temperaments that were constructed by doing advanced pitch analysis on leading soloists and pipe bands These two presets are labeled World Champion Pipe Band and Gold Medalist It is interesting to note that the tuning of these temperaments is slightly different This is due to the fact the top bands today regularly play harmonies that require some slight compromise in note tuning in order to maximize the impact of the close harmonies the bands use Temperament Harmonic Temperament a Just Temperament MacNeill Lenihan Gold Medalist World Champion Pipe Band Equal Temperament In the past tuning the bagpipes to a desired temperament required lots of guesswork or the u
16. remel tool deburring tool or a knife should never be your first method of sharpening a note the careful customization of your chanter can make playing and staying in tune much easier Metronome The tuner software also comes with an accurate metronome Metronome aaa Seis aie 120 140 160 180 200 220 Beats per Minute Sound 100 bpm Start Stop Snap Clap The tempo can be selected from 40 to 220 beats per minute The sound the metronome produces can be selected from the Sound drop down list To start to the metronome simply click the start button Pressing it again will stop the metronome Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 13 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 SECTION 4 UNDERSTANDING TEMPERAMENTS The scales played on the modern Great Highland Bagpipe differ from the scales used by most Western instruments Bagpipe notes are named low G low A B C D E F high G and high A These notes and scales do not match modern Western instruments due to slight differences in pitch and temperament The pitch bagpipes are tuned to has been steadily rising over the years The actual frequency of A above middle C is 440 Hz cycles per second The frequency that pipers now tune low A to has risen to between 470 and 480 Hz over a half step above A 440 This has to be taken into account when attempting to tune the bagpipes to play with other instruments The bagpipe can pr
17. s the last 50 captured pitches in realtime This feature allows the piper to ensure that consistent pitch is maintained Level Histogram 0 50 g a dB Gan _ _ 100 wizard E _ The Level Histogram view graphs the last 50 captured volume levels in realtime This feature will help the piper to maintain steady air pressure and volume level Waveform from Audio Input The Waveform display graphs the time domain sequence of the incoming captured audio ADJUSTING THE PITCH OF YOUR PIPES There are several tricks of the trade that will be helpful to the user when attempting to adjust the pitch of the chanter If the concept of adjusting individual notes is new to you the following paragraph will be useful You should also ask a local Open piper or a local Pipe Major how they adjust their instrument The easiest way to sharpen or flatten your chanter is to simply sink or raise the reed in the chanter s reed seat Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 11 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 Sinking the reed into the seat will sharpen the chanter pitch Raising the reed from the seat will flatten the chanter pitch It is important to know that changing the seating of the reed affects the high hand notes more than the low hand notes For example if you sink the chanter reed the High A will sharpen more than the Low A will sharpen Changing the reed seat is how a piper will g
18. se of complex tuning tables that required transposition of each pitch then tuning each note an exact number of cents sharp or flat of each equally tempered note on the tuner The Pitch Pipe Tuner s simple interface allows anyone to easily and exactly tune the bagpipes to any desired temperament without any guesswork or complicated tables Users can select one of several preset temperaments or create their own temperament settings This makes it easy to set up the pipes to play with other instruments no matter what temperament the other instruments use Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 14 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 Understanding and creating Temperaments The following section is from E MacPherson s very good research paper at http www personal umich edu emacpher pipes acoustics pipescale html We were going to write our own description but Ewan s is so clear From the time of Pythogoras it has been known that two notes sounding together are heard as a consonance a smooth pleasant combination when the ratio of their frequencies is a fraction with small integers in the numerator and denominator In such a situation the two notes have many harmonics in common which reduces the roughness of the combination A simple example is the octave from low A to high A in which the frequency ratio is 2 1 and every harmonic of the upper note coincides with a harmonic of the lower one A rati
19. the desired temperament every time and train their ear to hear the unique harmonic ratios of the bagpipe Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 1 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 SECTION 2 GETTING STARTED Before you start to use the Pitch Pipe Tuner it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the microphone and sound card settings of your computer The software will use the default sound card of your computer It is recommended to record your bagpipe using the Microsoft Windows Sound Recorder prior to using the tuner Doing so will allow you to become familiar with your computer s sound card configuration To record a tune on your bagpipe to verify that your microphone can hear your pipes correctly first launch your sound card s mixer Click Start gt Control Panel gt Sound and Audio Device Next select the Audio tab then click on the Volume button under Sound Recording Select your audio input source and adjust the volume gain of the incoming signal To adjust the recording volume 1 On the Options menu click Properties 2 Inthe Properties dialog box under Adjust volume for click Recording 3 Select the check box next to the device that contains the input volume you want to adjust and then click OK 4 Drag the Volume slider up or down to increase or decrease the input volume E Recording Control Options Help Aux CD
20. thing like the Jimi Hendrix experience or if it s too quiet you will need to adjust the microphone gain up or down in the audio mixer see above Note Many sound cards include an Audio Boost option for microphones The volume of the bagpipes is such that you do not need to have an audio boost option enabled Each sound card is different but many have the boost enable toggle under an advanced settings area of the mixer If you have trouble getting your sound card to not clip and distort look for this setting and deselect it Your experience with the Pitch Pipe Tuner will be even more pleasant now that you have learned a little more about how your computer receives input from your microphone Launch the tuner To launch the tuner software select the Pitch Pipe Bagpipe Tuner icon under All Programs Last Updated 9 6 2004 2 43 PM Page 3 of 20 Pitch Pipe User s Manual http www pitchpipetuner com Version 1 0 ALG Pipe Bagpipe Tuner Fle Tuner Metronome Temperaments Options Help am o gt Automatic Ls Detection Resolution Coarse Medium Analysis Resolution Coarse Medium Audio Settings In the lower right hand side of the display window you will see an Audio Setup button a dB Gain Wizard button and a Level slider Level Audio Setup 7 7 dB Gain Wizard E _ The Audio Setup button will launch the default sound card s re
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