Roadie Automatic Turner

[Kris N]

I this just popped up on my Facebook feed and I was blown away. All the time you spend tuning a mandolin to get it just right... This might just change my life.

Has anyone ever used the original?

https://www.roadietuner.com/?friend=txroadhouse1

[Paul Busman]

My life doesn't need changing that badly. The couple of seconds saved over tuning the "old fashioned" way ie electronic tuner on headstock isn't worth the price to me.

[foldedpath]

I've seen these videos before, but one thing I've never seen is what happens when a string starts out sharp. They always show it tuning up to pitch.

When a note starts out sharp, does the gadget tune down and stop at the pitch? That's not how we tune up manually. Instead, we go below the pitch and then tune back up, so there is tension on the string and no remaining slack that could be released when we start picking. We're always taught to tune up to pitch, not tune down to pitch.

If the gadget actually does tune down below the target pitch when starting out sharp, and then back up to pitch, then that would be the right way to do it. But I haven't seen it in one of these videos.

[OneChordTrick]

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That's not how we tune up manually. Instead, we go below the pitch and then tune back up, so there is tension on the string and no remaining slack that could be released when we start picking. We're always taught to tune up to pitch, not tune down to pitch.

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Thanks! That's really useful! I'm self taught so never knew this, although as soon as I think about it, it makes perfect sense!

[Mandoplumb]

Haven't had any experience with this tuner but speaking as someone that's been around a while, it's a gimmick. Detects 1cent deviation--accurate to 2cents-- 3times more accurate than human ears (whose). Sounds like a good way to throw away $100.

[Explorer]

Although they were more careful to not show it in the newest videos, there is an unsteadiness introduced just by virtue of the Roadie being hand-held. The hand always moves when the Roadie is in motion until the "slack" is taken up.

You can more clearly see that jerkiness at the start of each pluck/tuning motion in the following video.

[Ray(T)]

Haven't had any experience with this tuner but speaking as someone that's been around a while, it's a gimmick. Detects 1cent deviation--accurate to 2cents-- 3times more accurate than human ears (whose). Sounds like a good way to throw away $100.

Yes; some of us don't even agree with what "normal" tuners tell us. (Speaking as one to whom electronic tuners are a reletavely recent novelty)

[Mike Stewart]

When a note starts out sharp, does the gadget tune down and stop at the pitch?

From the video that Explorer posted, it looks like it just tunes down if it started sharp. Thing is, it looks like it is driven by the software on the phone, so speaking as a mobile software developer I don't think it would be terribly difficult to put that functionality in there. But it could be a case of being more engineer than musician and not knowing that the functionality is even necessary.

[Joseph Baker]

Well...
I wouldn't consider this tuner for myself.
My daughter is legally blind and plays guitar.
She has a Snark tuner, but struggles to see it.
I wonder if a Roadie tuner would help someone like her.

Joseph Baker

[foldedpath]

Well...
I wouldn't consider this tuner for myself.
My daughter is legally blind and plays guitar.
She has a Snark tuner, but struggles to see it.
I wonder if a Roadie tuner would help someone like her.

I wouldn't recommend it, because it's a crutch that bypasses the recognition of pitch and "in tune-ness" on an instrument. One of the skills for playing a musical instrument is learning to hear when it goes out of tune, and needs tuning. This gadget won't help her learn that skill.

For just a few bucks, you can find a "pitch pipe" at most music stores that will give her a violin pitch for G,D,A,E, the same as mandolin. Then she can tune by ear. I think there are also electronic tuners that can be set to play different pitches, but this is the traditional (and cheap) way to do it.

Edit to add: I just noticed you're talking about a guitar. There are pitch pipes for those too, I think. A guitar is also easier to tune with just a single A440 reference from a pitch pipe or tuning fork, and matching the pitch across strings, which doesn't work so well on mandolin (for various reasons).

[Billy Packard]

To add a quick note to foldedpath,

Back in the old days when it was a pitch pipe or a tuning fork I always used the A440 fork. I found the pitch pipes to be inaccurate at best. With the fork, I would strike it and then hold it between my teeth which resulted in hearing the pitch loudly and clearly in my head! This also free's up both hands to tune the guitar.

Joseph, with time spent tuning the guitar your daughter will learn what "in tune" sounds like. This is great ear-training also.

These days I rarely use a tuning device except to find a basis point from which to start.

Billy

billypackardmandolin.com

[Joseph Baker]

Back in the 1970s, all any of us had were A440 tuning forks.
I remember the frustration of being out of tune when I was learning to play.
Nobody ever accused me of having a good ear.

Considering a Roadie for my daughter, I was thinking about making her life a little easier.
There are lots of aids for visually impaired people. I was thinking that this might be one as well.

Joseph Baker

[Mark Gunter]

I think it's a very interesting gadget. Would like to have one and see whether I'd find it useful - but I'll probably always need some other piece of equipment more than a novel new tuner. This slick little gadget hovers in the price range of a decent clip-on mic. Actually, there are several things I sort of need in the $130 price range.

I read all the opinions, and all the reasons why this is not such a great idea, and pretty much agree with all of it, but I still want to play with one of these things. Would I find it useful, or just a frustrating waste of time and money? I'll probably never know.

[Roger Moss]

When I became so afflicted I can't tune my own mandolin, I'll probably be too far gone to play at all. I think I'll spend my meager funds on 15 sets of strings (about 2 years worth) instead.

[Mark Gunter]

When I became so afflicted I can't tune my own mandolin, I'll probably be too far gone to play at all. I think I'll spend my meager funds on 15 sets of strings (about 2 years worth) instead.

I don't disagree Roger, I'm not that rich guy who gets to buy $130 toys that probably won't do what they're supposed to do. Like I said, there's lots of gear I need and/or want in that $130 price range, so I'll probably never know what this thing is like to use. FYI, I didn't own a microwave oven until after they'd been on the market for 20 years.

[DHopkins]

I used to use a pitch pipe back during my barbershop quartet days but I don't think I've laid eyes on one since. As for the "Roadie," I think I'll stick with what I have but, gee whiz, guys, thanks for the offer.

[Mark Gunter]

I started playing in the 60’s and always used a pitch pipe unless I needed to tune to someone else’s guitar or piano. Love the electronic tuners now, but I actually use a pitch pipe now for my ukulele, it’s convenient.

[HonketyHank]

I wonder if Amazon could put Alexa into those things. That would be great for old timey banjo. Alexa, give me sawmill. Alexa, give me double C. ...

[Daniel Nestlerode]

I wonder if Amazon could put Alexa into those things. That would be great for old timey banjo. Alexa, give me sawmill. Alexa, give me double C. ...

The Echo has a lot of potential for musical application...
- I'd love to be able to say, "Alexa, start audio recording in 5 seconds." Play a tune and then say, "Alexa, stop audio recording." I mean they're already recording me, why not make it useful?
- Hearing an A-440 would be cool
- Looping by voice control would be cool

Unfortunately, Amazon are a bit more interested in mining for data than creating a useful product. (JMO after owning one of these for a couple years and watching Amazon squander its potential)

Daniel