Peterson StroboPlus HD Metronome

[MarkELynch]

I own both the Peterson StroboClip and the StroboPlus HD tuners and they work great. I love the large display on the StroboPlus HD!

Has anyone purchased the $40 metronome software accessory for the StroboPlus HD?

The manual describes a very full featured metronome but not sure I need all that. A simple and cheaper option might be preferable.

http://76.12.22.162/media/pdf/Strobo...08_28_2014.pdf

Any comments from Peterson or a Cafe denizen?

Thanks!

[Paul Busman]

Just me, but I can't see spending that much for a tuner that's 'way in excess of what my ears can hear.

[Tom Wright]

Just me, but I can't see spending that much for a tuner that's 'way in excess of what my ears can hear.

That makes excellent sense if your audience is only you.

I have the Peterson clip-on for noisy environments, and also have the Peterson smartphone app. I'm usually happy with just tuning to a piano note or my metronome's A440 pitch generator. But the strobe accuracy has been useful for testing fret/fingerboard accuracy, and I needed it for an opera gig where I had to be in tune and ready to go from a dressing room, and I was tuned up a half step with no pianos around.

On the Peterson metronome, I would wonder if it could be loud enough, but if there's a headphone out or other connectivity it could go into an amp or PA. Back in the 70s my band would mic a Franz electric metronome.

[foldedpath]

Just me, but I can't see spending that much for a tuner that's 'way in excess of what my ears can hear.

It's not about the intrinsic accuracy. All electronic tuners have highly accurate internal frequency measurement. It's about the display -- how easily the tuner presents that information to you, and how wide the "window" is for telling the user a note is in tune.

Peterson tuners let you drill down a little deeper into the tuning by using the traditional strobe wheel display (harmonics as well as fundamental). More basic tuners just light up a single LED showing you that you're "in tune," with varying degrees of final display accuracy, depending on how wide the range of acceptable frequencies is around the target pitch.

Anyway, back to the OP's question. If it were me, I'd just get a separate electronic metronome. It looks like the Peterson software covers most of the bases, but I tend to avoid multi-purpose gadgets on principle. A separate metronome would also extend the time between recharging the HD, if you only use it for tuning and not a dual function.

[MarkELynch]

Thanks very much for weighing in on my question! I appeals to me to carry only one device to a rehearsal but I see the benefit in having a simpler and dedicated metronome. A simple on/off switch, volume control and tempo dial is sufficient for my needs. The Peterson does have an input for a pulse clip that you can attach to your body which I suspect would be very useful in noisy environments but I don’t need that. I could probably learn to use the full featured Peterson but a $40 license to enable the metronome function is probably the biggest factor against it for me. I don’t mind spending money for something if I see functions that fit my needs.

Paul, you make some wonderful whistles, you are my neighbor in Frederick! I’m curious about the method you use to set the intonation on your instruments. I would think a strobe type tuner would be very handy.

Thanks again for the advice.

Mark

What I do love about the StroboPlus HD is the large display and the fact that it is very sensitive. I can strike the string once and let it ring while watching the strobe and adjusting the tuner. When the pattern is still I know I’m dead on!

[Paul Busman]

Mark-- thanks for the compliment. You're welcome to stop up some time.
The whistle is a relatively simple instrument with far fewer variables to deal with than any stringed instrument. A tube of a given length and inside diameter,with holes of certain sizes and placement of the holes will,within reason,produce the same notes pretty consistently. Some variation in pitch comes into play when you actually play the whistle.Varying breath pressure can produce notes sharper or flatter than the desired notes. With time with a given whistle,most players unconsciously adjust their breath pressure accordingly.