Peterson Tuner and Tempered Tuning?

[Avocet]

I know a few other folks here have Peterson VS Tuners. Has anyone programmed the Guild of American Luthiers' tempered tuning into it? I'm real interested in programming in the cents values for each string and using it without taking 10 minutes to tweak the strings.

I just picked up a Peterson vs-II tuner this last weekend and am getting used to it. The [GTR] 'sweetened' temper definitely takes the edge off the 'regular' tuning I usually use.. at least to my uneducated ears. Who knows? I may be doing it wrong and that's why everything sounds a little flat. Anyways, I've also tried the Guild of American Luthiers' temper and I think I like that one better. So.. anyone programmed it in?

[tac5]

I honestly don't know "jack" about the Peterson tuners, but I though they were already programmed with tempered tuning. I have used a Conn Stroboscope forever and never had a problem. I never had to make any adjustments after tuning to the strobe. If your intonation is set up pretty well I don't see any problems. But, I admit, I have never used a Peterson. I am interested in what others have to say as I am contemplating buying a Peterson.

[Avocet]

Well, the Peterson comes with oh.. 10 different tuning schemes or so and two that you can program in yourself.

The two that I've tried are the [EQU] equal-temperament tuning like I used up until reading about the GAL tempering on this board and the [GTR] 'sweetened' tempering that the folks at Peterson have worked out.

I want to put the Guild of American Luthiers' Tempered Tuning into [USR_1] and there's another one I'm interested in called Valotti-style Well Tempered Tuning that I'll attempt to program in [USR_2] if I can ever figure this stuff out. It's supposed to really help with making chords all up the neck and supposed to be tons better than equal temperament or the GAL's tempered tuning.

Just new stuff to play with, ya know.


[edited for clarity]

[marklyn]

I've got the Peterson VS-II and I've played around with the "sweetened" tuning a little. My initial take on it was that it sounded great in open position and within the first few frets. Like open G-C-D or E-A-B but heading up the neck, like 10th or 12th fret didn't sound so great to me. I only tried it a couple times, retuning and playing again a couple days after the first time I tried it, so there is margin for my error there. But it really did sound sweeter to me near the nut. G at the 3rd fret really stuck out as sounding great. I play up the neck frequently, so I haven't tried it again. I guess I'll give it another go over the weekend.

[meridian]

I think it is a little bit weird as I find that different guitars sound better tuned to different settings. They *should* all be alike, but they ain't!

Some guitars sound better with GTR others with EQU. My Les Paul doesn't seem to like either of these very much, but sounds amazing when I tune it by ear.

I am all confoozled again!

[Avocet]

Joe, try one of these for the Paul see hwat ya think:



Vallotti style Well Tempered Tuning on a six-string guitar. The number is the octave of the note (A2 is the open A string).

1. Tune A2 to A-440 fork or other aural pitch source.
2. Tune E4 from A2 a pure octave and 5th first, then flatten E2 until the Octave and 5th has a lilting beat to it, about 1 beat per second.
3. Tune E2 from A4 a pure 4th first, then flatten E2 until the 4th beats at 2 beats per second. This should create a slightly stretched double octave from E2-E4. The double octave should have a very slow roll to it of about 1/2 beat per second.
4. Tune D3 from A2 a pure 4th first, then sharpen D3 until the 4th beats at 2 beats per second.
5. Tune G3 from D3 a pure 4th first, then sharpen G3 until the 4th beats at 2 beats per second.
6. Tune B3 from E4 a pure 4th first, then flatten B3 until the 4th beats at 2 beats per second.

The results of this should be that the 3rd, G3-B3 and the 6th, D3-B3 now also beat at the same slow, 2 beat per second rate. When all of the 4ths and the 3rd and 6th all beat at the same slow, gentle rate the tuning is accomplished.



And the one I've seen here before - Guild of American Luthiers:

Reader's Digest version:

1 - E
6 - E (6th string - fifth fret harmonic) to E (open 1st string)
4 - E (4th string - second fret) to E (6th string - twelfth fret harmonic)
2 - D (2d string - third fret) to D (4th string - twelfth fret harmonic)
3 - D (3d string - seventh fret) to D (4th string - twelfth fret harmonic)
double-check - G (3d string - twelfth fret harmonic) to G (1st string - third fret)
if not, start over - if still not then set
3 - G (3d string - twelfth fret harmonic) to G (1st string - third fret)
5 - A (5th string - twelfth fret harmonic) to A (3d string - second fret)

[BillW1950]

Please keep us informed as you become more proficient with your new toy. I'm very interested in the VS-2, especially since I'm now tuning 12 strings instead of always 6. I know it's not TWICE as hard, but it's not quite as easy, either.

The Peterson ain't sheap... but I enjoy PLAYING so much more than TUNING, and don't really have the time to spend tweeking and tweeking.

I've been using a Korg GT-12 and I must say it is an immense disappointment. Should have saved my money.

bw

[Randal_S]

Sadly, I haven't done any "custom settings" on my VS-1. I keep telling myself that someday I'll use the untapped potential of the Peterson, yet I always seem to find something else to do... and when I dont't, my wife does.

My guitars seem pretty happy with the GTR setting, but I'd give the GAL settings a swing if I can ever figure the Peterson out.

Darn, it's like driving a Lamborghini and never taking it out of first gear. Add "figuring the Peterson out" to my list of things to do... again.