Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you are generally free to tune in any order. The only exception is when using the pitch-raise mode in the Pro Edition. In this mode, you must tune chromatically from A0 to C8, adjusting unisons as you go. This specific order is crucial because pianoscope anticipates the movement of the soundboard and plate, helping to achieve a pitch-raise result that is as close as possible to your tuning target.

pianoscope offers precise pitch resolution, allowing you to achieve beautiful, dead-on unisons by tuning all strings to the same pitch. The indicator freeze function in the Pro Edition makes it even easier to get consistent results.

For beginners, using the app to tune all strings of a unison is highly recommended, as achieving precise unisons by ear requires significant practice.

For experienced technicians, tuning the first string of a unison with the app and the others by ear can often be faster. However, the app can still be beneficial in the high treble, especially when dealing with false beats.

The question of whether to slightly spread the pitches of a unison by a few tenths of a cent is still debated among piano technicians. Doing so reduces amplitude and projection but can increase sustain. Whether to apply this technique depends on personal preference and the specific tuning context:

• For concerts or recording sessions, spreading the unisons slightly may be beneficial. Since the piano will be played soon after tuning, unisons are less likely to drift out of tune before the performance.

• For long-lasting tunings, it’s usually best to keep unisons dead-on, as they will naturally spread over time. Introducing additional variation from the start may lead to a less stable tuning.

• For pianos with strong sustain but weak projection, spreading the unisons is generally unnecessary, as it would sacrifice amplitude without adding much benefit.

No, an external microphone or sensor is not necessary. The built-in microphones on iPhones and iPads are generally sufficient for creating high-quality tunings.

However, pianoscope does support external audio inputs. In noisy environments, using an external contact microphone or inductive sensor can help eliminate acoustic interference. If you're using internal microphones in a noisy setting, turning off Automatic Key Selection can also help. Now you manually select the note you’re tuning using the on-screen keyboard, which allows pianoscope to focus solely on the frequencies of the current note while ignoring other background noise.

On modern iPhones and iPads, the Pro Edition of pianoscope can simultaneously use multiple built-in or external microphones. This can improve tuning consistency, especially in the high treble.

Unlike other tuning apps, pianoscope automatically adjusts the tuning intervals it uses to construct a tuning curve, aligning them with the inharmonicity of each individual instrument. This means you don’t need to select a tuning style based on the piano’s size—only on your preference for which slow-beating intervals should be as pure as possible.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the available styles:

• Octaves Pure – Balances single and double octaves, aiming for a smooth compromise between them.

• Twelfths Pure – Prioritizes beatless twelfths

• Balanced – Is a great default choice for most tunings. It provides a well-rounded compromise between pure octaves and pure twelfths, making it suitable for a wide range of musical styles.

If the pitch display in the high treble seems inconsistent, try the following:

• Keep your iPhone or iPad close to the string to capture a clearer signal.

• Reduce interference from resonances of undamped strings or duplex strings by either turning off Automatic Key Selection (so pianoscope focuses only on the selected note) or damping interfering strings with a piece of cloth.

pianoscope runs on any iPhone with iOS 15 or later and any iPad with iPadOS 15 or later—so you don’t need the latest Apple device to use the app. In fact, it even works on older models like the iPhone SE (1st gen) or iPhone 6s, which can be found on eBay for around $50.

pianoscope also works on Macs with Apple Silicon (M-series) processors, though this configuration is not officially supported.

There are several reasons why pianoscope is currently not available on Android:

1. Development Effort
   Developing an app like pianoscope requires deep expertise in the platform. As the CTO of a macOS and iOS software company, I already invest significant time mastering iOS development. Since pianoscope is a side project, I can develop it efficiently because of my existing expertise. However, I do not have the time to gain the same fluency in Android, and hiring an Android developer would make the project financially unviable.

2. Fragmentation
   Android runs on thousands of different devices, each with varying hardware and software configurations. The testing and support effort required is far greater than on iOS, making it even less practical.

3. Piracy Risks
   Software piracy is much easier on Android than on iOS, posing a significant risk for a commercial application. Once a pirated version of an app circulates, it can heavily impact sales.

4. Lower Willingness to Pay
   Android users, on average, show a lower willingness to pay for software, making the platform less attractive for a niche, professional tool like pianoscope.

5. Privacy Concerns
   I strongly believe that privacy is a fundamental right. Android's business model relies on extensive user data collection, which I find concerning. In contrast, iOS respects user privacy, and pianoscope does not track anything.