tunelab (TM) Rhodes tuning file sought

[Krischu]

As an owner of the tunelab piano tuning program I'm curious to know whether there is a ready made tuning file for the Rhodes piano available somewhere?

Could possibly make one from an equally tempered file. Looking at the tuning chart in the service manual, I see stretching down to the bass and sretching up in the highs to max. +-30 cts. Actually there are three curves. What do they mean? Is it a choice one has?

Anyone out there using tunelab?

[Krischu]

I'll be answering my own question:

first off, I found a way to edit a .tun file and craft a stretched tuning file. I can publish it here but there doesn't seem an interest yet here since probably not many do tune a Rhodes using tunelab. Anyway, what bothers me more is a statement coming from the makers of tunelab when I asked them whether a tuning file for the Rhodes 73 exists:

"A Fender Rhodes doesn't have any inharmonicity like a piano, so there is no need for stretching."

[sean]

I will foolishly jump into this controversy.

I agree with Tunelab's statement.  The short stiff Rhodes tine doesn't create significant imperfect overtones like a long heavy stiff piano string that is constrained at each end.  The acoustic piano string creates more overtones, and more powerful overtones.

I think it would be great if somebody sat down with a strobotuner and a Rhodes and tried to document the deviation in the upper harmonics.  I personally believe that you would find none.

However, it may be reasonable to stretch-tune a Rhodes to accommodate a particular human's sense of pitch at high or low registers.  Lots of folks perceive notes in the upper two ocaves as being slightly flat, and stretch-tuning can "fix" that.  But I have never understood how that would sound nice when played with other instruments that are not stretch-tuned.

That is my 2¢.

Sean

[Krischu]

Thanks, Sean, for your comments. I'm attaching my hand crafted tuning file for Tunelabs pocket Tuner (Windows Mobile) from the stretch tuning chart (which covers the full '88 range). Maybe it fits their newer versions for Android and iPhone. They also have a notebook version for Windows 10 (11?). The attached file has to be renamed to the extension ".tun", when being used with the tunelab program.


--
Christoph

[pianotuner steveo]

I use TuneLab every day to tune acoustic pianos. I have tried it with a Rhodes, and didn't care for the results. I use a Korg chromatic tuner for tuning a Rhodes, and adjust the bass and treble to suit my ears. I do stretch the treble a little so that the notes don't sound flat.

My 2 cents. No pun intended. Lol

[tomsrob]

Krischu, I wouldn't be bothered by the comment from Tunelab. I agree with them. I don't think they are necessarily talking about stretching the extreme registers a little, but rather more about temperament and inharmonicity due to varying piano types, string length, string tension in certain registers etc. Things that are not present in a Rhodes piano. I tried using an ETD (not Tunelab) once out of curiosity and it was not good. I agree with Steveo's method. If you start stretching too much, you'll be hearing beats (but not in a good way!).