Measuring the pitch of a reed in cents

[SBb 54 32 158]

Hi, I am wanting to retune a concertina into meantone. What is the best way of getting an accurate reading of the pitch of the reed if air pressure is constant. I have a Petersen StroboHDC tuner which I can set to the meantone tuning I am after, and also a Korg Orchestral tuner. Is there anyway of actually getting a measurement in cents? Is there a better way to measure the pitch? (I am aware that the pitch of the reed may be different in the instrument compared to on the tuning bellows)

Edited June 25 by SBb 54 32 158

[Matthew Heumann]

I use an older version of this digital tuner. Its very stable, huge readable display in key & cents. Can be set to tune to any old or new tuning scale. I even bought Frank Edgley one! Mine was made by Lekato, but this one looks exactly the same.

https://www.amazon.com/Metronome-Rechargeable-Generator-Chromatic-Instruments/dp/B08CZXS55W/ref=sr_1_11?crid=34YHGPFWMEWXZ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.x9rqmANMz5M2O4XPtWQysMuvdVI6zxZFjBbcQvYJNXor_OOOIG1yHNy3_5yCraHL19DuKjZi0-gLmLG68c10SOY2BS4FdXgQBp0O7Loqw9QWY3FBAEtl07jakK-MD_UpNwpLMsJ1v0RTINdgJvbPQl_FsZ4vkbo5BES1lCfGOurebz0YB6W6AnY9oPNlJ22Zp4lJTYQS1rAIdOr0rk3eq44oxxy6VVtqgXAXiiui6WbIYc2qHThcrAzVOJ4J3EGIAehuNomtAAfnZMSYzymq5uFuiH86EN2Zv70rg4J_WIQ.8UMAc-4d15nczgcd1_NAnDJ8fnQGk5ZomX7315Tbkig&dib_tag=se&keywords=lekato+digital+tuner&qid=1750895391&sprefix=lekato+digital+tuner%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-11

[wschruba]

There are a number of tuning apps now available for tablets/smartphones.  I recommend looking towards sites that are reviewing for the purposes of piano/keyboard technicians (whom are typically expected to be able to use different temperaments, and therefor be capable of reading out in cents to correct them).  While you will not be using the "stretch" function that large range keyboard instruments would have, everything else will be gravy.

 

I use AP Tuner.  I cannot find it, currently, but the Piano Technicians Guild also has a fully-featured application available, but it is simply not cheap.  My (simple) strobe tuner is no longer used.  Strobes capable of reading multiple overtones at a time are fun to play with (in an instrument repair shop, or a piano factory, etc...), but thoroughly impractical for a hobbyist from a cost perspective...they are fantastic for finding a "not sure" issue in the tone generator, because cracks/imperfections/etc show up as disharmonious overtones within a single note.

[Geoff Wooff]

When  tuning  to  any  other  temperament  I  prefer  to  use   a  chart  showing  off sets  from  Equal Temperament.  I  just  write  down  the  note  pitches  in  Cents,   which  any  reliable  chromatic  'tuner'  will  do.

 

I  have  a variety  of  'tuners'  but  my  two  prefered  devices, for  work on  concertinas,  are  a Seiko  ST 747  (cost  less  than  £20  many  years ago)  and  a  Petersen  Auto Strobe 490.  Indeed  the  Petersen  is  cumbersome  and  slow  to  use  but  it  is  useful for   detecting  'decay'  and  locking  on  to  very  low or  high  notes  .

 

I  am  not  a fan  of  using the  pre-set  temperaments  provided  on  some  tuners ,  especially  when  working  on  EC's  where  a  14 tone  octave  is  required.

Edited June 26 by Geoff Wooff