V-Sam questions Options

[RockyMtnPiper]

I just read about the V-sam and am rather excited.. I have been using a Vs-1 for about a year... but the v-sam sounds like it will fit my needs just a wee bit better.

Just to get things straight.. I play the Highland Bagpipe.
Q. I could set the root note in Just temp for A# then adjust cents offset to match my A#, and away I go? All of the just value notes should line up against a root note of B# +45 cents (with my cat F**ting tone, modern chanter)

OR.. I could adust the A reference to 476, put it in Just temp, and away I go all the values line up??

OR.. I could program my own temperament, and have the note values exactly where I want them?

[John Norris]

Dear Rodger (it IS you, right?
to answer your questions:

Q. I could set the root note in Just temp for A# then adjust cents offset to match my A#, and away I go?

Yes! But don´t let anyone use the tuner without knowing what you did

I could adust the A reference to 476, put it in Just temp, and away I go all the values line up??

Yes! This would be the correct way:
Adjust the A reference to 476Hz
Adjust the Temperament to Just
Adjust the Root to A
Press "Save" and you´re done, the tuner always powers up with these values from then on.

I could program my own temperament, and have the note values exactly where I want them?

Yes!! There are 2 octaves (24 notes) of savable temperaments in the V-SAM.

We had the chance to include these features which are not available as a group on any other tuner to satisfy a number of lobby groups, Highland Bagpipes, Uilleann Pipes, Pedal and Lap Steel, Baroque harpsichord and some microtonal instruments as well as the "regulars".

[RockyMtnPiper]

Sounds great!!! I will have to order one of those in, as soon as they are offered for sale somewhere.

[John Norris]

The Prince Charles Pipe Band uses three Peterson V-SAMs when they perform. They are probably the premier Pipe Band in the USA. I have been sworn to secrecy about the offsets they use for Great Highland Bagpipes...

John N.

[John Norris]

Many of the worlds leading Pipe Bands now use Peterson tuners to tune their pipes, the extra precision and ability to program the GHB scale makes a big difference in the case of GHB competitions.

2008 Grade 2 World Champions Bagad Cap Caval from Brittany in Northwest France have used a Peterson for the last 4 years and have recently been elevated to Grade 1 status.
Congratulations to Pipe Major Hervé Le Floc'h and the entire Cap Caval Pipe Band!



The Strathclyde Police Pipe Band from Glasgow with Pipe Major Don Bradford are 12 times Grade 1 World Champions



The Prince Charles Pipe Band in California is another high profile band which uses our tuners, Pipe Major Scott Ruscoe uses three V-SAMs to keep the band in tune.

Highland Bagpipes are difficult to tune because the instrument can only be accurately tuned while playing, but a player needs two hands to do that, so a team of two persons has the job. This team has used the StroboFlip's mounting screw to attach it to a drum harness, thus freeing up both hands in this case to to adjust the drones one by one while the second person directs a dynamic mic to the individual drones, they repeat this in a band situation until all pipers are in tune with each other. Very clever and effective!



An added complication in Bagpipe tuning is heat and humidity, which demands that the concert A be anywhere between 476Hz to 481Hz, few tuners can manage that adjustment, but all current Peterson tuners go to 490Hz and beyond, so there is plenty of adjustment room whatever the atmospheric conditions

Heres a movie showing the tuners in action tuning bagpipes:
Bagpipe tuning

Another movie of the Australian Highlanders tuning the pipes with a Peterson V-SAM:
Australian Highlanders tuning

The new BodyBeat Pulsing Metronome has also proved to be a great tool for rehearsing Bagpipes - as any player of loud instruments will testify, an audio metronome is pretty useless if it can't be heard above your instrument and amplified metronomes spoil the music and can damage your ears.
No such problem with the BodyBeat, you feel the rhythm instead of having to listen to anything but the music you're playing as a reference.



John N.