I first wrote this post December 10, 2007. I still use StroboSoft EVERY day on a variety of computers. I hardly use a hardware tuner when I’m noodling through the computer. I now use my iPhone StroboSoft app for hardware/living room tuning… even the occasional gig situation!
Peterson Tuners StroboSoft Tuning Software Review
I record many different types of music via my computer. I use guitars, basses, keyboards, and mic-recorded vocals and acoustic sounds/instruments. I am constantly in need of a tuner which keeps me from having to worry about intonation issues. Chromatic tuners are great, but by golly, they really don’t do the trick for getting a guitar to PLAY in tune. Read on…
Guitars (the whole family, basses, 6-strings, 7-strings, exotics) and just about every stringed instrument are not well-tempered. Read about instrument tempering here. It’s fascinating – opens new window. Sometimes, just tuning your instrument to the exact correct chromatic pitches isn’t going to give you better sound – “in tune”, yes, better sound, no. I’ve fought the tunings of my guitars for ages (particularly acoustics). Tune up to the correct notes, play three different tracks together with the exact same instrument and the exact same tuning – sometimes the three tracks played together don’t sound too good. Why? Tempering. Lack of sweetening.
If you want to tune to the exact pitches your instrument plays, then the StroboSoft sofware (and Peterson’s peerless hardware tuners) will give you just what you want, down to the cent (a cent is effectively a hundredth of a tone). But, some technologies help you by giving you “sweetened tunings” – these tunings include the famous and wonderful Buzz Felten tuning system sweetening settings. There are other excellent tunings available to warm and broaden your harmonic and melodic sounds. With StroboSoft, you can spend your time with your music, not with fiddling with your tuner for hours on end.
Peterson’s hardware strobe tuners are the best of the best of the best. I’ve been interacting with them since I was in school band back in the seventies. Recent Peterson Tuners for guitar, bass and other stringed instruments include sweetened tunings. StroboSoft Deluxe also includes sweetened tunings – all of which work WONDERS for your music and your ears!
If you’d like to read more about StroboSoft in detail, you can visit the StroboSoft site here:StroboSoft.
Quick Opinion: Buy this piece of software. Buy this piece of software. Buy this piece of software. Really: Buy this piece of software. Your music will sound better, your music will flow better, you’ll have more time to work on your music… Buy this piece of software. Have you bought it yet? Don’t wait. Do it now. Really.
If you’re gigging, playing outside a studio, or on the road – invest in a hardware Peterson Tuner (and take StroboSoft’s capability with you). The hardware tuners are more expensive than the average hardware tuner, but they are worth it. At some point, I’m going to save up enough sheckels and buy a StroboStomp or the rack version for myself… Their hardware is well worth twice (or more) than their current street prices.
Features: StroboSoft is a snap to use. Install it, go to the setup tab, select your instrument input hardward device, click on “Instrument tune”, then choose what kind of tuning you want (6 String electric? 6 String Acoustic? Sweetened? 5 String Bass?). Pluck your strings, and work your tuners/slides/instrument tuning device until the strobe stops moving up or down. You’re done.
Set up for the first time takes very little time. Just take a few minutes to read their introduction, set it up, and GO. YOUR music will be sweeter, warmer, and more natural-sounding in a few minutes. Be sure to check out and set up the noise canceling feature (so it can tune easier, even on a noisy guitar or mic) – once you’re up and running and understand what the tuner’s doing.
Quality: I have had no issues whatsoever with StroboSoft on any of the three computers I use for recording. It has never crashed, misbehaved, or given me the first issue. Flawless.
In case you’re wondering, this review is glowing because the product REALLY deserves it – not because of any other factor.
Value: In my opinion, this software is worth at least as much as Peterson Tuners’ StroboFlip and StroboStomp hardware. I’m very impressed (and, frankly very, very happy) that it costs so little. The forums get answered, the emails get answered, the folks at Peterson care about their customers, and you cannot find a better value on the market.
Support? I’ve needed to have a license re-set a few times (hardware crash, etc.) They’ve always been GREAT. I love their support peeps.
Period.
Wishes: I’d love to see a Mac OSX dashboard widget interface to StroboSoft… just a thought…
Great review. Spot on.
An outstanding product, that more musician’s should know about.
It’s even comes on iOs and Android devices now..