JavaTuner

The JavaTuner is a small Java applet that allows some experimentation with various tunings and temperaments (experimenting on a real instrument is orders of magnitude better of course), and that can be used as an electronic tuner and even as a tuning practice tool.

Caution: If you use this applet to tune an instrument, be sure to check that it generates correct frequencies; on a recent winXP machine, I see up to a semitone off-pitch! The best is to compare the generated A-440 with a tuning fork; I find this easiest with no harmonics ('0' in the applet). V2.5 now offers a "calibration" feature that can be used, esp. when invoking the JavaTuner stand-alone (ie. locally), to have the applet generate the intended frequencies once the applet itself has been "tuned". See the V2.5 page.

There are currently two version of the JavaTuner:

• A first version, based on Sun's audio classes (limited to 8 KHz). This should work on older browsers and systems. May be removed in the future.
  • JavaTuner V1.12 based on JDK 1.0, with usage notes
  • JavaTuner V1.12 based on JDK 1.0, with extra temperaments (now including Lehman's), but no usage notes
  (Note: the email address in the applet is no longer valid -- see below)

• A second version, based on JavaSound classes (at 22050 Hz). This should work on more recent browsers and systems. Internet Explorer: this version of the JavaTuner does not work under MSJVM, Microsoft's Java Virtual Machine, because it does not have the javax.sound.sampled.* classes needed (see further notes below). But it does have the sun.audio.* classes used by the V1 applet.
  • JavaTuner V2.5 based on JDK 1.3, with usage notes

  Wrt older version, it supports a few new features:

  • Added Lehman's theory on Bach's WTC temperament in the available temperaments. See http://www.larips.com/ for the full and fascinating story on this (published in "Early Music" in 2005).
  • Minor changes in layout and labels.
  • Minor changes in cents and frequencies modifiers (up/down arrows, and alt up/down arrows) which now go in steps of .1 cents, or 1 cents with shift. The previous steps of 1 and 5 cents were too coarse to set Lehman by hand (as an example). It's still probably true that this is much beyond anyone's tone discrimination abilities, but it helps at least from a theoretical point of view.
  • Improved/completed the descriptive text somewhat.
  • A violin tuning mode (a convenience) had been added about a year ago.
  • A "calibration" adjustment to deal with computers that are off-pitch (added 2011).

  Currently, these changes were not carried over to the older version. I don't know if anyone is still using it. If you are and would like to see some of these changes, drop me a note (but I make no promises!).

Wrt Internet Explorer: The main Java classes and the sun.audio classes are in C:/WINDOWS/java/Packages/EGEOJT3J.ZIP. Further info: http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/java/faq.asp. As I understand what I read there, the MS Java VM (MSJVM) is discontinued: "Going forward, Microsoft is not including the MSJVM in its software"; users are encouraged to migrate away from MSJVM. So probably no point worrying about it.

For IE users, one option is to install a recent Java run-time (JRE) from Sun, including the installation of the plug-in for the IE browser. This worked for me on my 3-years old WinXP. I suppose this could break other sites (if there are still any) that depend on MSJVM. Or maybe use FireFox instead! Or download Sun's Java run-time environment (JRE) and use the JavaTuner stand-alone, eg. with AppletViewer.

The latest Java run-time from Sun can be obtained here.