CrossTune - Tool for tuning a NAF for a different environment

This page provides a tool for the CrossTune situation:

You are tuning a flute in one environment (altitude, temperature, humidity) and it will be played in another environment.

The code for these calculations is taken directly from NAFlutomat. Thanks goes to all the authors of NAFlutomat.

If you find any problems or suggestions regarding this page, please contact me:
-- Clint Goss, May 20, 2004

1. Enter the altitude, temperature, and relative humidity for the environment you will be tuning the flute.
2. Enter the altitude, temperature, and relative humidity for the environment the flute will be played.
3. Enter the refrence pitch for for the playing environment. This is typically A=440 for modern concert pitch, but there are many variations. Historical instruments are tunes as low as A=415, and some orchestras tune today as high as A=446.
4. Press "Calculate" button.
5. The results will tell you two possible ways to compensate for the difference in tuning and playing environments. You can either:
   
   (a) adjust your tuner's reference to a pitch other than A=440. Many, but not all, tuners can be adjusted in this way.
   
   (b) Leave you tuner's reference pitch at A=440 and tune each note sharp or flat by a number of cents.
6. If the bias exceeds 50 cents, you will probably need to convert your tuner's readings. For example, for a bias of +70 cents (70 cents sharp), you will probably need to tune each note 30 cents flat of the next higher semitone. Tuning an A 70 cents sharp is the same as tuning to a Bb 30 cents flat.
7. If the bias exceeds 100 cents, then move the note you are tuning by one semitone for each 100 cents of bias. For example, for a bias of +210 cents (210 cents sharp), you would tune each note 10 cents sharp of the note two semitones higher. Tuning an A 210 cents sharp is the same as tuning to a B 10 cents sharp.

Web site by Clint Goss - Last updated September 19, 2008.