My question is this: What settings correspond to what pitches?
Through trial and error, I’ve decided that 0000 is approximately a low D, 1000 is approximately an A, 2000 is approximately an F-sharp, and 850 is a pretty on-target G. But has anyone figured out the exact relationship between the tuning setting and the frequency of the beep?
I don’t have that model, but you might help us out if you’d tell us which octaves each of those notes is in. For example, is that A a major fifth above that low D, or is it an octave plus a major fifth, etc? Also, you might list some more intermediate values, such as 1500, etc.
As far as I can tell, the G is in the same octave as the D, the A is the beginning of the next one up (one tone above the G), and the F# is in the octave begun by the A, but the tones that the clock generates are far from pure tones.
It would be a lot easier if the clock didn’t make me change its settings one digit at a time.
I agree. I have the touch model of the chronos, and the slight beep helpsd to know that its your turn. Although some TD’s will ask you to turn the beep off, I think its less intrusive (and more quiet) than buttons physically clicking. The Gametime Excaliber II clock is a rather noisy clock when hitting the buttons, and an entire roomful of them can make quite a racket, especially when the room has several hundred players in it.
So in your world octaves begin with A and end with G#. And the sequence you quoted me is D-G-A-F# (0000-0850-1000-2000) – a fourth, a whole tone, and a major sixth. OK, I’ll see if I can figure out something.
The scale could be logarithmic (the way the ear hears it), linear, inverse linear, or something weird. A few more examples might be necessary to guess at a pattern.
Is that equal temperament, mean tone, or Pythagorean?
Equal temperament. And I tried plotting the curve in Excel, based on just those few data points, and I agree that it might be logarithmic. But when I tried to use the trend line equation to make predictions, they were way off. What I’d need, I think, is some kind of device that can get an accurate reading of the frequency of a tone in the one-fifth of a second or so that the Chronos beep lasts. I don’t have one, and I couldn’t find one online that worked well enough. (I made my guesses above by trying to sing the tones the Chronos was making into an online tuner.)
I’m looking forwards to hearing this Chronos Choir perform. They could come in handy if someone left their pitch pipe at home when going to a chorus rehearsal.
I find it funny that there is a thread about how to tune the beep of a Chronos when from my observation a majority of their owners don’t even know how to set them for a chess game!
Well, if you can’t get anyone to loan you an Excalibur, Dewain Barber at amchesseq.com sells them for $26.95 if you buy less than 6. He also charges exactly what the shipping costs are to him.
I talked with him and he told me he orders these in very large quantities from overseas where they are now sold. That’s why he can sell them so inexpensively.