Some questions about the tuner

[jclemensfl]

Thanks Yek, that's good to know. The problem with this response is well...it's the internet. Text, be it email, or forum posts just do not translate emotion well. So, it's very easy for a response to accidentally come across the wrong way, or did it? that's the problem, there's no way to tell.

As a Fractal user and a person who already indicated my feelings about this particular response, I would say that this is an anomaly. Fractal is usually exceptionally professional at dealing with requests, and has a high level of customer service. And despite this thread, I wouldn’t be surprised one bit if the overwhelming number of users interested in more tuning options get their wish in a future update.

 

[Lionfeather]

What key is Bohemian Rhapsody in? A# or Bb?

If I was writing it, I'd do it in Bb to avoid using double sharps.

 

[joegold]

We used a combination of sharps and flats because that's what most people who study music would use. You never find a piece of music in the key of Gb, it will be in F#.

IOW, people who have formal training use the following convention:
C, C#, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, Ab, A, Bb, B

In my experience, when listing or notating the notes (listing and notating are different activities) in a chromatic scale there are two main conventions:

1. If it's a chromatic scale notated in standard musical notation in the context of a major or minor key, then some notes will be listed with a sharp or natural sign and some with a flat or natural sign depending on whether or not the scale is written in ascending or descending order.
E.g.
In the key of C major the typical way to notate an ascending chromatic scale starting on C would be
C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C
while a descending chromatic scale in C major, starting on C, would be notated as
C B Bb A Ab G Gb F E Eb D Db C
The same thing for a chromatic scale asc/desc in F# major would be:
F# Fx G# Gx A# B B# C# Cx D# Dx E# F#
and
F# E# E D# D C# C B A# A G# G F#
I.e. If the line is going up, the accidentals used for the non-diatonic tones are sharps or natural signs.
If the line is going down, then any non-diatonic notes are written with natural signs or flats.

2. If the object is to merely list the notes of a chromatic scale in ascending order, usually starting on C, then all sharps or all flats are used for the notes that are not in the C major scale, as in the example above in C major.
Typically, if this listing is in ascending order, as is usually the case with a chromatic tuner, then all accidentals will be sharps.

3. If one is notating an actual musical line in a key signature that requires some accidentals for some chromatic notes, then the convention again is to use sharps/natural signs for chromatic notes that resolve upwards and flats/natural signs for chromatic notes that resolve downwards.
E.g In C major:
E F D# E
E Eb D
Etc.

On my Axe-FXII's tuner the convention seems to be all flats.
Has this changed with the III?

 

[ultima hombre]

Interesting

 

[ESPer]

I don't have a problem mentally processing things like Db to C#, but as someone else mentioned, # is easier to see if your eyes are going.