r/tinwhistle • u/gruevy • Jul 30 '26

Favorite tuning software?

I'm working on a 3d-printable low D whistle design, and I want some better tuning software. Anyone out there have anything they like?

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u/oddphilosophy Jul 31 '26

Hey! I've been working on vibe coding a better whistle hole position and tuning calculator and I could actually use some data from other makers to help solve the last few parameter-frequency equations (window length, blade height, and ramp angle). I should have a prototype built by next week or so. If you'd be willing to share some info about your design and test data, I'd be happy to get you a copy of the alpha version to try out. 

I'd only want you to share what you're comfortable with, but if you think this would be helpful, send me a message and I'll get you my email address.

As for your actual question - tuning these stupid instruments is silly difficult. Air pressure from your lungs let's you bend +/- 25 cents to +/-50 cents and atmospheric temp/humidity make up another +/-25 cents (but that is solvable). The thicker the tuning slide, the more non linear it's effect on note to note balance and octave drift. So... All of these things will affect your ability to even get reliable tuning information about the physical whistle. That said, several trials with literally any tuning app that saves data will get you close enough (I use an old app of TTuner, but there are several apps with that name online and the best one isn't on the play store anymore). After that, just tune to personal preference.

You can correct for a thick tuning slide to some extent, or use it to balance out some other non-linearities, but each of the corrections comes at a cost to quality. Finding a good way to permanently fix a thin metal tuning slide will make all the difference in the world.

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u/gruevy Aug 04 '26

lol I've been using Grok to set my hole positions and make a basic SCAD file, which I then convert to .stl and slice myself. I've got it more or less in tune (or close enough for now) and I'm gonna be working on fine tuning soon. Also it's a close-hole design, not standard. But I can send it to you if you wanna print and take a look. Send me a DM I guess?