Similar to the human cochlea where the different frequencies are split-up and analyzed, The Snail for iOS uses a spiral grid to visualize root notes and overtones of any incoming sound with utmost precision. The Snail is based on recently developed technology making instrument tuning easy and audio analysis music-oriented and fun to watch. Tune any instrument with utmost precision Version 2 offers an additional guitar tuning mode that is available in the tuning view. Just tap on a dedicated string name, play a note and adjust the guitar tuning accordingly. Another major improvement is the new split window mode. Whenever you do any adjustments to parameters you now see how the edits affect the visualization in the upper section. This works in both visualization modes. One mode is the snail grid, a complete musical overview of the audio spectrum. The other one, the tuner view, is especially designed to focus on the root note for tuning purposes. In both views there is a sine tuning oscillator available which is controlled simply by touching the desired note on the iPhone display. There are a lot of customizable parameters. No problem if you would like to tune transposing instruments or if you need a tuning reference other than 440 Hz. Patented technology The well-known IRCAM institute for acoustic and music research in Paris is responsible for the new technology of detection and visualization. It is a patented invention by Thomas Hélie, CNRS researcher at the Sciences and Technologies for Music and Sound (STMS) Laboratory (IRCAM/CNRS/Sorbonne Université). The Snail is also available for macOS and Windows, as stand-alone app or plug-in (VST3/AU/AAX), distributed by Plugivery. Key features • Precise audio analysis and instrument tuning in two modes. • Snail view for a sophisticated visual representation of root note and overtone structures. • Tuner view to tune instruments and to control pitches of voices and other sources. • Fast access guitar tuning (GT) mode. • Split window settings menu. • Visual gain and mic gain controllers. • Switchable auto detection. • Touch sine tuning oscillator. • 2 color modes: coherency index and magnitude. • Adjustable grid range (octaves). • Setup for transposing instruments. • Many customizable parameters like tuning reference, frequency tracking and audio window size.
Has difficulty detecting pitches
I like the concept and sisplay modes, but in practice it seems to not “hear” or detect very well especially with guitar or uke when there is a little background sound. In fairness, other iOS tuners seem to struggle with this as well.
United StatesSnail works again on iPad OS!
This is the only tuner I know of which can be used as an exploratory tool. The combination of a sensitive visual representation of pitch and a useful level of spectral analysis allows us to focus on timbre, which is notoriously difficult to evaluate objectively. That’s both because we are so close to the sound source, and because our experience of the sound may be dominated by radiators on the instrument which are less important to a listener who has a different spatial relationship to the sound. That’s true whether we’re playing a string, a wind, or a percussion instrument. (Paragraph) I do have a few suggestions for ongoing development of the tool. First, the tuner is biased toward the Western equal-tempered 12 tone scale. It would be great to be able to specify a model octave of a scale from other traditions, like South Asian or Middle Eastern, or from other historical Western tuning systems. The model octave could be specified with a simple table of frequencies with a few decimal points of resolution, and ideally I would be able to build a personal library of scale tunings. (Paragraph) The division of the semitones into eight buckets helps to reduce visual complexity, but a preference switch to increase that to ten would allow me to visualize the pitch deviations in units of ten cents. That might not be workable for the small screen of a phone, but there’s enough real estate on an iPad screen for that to be usable. (Paragraph) Similarly, a preference switch to activate the lines between the “correct” pitches for reference pitch production would help me work on microtonal pitch discrimination. (Paragraph) Previous review follows: Hey, IRCAM - you built something wonderful and useful! Please update it so it will run on iPadOS!
United StatesSnail works again on iPad OS!
This is the only tuner I know of which can be used as an exploratory tool. The combination of a sensitive visual representation of pitch and a useful level of spectral analysis allows us to focus on timbre, which is notoriously difficult to evaluate objectively. That’s both because we are so close to the sound source, and because our experience of the sound may be dominated by radiators on the instrument which are less important to a listener who has a different spatial relationship to the sound. That’s true whether we’re playing a string, a wind, or a percussion instrument. (Paragraph) I do have a few suggestions for ongoing development of the tool. First, the tuner is biased toward the Western equal-tempered 12 tone scale. It would be great to be able to specify a model octave of a scale from other traditions, like South Asian or Middle Eastern, or from other historical Western tuning systems. The model octave could be specified with a simple table of frequencies with a few decimal points of resolution, and ideally I would be able to build a personal library of scale tunings. (Paragraph) The division of the semitones into eight buckets helps to reduce visual complexity, but a preference switch to increase that to ten would allow me to visualize the pitch deviations in units of ten cents. That might not be workable for the small screen of a phone, but there’s enough real estate on an iPad screen for that to be usable. (Paragraph) Similarly, a preference switch to activate the lines between the “correct” pitches for reference pitch production would help me work on microtonal pitch discrimination. (Paragraph) Previous review follows: Hey, IRCAM - you built something wonderful and useful! Please update it so it will run on iPadOS!
United StatesUpdated!!! Completely functional again…
Ok, I downloaded there recent update and everything is working again! Thank you. This is a great audio app for tuning guitar and also nice to let it listen to a song and show you the fundamental bass notes, or on a solo instrument, each note. Also kind useful for pitch training and developing your ‘ear’. Good work IRCAM.
United StatesThe most awesome tuning and analysis app
Used it for years. Was bummed out when it stopped working on recent versions of iOS but they finally fixed it. It’s a brilliantly clever way to view frequencies as you can see the harmonics of your instrument or voice as well. It’s also available as a VST plugin and I use it with Gig Performer to tune my guitar during a show.
United StatesCompatibility issues addressed!
Yay! It works again!
United StatesWith latest update this tuner is excellent
Now that it is fully functional on iOS 15 it is once again my favorite tuner.
United States
415Hz, 430Hz, 432Hz, 440Hz, 442Hz, 444Hz (NB
Subscribe our newsletter and get useful information every week.
Publisher's Other Apps
Other Music Apps
Similar Apps