Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a question about Encore?  See if you can find the answer here...

Q.  Encore doesn't seem to pick up any sounds.  Why can't I tune my instrument?

A.  First, check that your soundcard is working properly.  If your soundcard is OK, you need to check to make sure that you have the right input type selected, and that your input is plugged into the right port on your soundcard.  If you are using a microphone, you should have MIC selected from the input type menu, and the microphone should be plugged into the pink port on your soundcard.  If you are using a line input, you should have LINE selected from the input type menu, and the microphone should be plugged into the blue port on your soundcard.

If your soundcard and input are set up correctly and you still aren't getting a signal, make sure your input volume (on the left of the visualization panel) is set high enough and your threshold control (between the two visualisations) is not set to maximum.

Q.  Why can't I select a note?

A.  Make sure that the Auto feature is turned off it you want to manually select the note you are tuning, or enter a custom frequency.  If the Auto feature is on, Encore will automatically determine which note you are tuning to when you play the note.

Q.  I am trying to tune my instrument in an area with a lot of background noise.  How can I get an accurate tuning?

A.  You can use the threshold control and the input volume to control the amount of background noise that Encore picks up.  The threshold control sets a level below which tuning is not active, ie. any sound below the threshold level will not be picked up.  If you are tuning in an area with a lot of background noise, you should set the threshold control to a high level, so that lower background noises are filtered out and you get a cleaner signal from your instrument.  You may also need to adjust the input volume control to be a little lower so that background noises are not amplified.  You will need to experiment with these two controls to find the level at which you get the cleanest signal and the most accurate tuning.

Q.  Encore picks up my signal, but it drops out too quickly to accurately tune the note.  How can I improve the signal strength?

A.  You can use the threshold control and the input volume to improve the strength of your signal. The threshold control sets a level below which tuning is not active, ie. any sound below the threshold level will not be picked up.  If your instrument outputs a very soft signal, you can improve signal strength and tuning accuracy by setting the threshold control to be very low, which means that softer noises will be picked up by Encore.  You may also need to increase the input volume to maximum to get the clearest signal possible.  You will need to experiment with these two controls to find the level at which you get the cleanest signal and the most accurate tuning.

If your question isn't answered here, send us an email.