McAdams Instruments 30 User manual

Div. of Interlink Systems, Inc.
40219 Otero Road, Magnolia, TX 77354
Telephone and fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
Operator’s Manual
for the
Model 30 Metronome/Tuner
Rev. 8
For metronome firmware revision 1.33
Copyright 2012, McAdams Instruments. All rights reserved.

Preliminary Manual for the Model 30 Metronome/Tuner Rev. 08
McAdams Instruments –18 June 2012 Page 2 of 19
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Overview 4
2. Safety Warnings 4
2.1 It is LOUD 4
2.2 Electrical Safety 5
2.3 It is heavy 5
3. Metronome 5
3.1 Rate 5
3.1.1 Adjust the Rate 5
3.1.2 “Tap” the Rate 5
3.1.3 Set the Rate Digitally 5
3.2 Beat Subdivisions 6
3.3 Time Signature and Measure Subdivisions 6
3.3.1 The Display 6
3.3.2 X/4 Meters 7
3.3.3 X/8 Meters 7
3.4 Volume 7
3.5 Mute 7
3.5.1 Standard Mute 7
3.5.2 Metronome Mute 7
4. Tuner 8
4.1 Microphone Level 8
4.2 Pitch Reference 8
4.3 Transposition 9
4.4 Band vs. Strings 9
5. Tone 9
5.1 Note selection 9
5.1.1 Adjust the Note 9
5.1.2 Set the Note Directly 10
5.2 Octave selection 10
5.3 Volume 10
5.4 Pitch Reference 10
5.5 Transposition 10
5.6 Band vs. Strings 10
6. Timer 10

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6.1 Start 11
6.2 Stop 11
6.3 Reset 11
6.4 Hold 11
7. Spectrum Analyzer 11
7.1 The Display 11
7.1.1 Frequency Cursor 12
7.1.2 Scale Magnification 12
7.2 Tone Quality 12
7.3 Microphone Level 13
7.4 Lo Pitch –Hi Pitch 13
8. Options (Optns) 13
8.1 Adjust Pitch By 13
8.2 Transposition 13
9. Setup 14
9.1 Contrast 14
9.2 Kill the speaker 14
9.3 Front and Back Lights 14
9.4 Adjust Pitch By 14
10. The Output Jack 15
11. Memory functions 15
12. Use of The Remote Control 16
12.1 Why is there a remote receiver on the back? 17
12.2 Operating tips 17
13. Specifications and summary of Functions 18
14. Limited Warranty 19

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1. OVERVIEW
The Model 30 functions as a metronome, a visual tuner, an audible pitch reference, a stopwatch,
and a spectrum analyser. These modes of operation are described briefly in the following
sections. The front panel controls are shown in Figure 1 below.
In general, you use the Mode Select buttons to select the main operating mode of the
instrument, and then the normal functions are controlled with the Feature Select, Function
buttons, and the Main Knob. The operating mode is always displayed in a menu on the left side
of the display.
2. SAFETY WARNINGS
2.1 It can be LOUD
One of the things that makes the Model 30 useful is that it can be very loud. Use caution and
good sense in the placement of the Model 30 and adjustment of the volume control. The
volume an ear is subjected to changes a lot depending on how close you are, placement of other
objects, and the size of the room. If it is uncomfortable, it is too loud and over time can
damage hearing. Respect your own hearing and that of others.
Mode
Select
Function
Buttons
Feature
Select
Main Knob
Volume
Figure 1 - Front Panel Controls

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2.2 Electrical Safety
Do not remove or defeat the round safety pin on the 3-pin power plug. It is there for your
protection in the event of some kind of failure. Also, avoid using the Model 30 in a wet
environment. If used outdoors or near moisture, only plug it into a properly functioning ground
fault protected outlet. If the power cord or plug gets damaged, throw it away and replace it.
Not observing these precautions could result in a potentially fatal electric shock or fire. These
precautions apply to the Model 30 just as they apply to any appliance you plug into the wall for
power.
2.3 It is heavy
Don’t drop the Model 30 on your foot or throw it at anyone. Use care if you place it on a high
shelf since it could fall and injure someone. The absence of sharp corners is helpful, but it can
still smash a toe. Think.
3. METRONOME
For the Metronome mode, use the Mode Select to scroll up to “Met”, or press the MET button
on the remote control.
3.1 Rate
In the metronome mode, the tempo in beats per minute shows up in the middle of the display.
At the higher rates, not all rates are selectable. The metronome may step by 2 or 4 beats per
minute.
3.1.1 Adjust the Rate
Use the Main Knob or the and buttons on the remote control to adjust the rate up or down.
3.1.2 “Tap” the Rate
“Tap” the Main Knob (press it until it clicks), or “tap” the Tap button on the remote control in
time to make the metronome adjust itself to your tempo.
3.1.3 Set the Rate Digitally
At the bottom of the remote control is a keypad with numbers and note names on the buttons.
Simply enter the desired rate using the keypad. Example: to set 120 beats per minute, press
1/A, then 2/B and finally 0. If you accidentally press a numeric button, just press Clear or wait
a few seconds for the metronome return to normal operation.

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3.2 Beat Subdivisions
The various beat subdivisions are selected by using the Function buttons. The four main
subdivisions are selected by simply pressing a Function button. The subdivision pattern is
indicated in the display by note icons above the buttons.
Two additional beat subdivisions are shown elevated on the display between the main note
icons and in a smaller font. To select them, press the two buttons that are on either side of the
icon on the display at the same time. You do not have to press or release them at the same
instant as long as both buttons get pressed together.
Each beat subdivision has its own button on the remote control
A blue highlight around an icon means that the pattern is selected and will make sound.
3.3 Time Signature and Measure Subdivisions
Use the Feature Select buttons or the MEA “rocker” switch on the remote control to scrolll
through and choose a time signature. The X/4 time signatures are at the bottom of the list, with
the X/8 time signatures at the top.
If you scroll to a new time signature, the measure subdivision will be turned on (the M icon
between the rightmost Function Buttons will be highlighted) and the metronome will emphasize
the first note of the measure (and in some cases, other notes in the measure as well).
To turn the measure subdivision on or off, press the rightmost two Function Buttons at the same
time, or press the round MEA button on the remote control.
3.3.1 The Display
To the right of the metronome rate you will see the currently selected time signature. If the time
signature has numbers under it, then the numbers indicate a subdivision pattern for the measure.
For instance, in 5/8 the numbers 2-3 indicate that the measure will be subdivided into the pattern
ONE two ONE two three.
To the left of the metronome rate is a small symbol indicating what kind of note the tempo
marking refers to. For instance, if the note before the = sign is a dotted quarter and the tempo is
set to 100, the Model 30 will play 100 dotted quarters per minute, or equivalently, eighth notes
will sound at 300 per minute.

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3.3.2 X/4 Meters
For time signatures of the form X/4 the tempo display always indicates the number of quarter
notes per minute.
3.3.3 X/8 Meters
For time signatures of the form X/8 the tempo can be based on the dotted-quarter note or the
quarter note. This affects the speed of the eighth notes and the beat subdivisions that are
available.
Use the top Feature Select button to scroll up to one of the X/8 meters. Notice the small icon
between the leftmost Function buttons with an arrow pointing down and to the left. The
currently selected beat is shown in the icon above the left Function button and you switch
between the two selections by pressing the left two Function buttons at the same time.
When the dotted quarter is selected, the eighth notes sound 3 times faster than the indicated rate.
When the quarter is selected, the eighth notes sound two times faster than the indicated tempo.
The left Function button controls sounds on the beat as is usualy for all other metronome modes.
But for X/8 meters, not all beat subdivisions are available. The left Function button will only
cause a beat to sound if the selected note will fit evenly into a measure. For instance, neither the
quarter nor the dotted quarter will fit evenly into a 5/8 measure, so the left function button does
nothing. But in 6/8 time, both the quarter and the dotted quarter fit evenly in the measure, so
either can be turned on to sound a beat.
3.4 Volume
Use the Volume knob or the keys labeled VOL+ and VOL- on the remote control to adjust the
volume up and down. The selected volume level is shown on a bar in the display labeled Vol.
3.5 Mute
3.5.1 Standard Mute
Press the Volume Knob until it clicks or press the MUTE button on the remote control to mute
and unmute the metronome. This works on all of the modes that make sound.
3.5.2 Metronome Mute
The metronome is special in that it has two types of mute. The standard mute described above
is one of them. When muted, the sound stops but the metronome continues to function silently
with no interruption to the lights or the beat. He word “Muted” will show on the display.

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A second type of mute happens when you press STOP on the remote control. In Metronome
Mode, STOP causes the metronome be muted, but the metronome also halts and the blinking
light stops. When you then press START on the remote control (or “unmute it in the standard
way) the metronome resumes and instantly sounds the first beat of the measure. Using this type
of mute, the metronome is synchronized to the pressing of the START key.
When stopped, as opposed to muted, the display will show the word “Stopped”.
4. TUNER
To select the Tuner mode, use the Mode Select to scroll to “Tuner” or press TUNER on the
remote control.
The tuner mode is almost totally automatic. It detects the note you are playing and displays the
note name, its octave, and how sharp or flat you are. The controls are described below.
The tuner looks at the harmonic structure of the sound to tell what note and what octave is being
played. Certain acoustic conditions can occasionally cause difficulties. If the tuner indicates a
note other than an octave (like indicating C when you are playing F) then the tuning will be off.
If you have trouble with this (or with anything else, for that matter), call or email. We want
your feedback and will use it to improve the operation of the instrument.
4.1 Microphone Level
There are two microphone amplification levels. LoMic will probably be used most often when
tuning instruments. To select the microphone amplification level, use the Function buttons,
rotate the Volume knob, or use the VOL+ and VOL- buttons on the remote control. If you
overload the microphone amplifier, the front LED will come on. Avoid overloading since this
can confuse the tuning software.
The microphone is inside of the metronome. It gets its sound through the vents on each side iof
the instrument.
4.2 Pitch Reference
Use the Feature Select buttons to choose a pitch reference other than A=440Hz. Whe you are in
the Tuner mode, the MEA rocker switch on the remote control will also select the pitch
reference. The currently selected pitch reference is displayed in the upper right corner of the
display, just above the tuning meter.

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4.3 Transposition
You can set the tuner to indicate notes in something other than concert pitch. To do this, see the
section on Options Mode (section 8.2).
If a transposition is in effect, the transposed note will appear in a large font, and the concert
pitch note and octave will appear in a smaller font.
4.4 Band vs. Strings
Use the Function buttons or the BAND and STRING buttons on the remote control to select the
temperament of the notes.
If BAND tuning is selected, A is the reference note and all notes are in exactly even tempered
intervals. Simple.
If STRING is selected, the situation is subtly more complex. The A is the reference note. For
the notes that are not orchestral open strings, the tuning is tempered just like in the BAND
tuning. But the intervals between A, E, G, C, and D are all based on perfect fourths and fifths
corresponding to the way the orchestral strings normally tune. So, E, G, C, and D will be a few
cents different from the tempered notes of the same name.
Octaves are always an exact multiple of two in frequency.
5. TONE
Tone mode plays tuning notes through the speaker. To select the Tone mode, use the Mode
Select to scroll to “Tone” or press TONE on the remote control.
The Tone mode covers 5 octaves from E1 (an octave below the bass clef) to E6 (above the
treble clef). The note being sounded and its octave number are indicated in the center of the
display.
5.1 Note selection
5.1.1 Adjust the Note
Use the Main Knob or the and buttons on the remote to scroll through the entire range of
available notes. Also, see the octave selection in section 5.2.

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5.1.2 Set the Note Directly
At the bottom of the remote control is a keypad with numbers and note names on the buttons.
Simply press the button having the note you want to hear. The new note will be within an
octave of the note that is currently sounding. Ex: It is sounding A4. Press the button labeled
3/C to sound C5.
The 8/# key moves the note up ½ step, while the 9/b key moves the note down ½ step.
5.2 Octave selection
Use the left two Function buttons or the 8ve rocker switch on the remote control to change the
note by an octave at a time.
5.3 Volume
See section 3.4.
5.4 Pitch Reference
See section 4.2,
5.5 Transposition
See section 4.3.
5.6 Band vs. Strings
See section 4.4.
6. TIMER
The timer is simply a stop watch. It can be used to time anything while the Model 30 is being
used for any other purpose. If you change to another mode, the timer continues to run. To select
the Timer mode, use the Mode Select to scroll to “Timer” or press TIMER on the remote
control.
The Function buttons are labeled Start, Stop, Reset, and Hold. Those same functions appear on
buttons on the remote control. Their function is explained below.