Practice Analyzer, Loop Recording & Timbre CG Suite / Pulsar

This guide covers the Basic Practice Analyzer for quantifying right-hand technique, the hands-free Studio Recorder for effortless repetition, the Guitar Timbre Analyzer, and the Precision Metronome.

Supported Applications

Features on this page are available in Classical Guitar Suite (CG Suite) (handyman Tools Tab) and Pulsar Tuner (Dedicated Bottom/Side Tabs). The Metronome and Loop Recorder are also available as floating mini-tools in Lyra Score.

Limitations in Lyra Score

Lyra Score does not include the full-screen Practice Analyzer or Guitar Timbre Analyzer. The in-score mini recorder operates in manual trigger mode (manualWithLoop).

Practice Analyzer (Right-Hand Evenness & Timing)

Replacing subjective scoring with rigorous physics, this tool analyzes stroke onset timing (ms), volume dynamics (dB), and spectral brightness (Hz) using IQ demodulation, NMF source separation, and Viterbi path decoding.

Exercises & Fingering Patterns

Select exercises from the top header chips:

• Tremolo (p-a-m-i): Configure bass p and treble a-m-i patterns (e.g., 4th string p + 1st string ami) to evaluate 16th-note Evenness (%) and detect dropped or clustered strokes.
• Arpeggios: Evaluates finger timing and dynamic balance across bass and treble combinations.
• Alternating Scales: Select i-m, m-a, or i-a to measure alternation balance (ideal 50%:50%) and Evenness (%).
• Full Scales / Harmonics: Visualizes overall melodic fluidity and harmonic clarity.

Starting a Session & Reading the Report

1. Set target BPM and duration (toggle metronome sound between clicks and low pulses from the hardware indicator; pre/post click beeps are automatically masked from detection).
2. Tap play_arrow Start Practice to begin.
3. Upon completion or tapping stop, offline DSP generates a radar chart covering Evenness (%), per-finger dynamic variance, and timbre consistency, alongside an interactive stroke timeline and audio playback.

Figure: Real-time practice lane and post-session objective analysis report

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Studio Recorder & Hands-Free Loop Recording

A studio-grade uncompressed PCM WAV recorder designed for rapid "play → listen → retry" cycles without touching your device.

Two Recording Modes

• Loop Practice Mode (Hands-Free): Ideal for phrase repetition and touch evaluation.
• Piece Stereo Mode: Ideal for full-length performances (disables silence auto-stop).

Hands-Free Workflow with First-Note Onset Detection

In Loop Practice mode, tap the oversized action pad once with your palm or wrist to initiate an automatic cycle:

1. Armed Standby: Tapping play_circle_outline engages listening standby (hearing). The audio file does not advance yet.
2. Auto-Start on First Note: Prepare your posture; the moment your first note sounds, recording begins immediately (stop_circle) with zero leading silence.
3. Auto-Stop on Silence & Immediate Playback: Stop plucking at the end of the phrase; the app detects ~2.2 seconds of silence, stops recording, and instantly replays your take (replay) while muting the microphone to eliminate feedback.
   • Adjust silence threshold and hold duration (1.5s–3.5s) from tune settings.
4. Visual Metronome & WAV Sharing: Use the perimeter LED visual metronome during recording. Share your best takes directly as uncompressed WAV files (audio/wav).

Figure: Studio recorder featuring peak-hold meters, visual metronome, and jumbo action pad

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Guitar Timbre Analyzer

Record and quantify string tone characters and aging changes using objective spectral metrics.

Measurement Procedure (Strings 6 to 1)

1. Start in a quiet room and pluck strings 6 through 1 individually open, as prompted on screen (refresh to re-pluck).
2. The engine filters initial nail transient noise (50–80ms) and body resonance to extract metrics from steady-state sustain:
   • Spectral Centroid (Hz): Brightness and brilliance index.
   • Harmonics 1–8 Balance & Odd/Even Ratio: Core tone strength and richness.
   • T30 Sustain Decay (seconds): Resonance decay duration.

Two-Take Overlay Comparison CG Suite Only

In Classical Guitar Suite (CG Suite), tap Save (save) to attach scans to your active guitar. From compare_arrows Timbre Comparison, overlay past recordings (e.g., worn strings vs. fresh set, or Brand A vs. Brand B) with swap capabilities (swap_horiz).

Limitations in Pulsar Tuner

Pulsar Tuner provides single-session 6-string timbre scans, but cloud historical storage and two-take overlay comparisons are exclusive to Classical Guitar Suite (CG Suite).

Figure: Full-string spectral centroid chart and two-take comparison view

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Precision Metronome & Acoustic Tap-Tempo

Powered by a low-latency audio engine (SoLoud), the metronome offers rhythm subdivisions, accents, and beat patterns. Furthermore, the Acoustic Tap-Tempo page calculates live BPM from guitar body taps and plucked strings captured by your microphone, revealing your natural tempo.