TC Electronic PolyTune 2 mini User manual

English Manual – 2014-09-01
PolyTune 2 Mini
Important Safety Instructions 1
EMC/EMI 2
About this manual 2
Introduction 3
Setup 4
Inputs, outputs, controls 5
1. Power input 5
2. Tuning mode button 5
3. Audio input 5
4. Audio output 5
5. Footswitch 5
6. Display 5
7. Ambilight sensor 6
How to use PolyTune 2 Mini 7
FAQ 8
True bypass 9
Technical specifications 9
Getting support 9
PolyTune 2 Mini English Manual – 2014-09-01 a
Important Safety Instructions

Important Safety Instructions

The lightning flash with an arrowhead
The exclamation point within an equi-
lateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important op­erating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompa­nying the product.
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. In­stall in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that pro­duce heat.
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the po­larized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The
wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, conve­nience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
11. Only use attachments/accessories speci­fied by the manufacturer.
12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, brack­et, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/ apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
14. Refer all servicing to qualified service per­sonnel. Servicing is required when the ap­paratus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is dam­aged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the appara­tus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
Warning!
– To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do
not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture and objects filled with liquids, such as vases, should not be placed on this apparatus.
– Do not install this device in a confined space.
Caution
You are cautioned that any change or modifi­cations not expressly approved in this manual could void your authority to operate this equip­ment.
Service
– All service must be performed by qualified
personnel.
PolyTune 2 Mini English Manual – 2014-09-01 1
About this manual

EMC/EMI

Electromagnetic compatibility/ Electromagnetic interference
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B Digital de­vice, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in resi­dential installations. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interfer­ence to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
For customers in Canada
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Ca­nadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

About this manual

This manual will help you learn understanding and operating your TC product.
This manual is only available as a PDF download from the TC Electronic website.
Of course, you can print this manual, but we en­courage you to use the PDF version, which has both internal and external hyperlinks. For exam­ple, clicking the TC Electronic logo in the upper left corner of each page will take you to the table of contents.
To get the most from this manual, please read it from start to finish, or you may miss important information.
To download the most current version of this manual, visit tcelectronic.com/support/manuals/
Enjoy your TC product!
– Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. – Increase the separation between the equip-
ment and receiver.
– Connect the equipment into an outlet on a
circuit different from that to which the receiv­er is connected.
– Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/
TV technician for help.
PolyTune 2 Mini English Manual – 2014-09-01 2

Introduction

Introduction
Pol yTune 2 Mini: Polyphonic tuning revisited
As the world’s first polyphonic tuner, the original PolyTune took the hearts of guitarists by storm. Features such as the MonoPoly technology (which automatically detects whether you want to tune a single string or all strings) made tun­ing a bass or guitar faster and easier than ever before.
But at TC Electronic, we are all about moving for­ward, and so the obvious question was: How can we improve on perfection?
Enter PolyTune 2 Mini.
Brighter than a thousand suns
When you need to tune, you need to tune. And the last thing you want to worry about at that moment is a display that is either too bright for the club stage or unusable in the bright sun of a late afternoon gig. The display on PolyTune2 Mini is primed with some of the brightest LEDs you have ever laid your eyes on. And the ambi­ent light sensor makes sure you get just the right amount of brightness. It’s the best of/for both worlds!
Strobe tuning
TC has received many requests from the guitar community for a strobe tuner, so we added a strobe mode, which is both lightning fast and ul­tra precise. And with a pitch detection accuracy of ±0.1 Cent, (that’s 1/1000 of a semitone!) this is the right tool for fine-tuning your precious instru­ment – wherever you may be.
Total recall
PolyTune 2 Mini stores your preferences. From pitch reference to selected tuning mode, it hangs on to this information even after it is powered down – making sure you only have to set these parameters once. And just to be safe, it will dis­play the current settings when you plug in your instrument. One less thing to worry about!
Of course, PolyTune 2 Mini still has all the fea­tures from the original PolyTune that users know and love.
– PolyTune®: Tune all strings simultaneously – For guitars and basses – Supports Drop-D and capo tuning modes – True bypass with silent tuning
PolyTune2 Mini will allow you to tune your instru­ment faster and easier than ever before, so you can go back to doing the one thing we know you care about: playing your music.
Please note that the information in this manual applies both to PolyTune 2 Mini and PolyTune 2 Noir.
Enjoy!
PolyTune 2 Mini English Manual – 2014-09-01 3

Setup

Setup
Ready…
The PolyTune2 Mini box should contain the fol­lowing items:
– 1 PolyTune2 Mini pedal – 2 rubber feet for “non-velcro” pedalboard
mounting – 1 TC Electronic sticker – 1 leaflet about TC’s guitar FX product range.
Inspect all items for signs of transit damage. In the unlikely event of transit damage, inform the carrier and supplier.
If damage has occurred, keep all packaging as it can be used as evidence of excessive handling force.
Set…
– Connect a 9V power supply with the follow-
ing symbol to power in socket of PolyTune2 Mini.
! Please note that PolyTune2 Mini does not
come with a power supply. – Plug the power supply into a power outlet. – Connect your instrument to the “in” jack on
the right side of the pedal using a ¼“ jack cable.
– Connect the “out” jack on the left side of the
pedal to your amplifier using a ¼“ jack cable.
Get ready for a new tuning experience!
Tuning your instrument with PolyTune2 Mini is fast and intuitive. If you don’t feel like reading the manual, just strum your instrument and watch the display. We think you’ll like what you see.
If you want to learn more – read on!
PolyTune 2 Mini English Manual – 2014-09-01 4
Inputs, outputs, controls
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Inputs, outputs, controls

1. Power input

The power input of this pedal is a standard
5.5/2.1mm DC plug (centre = negative).
To power up your pedal, connect a power sup­ply to its power input socket. PolyTune 2 Mini requires a 9V power supply providing 100 mA or more (not supplied). To minimize hum, use a power supply with isolated outputs.

2. Tuning mode button

Set the tuning mode button according to the instrument’s tuning. Use either standard (“e”) or one of the several dropped tuning or capo modes.
Tuning modes are explained in the following section of this manual (“How to use PolyTune 2 Mini”).
The selected tuning mode is stored and will be recalled when you power on PolyTune 2 Mini again.

3. Audio input

Connect your instrument to the IN jack on the right side of the pedal.
The audio input of this pedal is a standard ¼” jack (mono/TS).
When you connect your instrument to the audio input, the following information will be displayed:
– the reference pitch.
For best results, place PolyTune2 Mini in your signal chain before your drive, distortion and vi­brato pedals. A distorted or modulated signal is harder to analyze.

4. Audio output

Connect the OUT jack of PolyTune2 Mini to the input jack of the next device in the signal chain.
The audio output of this pedal is a standard ¼” jack (mono/TS).

5. Footswitch

To turn the tuner on or off, just tap the footswitch.
Notes regarding tuning and signal output
– When the tuner is active, the output will auto-
matically be muted for silent tuning.
– When the tuner is active and no signal is de-
tected, four red LEDs will light on the bottom of the display, indicating that PolyTune2 Mini is ready for tuning.
– PolyTune2 Mini features a true bypass circuit
that leaves your beloved tone unaltered when the tuner is bypassed.

6. Display

The LEDs of the PolyTune2 Mini display are ex­tremely bright; ensuring a clear readout even in broad daylight.
– Standard (“STD”) or Drop D tuning mode – the currently selected display mode – the currently selected tuning mode
PolyTune 2 Mini English Manual – 2014-09-01 5
The various display modes are explained in the following section of this manual (“How to use PolyTune 2 Mini”).
Inputs, outputs, controls

7. Ambilight sensor

In the lower right corner of the display is a so­called ambilight sensor. It detects the strength of the surrounding light and automatically adjusts the display brightness accordingly. This ensures you can see and correct your instrument’s tuning under all conditions.
PolyTune 2 Mini English Manual – 2014-09-01 6
How to use PolyTune 2 Mini

How to use PolyTune 2 Mini

Chromatic vs. polyphonic tuning
A very simple guitar tuner will only allow you to tune open strings, one string at a time – e.g. E, A, d, g, b, and e’ for the standard tuning of a guitar.
PolyTune 2 Mini is a chromatic tuner – mean­ing it will detect and allow you to tune all twelve notes of the scale.
But that’s not all. Other than a traditional tuner, PolyTune 2 Mini allows you to play all your in­strument’s string simultaneously when tuning. PolyTune2 Mini will detect which strings need to be tuned and indicate those strings in its display. This allows you to tune your instrument much fa ster.
Finally, you may have tuned one or all strings on your instrument differently from standard tuning, or you may be using a capo to change the play­able length of the strings.
In all these situation, PolyTune 2 Mini has you covered.
Display modes
PolyTune 2 Mini has two display modes: Nee­dle mode and Strobe mode. To switch between these modes, press and hold the Tuning mode button (2).
Needle mode (indicated by a “G” and the
center LED column lighting up).
Strobe mode (indicated by a “G” and the
middle row of LEDs lighting up).
Needle mode
In Needle mode, when you tune a single string, pitch is indicated by a column of five LEDs in the upper part of the display, and the name of the target note is displayed at the bottom of the display.
If the string you are tuning is too low, LEDs to the left of the center column will light up. If the string is too high, LEDs to the right of the center column will light up.
Tune the string until the middle column and the middle row of green LEDs lights up. This means you are “on target”.
Needle mode – A string in tune
Strobe mode
In Strobe mode, the difference between the correct (target) frequency and the actual de­tected frequency is displayed by two indicators simultaneously:
1. red LEDs to the left (pitch too low) or to the right (pitch to high) of the center LED column
2. rotating segments in the display. The closer the detected frequency is to the target fre­quency, the slower the rotation.
Tune the string until the rotating pattern has
come to a stop and only the middle column of green LED lights up.
Polyphonic tuning
As you know by now, PolyTune2 Mini is a poly-
phonic tuner. You can strum your instrument,
and PolyTune2 Mini will analyze and display the tuning of all strings.
So how do you activate polyphonic tuning mode?
You don’t – it just works. Strum, tune, rock on!
Strum your guitar. Strings that are in tune will be represented by two green LEDs. Strings that need tuning are represented by two red LEDs below (flat) or above (sharp) the middle row.
PolyTune 2 Mini English Manual – 2014-09-01 7
FAQ
Alternate tunings and capos
There’s more to life than E A d g b e’! You may have tuned all strings of your instruments down, or you may be using a capo. In that case, tell PolyTune2 Mini about your instrument’s tuning by pressing the Tuning mode button (2).
FAQ
“I’m not hearing anything!”
When the tuner is active, the output will be mut­ed for silent tuning.
Tune your guitar and strum again. Your instru­ment is in tune when all strings are represented by two green LEDs in the middle row.
Of course, only the strings that are actually pres­ent and played will be shown in the display.
Drop D tuning
“Drop D” is a popular tuning (also known as DADGBE) in which the lowest string of a guitar is tuned down (“dropped”) from E to D.
– If you want to tune an instrument set to
“Drop D”, press and hold the PolyTune2 Mini footswitch for about three seconds.
The word “DROP” will be displayed briefly,
and the default “ready for tuning” indicator at the bottom of the display will change from a small square to a “d”.
– If you want to switch PolyTune2 Mini back
to standard tuning, press and hold the foot­switch for three seconds again.
“STD” will be displayed briefly, and the “ready
for tuning” indicator will go back to a small square.
If you press the tune mode button once, the cur­rent tuning will be displayed (“-- E--” for stan­dard tuning). Pressing the tune button repeatedly will cycle through the following tunings:
Display Mode
--- E --- Standard tuning Eb All strings tuned down 1 semitone
D All strings tuned down 2 semitones
Db All strings tuned down 3 semitones
C All strings tuned down 4 semitones B All strings tuned down 5 semitones
F 1 capo at first fret
Gb 2 capo at second fret
G 3 capo at third fret
Ab 4 capo at fourth fret
A 5 capo at fifth fret
Bb 6 capo at sixth fret
B 7 capo at seventh fret
If you do not touch the tune mode button for two seconds, the display will blink twice, and the se­lected tuning will be used.
The selected tuning mode is stored and will be recalled when you power on PolyTune 2 Mini again.
“The pedal has power supply, but pressing the footswitch doesn’t do anything!”
To operate PolyTune2 Mini, you need to connect an instrument to the pedal’s audio input jack.
“The display shows a red ‘#’ – what does this mean?”
This is the symbol of the Secret Brotherhood of the Tune-O-Calypse of Doom – and it is telling you that you are not playing loud enough…
Just kidding. This symbol shows that your Poly­Tune2 Mini is not bypassed and ready to display the pitches of your instrument’s strings. Please note that this also means that PolyTune2 Mini’s audio output is muted. To unmute, press the footswitch.
“How do I get the best (most accurate) results?”
We have found that you will achieve the most accurate tuning of electric guitars in polyphonic mode by selecting the guitar’s neck pickup and using the thumb to strum the strings.
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Getting support

True bypass

Here at TC, we have a simply philosophy: When you are using one of our products, you should hear something great – and if you don’t, you shouldn’t hear it at all. This is why this pedal sports True Bypass. When it is bypassed, it is really off and has zero influence on your tone, re­sulting in optimum clarity and zero loss of high­end. Also please note that the pedal lets your dry, unprocessed sound pass without ever con­verting it to digital – keeping your original tone pure and without any latency.

Technical specifications

– Input Connector Type:
1 Standard ¼” jack – mono/TS
– Output Connector Type:
1 Standard ¼” jack – mono/TS – Tuning Range: A0 (27.5Hz) to C8 (4186Hz) – Tuning Accuracy: ±0.1cent – Reference Pitch: A4 = 440Hz – Input Impedance: 500kΩ (pedal on) – Power Input: Standard 9V DC,
centre negative >100mA
(power supply not included) – Current Draw: 45 to 50mA (typical use) – Dimensions (W x D x H):
51 x 93 x 45mm / 2 x 3.66 x1.77” – Weight: 160g / 10.6oz
Due to continuous development, these speci-
fications are subject to change without no-
tice.

Getting support

If you still have questions about the product af­ter reading this manual, please get in touch with
TC Support:
http://tcelectronic.com/support/
PolyTune 2 Mini English Manual – 2014-09-01 9
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