Calculate optimal gauge, tension, and pitch for every wire in your harp, lyre, or zither build with precision engineering
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Four calculation modes and automated optimization for complete string-set design
Athons was developed by engineers and luthiers who understand that a single miscalculated wire can compromise an entire build. This workbench eliminates guesswork with precision solving across gauge ladders, material databases, and historical tuning systems.
Everything you need for precise string engineering in one application
Build and save unlimited string-set designs for harps, lyres, zithers, and custom instruments. Each project stores tuning system, material choices, and calculated tension values.
Automatically sweeps your entire gauge ladder to find the ideal wire diameter for every string. Applies neighbor smoothing to prevent over-optimized adjacent strings.
Calculates beat rates and psychoacoustic roughness for all interval pairs. Color-coded heat map reveals consonance issues before you string the instrument.
Single-string calculations in four modes: solve for gauge given tension, solve for tension given pitch, solve for pitch given length, or solve for speaking length.
Deep collection includes equal temperament, Pythagorean, quarter-comma meantone, Werckmeister III, Kirnberger III, Vallotti, Young II, and pure just intonation systems.
Extensive library covering steel music wire, stainless steel, phosphor bronze, copper, titanium alloy, nylon, fluorocarbon, and natural gut with accurate density and strength values.
Understand the computational foundation behind every wire calculation
Athons employs classical string vibration physics combined with material science databases to compute tension, stress, elongation, and inharmonicity for any wire configuration. The gauge optimizer performs exhaustive searches across commercially available wire diameters to minimize deviation from target tension while respecting utilization limits.
Beat-rate mapping applies psychoacoustic models to quantify interval roughness, helping you predict which string pairs will sound smooth versus harsh. This is critical for instruments using historical temperaments where wolf intervals can dominate the sonic character.
The four-mode bench solver inverts standard string equations, allowing you to work backward from desired pitch or tension to find required gauge or speaking length. This flexibility supports both traditional builds following established ratios and experimental designs exploring unconventional scales.
iOS application · Free download · Install in under 2 minutes
Download AthonsRequires iOS device. Free version includes core solver and tuning library. Pro features available via in-app subscription. Suitable for professional luthiers and serious hobbyists aged 12+.