I'd like to talk about your ears.

Chasplaya
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2008 8:41 pm
Status: Offline

Fri Jan 28, 2011 3:50 pm

When I started playing many moons ago, I used a pitch pipe to get the high E then did the 5th Fret 4th fret comparison thing, as did my friends it was amazing the difference we used to get . I now mostly use digital tuners one is the Korg CA-30 and the newest acquisition is a headstock one called a cherub, my nylon Tak has an on-board tuner, I have also got the Micro BR tuner now not used yet though. My only guitar which gets as close to perfect intonation is my Cole Clark it is exact to the cent at the 12th fret on all strings.

I've also tried harmonic tuning but my ears ain't what they used to be so I can't rely on that for tuning , having said that I can pick out if the guitar is ever so slightly out, I just have difficulty in tuning by ear.


Hydroman52
Posts: 0
Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2009 7:52 am
Status: Offline

Sun Jan 30, 2011 10:19 pm

Dennis,

My tuning method has really evolved since I first started playing. It’s hard to even remember back that far. I think that I actually tried to play for a while without any type of instruction and tuned to the records, maybe similar to slack key. Then I picked up some books and somewhere they said that there was a standard tuning and described what it was. My Dad played the organ, so I used it to tune each string to pitch.

Shortly thereafter, I took some bluegrass lessons and was instructed on how to use an A (440 hz) tuning fork to tune the fifth string and then use the method of fretting at the fifth and fourth to tune the rest. The guys at the music store said it was the most important part of learning to play and they sold me a really good tuning fork. I was told to keep it in its padded case within my guitar case and never risk damaging it by dropping or striking on a hard object. Always strike on the side of the leg or the kneecap then press the butt end of it (it had a nice round end) against the bridge to get the top of the guitar resonating to pitch. Then tune up the A string until the pulsing stopped. It was all too easy.

This all worked great for the first week or so. Then I went in for another lesson and my instructor taught me the better method of using harmonics to tune up. They also told me about how humidity, temperature, and strings stretching would affect the tuning and to recheck with the tuning fork often. Back then, we would let the strings “settle in” rather than grabbing them and stretching them out. It always seemed to take forever for them to stop stretching and going out of tune within a song or two. I always played my guitar a lot after changing strings before I would go play anywhere that it really mattered so I wouldn't mess things up.

So this is how I tuned my guitar for most of my life . . . . . a good 440 tuning fork and then harmonics. . . . . . . . until a few years ago when I foolishly loaned out my guitar. When it came back, my old friends (the tuning fork and my last tortoise shell pick) were missing. Bummer. So I needed a tuning fork and went to a music store to get one. All they had were cheap E forks. What else could I do? I bought it and used it for a while (not the same as a my good old 440) until I discovered the electronic tuners. I had picked up a couple more guitars and then bought a couple of Korg CA-40 tuners to stick in the cases. I liked them so much that I bought the Korg CA-40 TM (tuner & metronome) for the next couple of guitars I purchased. These things got it so close that I sort of forgot about the old method except when I used harmonics to do a quick adjustment without having to dig in my case for the tuner.

Then I started to go to regular practice sessions with other people and it always seemed that there was too much commotion and noise to do a proper job of tuning up. I got the companion contact mic thing that clips onto the headstock and plugs into the input jack of the Korg and that worked great. Just recently, I saw the Snark headstock tuner go on sale at Amazon. Everyone seemed to rate them high and I wanted to do away with the messy mic cord with the Korg, so I ordered two to try out. I think they were only $6.00 - $8.00 each. These are very good. They’re small, simple to use, readout is in color, and are brightly backlit. I guess you could leave it on while playing, but I take it off after I’m done tuning up. It’s too distracting for me with it hanging out there.

Every Wednesday evening, I jam with a friend for a few hours. He played electric bass and keyboard professionally for a number of years. Now he is playing a Breedlove acoustic bass with a pickup that he plugs into a mixer and then into a PA. He was using a pass through tuner when we first started playing together, but has dumped it for this little Snark. It has no problem picking up his low E. Most of the time, I show up at his place, walk right into the house and up to the music room. He’s usually jamming away to a You-Tube video or something like that. I can just sit down and check my tuning without interrupting him. In the past, he would have to stop making noise while I got squared away. His bass doesn’t interfere too much with my tuning. Now there is a Snark in each of my guitar cases and one clipped on each of my music stands. It even works on my Uke.

So there you have it, more than you needed to know. Complete tuning method history from slack key to Snark.

Hydroman52


Post Reply Previous topicNext topic