MUSIC: Prefered Tuning Method

Hethrir · Post by **Hethrir** » 2003-08-23 06:25am

Which do you prefer? I like WT due it's more beautiful harmonies, and simply for the arrogance of liking all things Bach.

I like 'Just Tuning' second (contrasted against either of the others) for the simple fact of proving Pythagoras wrong.

Slowhand · Post by **Slowhand** » 2003-08-23 07:55pm

I don't understand these tuning methods and I've been a guitarist for 17 years...

jenat-lai · Post by **jenat-lai** » 2003-08-23 08:06pm

Equal tempred sucks. Only pianos should go there.

In reality the major third and minor third should be closer

but then, being a trumpeter, such small things are of little concequence, Ipay the darn thing where it sounds in tune, Let the oboe and violins decide where that is. Trumpets may be the dominant instrument in sound, but we really do just follow.

Also, tuning is different depending on the music type, Modern music (or postmodern-neoromantic styles such as minimalism etc) are often very close to equal tempremant....

As long as it's not period pitch on period instruments (1650's or so) then it's ok (A438 or lower

) but normal pitch or modern pitch (A440 to A442+) is quite a nice sound which Im getting quite used to now days, about A442 is my favourite, quite a tight sound in the strings, and the brass instruments tend to be alot brighter at that pitch too.

Hethrir · Post by **Hethrir** » 2003-08-23 09:22pm

Slowhand wrote:I don't understand these tuning methods and I've been a guitarist for 17 years...

Ever tuned your guitar by ear up the strings, but found the octave out when you reached the other end? This is a classic example of temperment, nobody really knows where to put the intervals between the octave.

But it was a mere coincidence that the musical interval for a pure fifth happened to be very near from that for a fifth of 12 tone equal temperament. And this coincidence made Pythagoras think that this pure fifth relationship was the foundation of the tonal system

Thanks mate

We used to have what was called 'Just Tuning' which was tuning the major notes in a scale (pun not intended) by ear perfectly and having the other 'black' notes avioded for their detestable sound (hence the black and white notes on a piano).

Then someone came up with the briliant idea of equally dividing the notes up into 12 for the octave and getting a good sound out of an instrument, but not getting all the intervals perfect (used today). This makes every key sound the same and some intervals not quite right. This is called Even Temperment.

Bach came up with the idea of not equally dividing the notes up, and having a set relationship between them. This meant that all keys had a flavour, but all intervals were the same. This is called Well Temperment.

So simply put, all the notes just don't fit into the octave while all achieving perfect relationship with each other. Many people have come up with solutions and it's a matter of preference which one you like.

Personally, i detest ET on a guitar. The notes have such a bland sound and it makes it so much harder to ring beautiful harmonies without beating. If you have a 12 string guitar, slightly mistune it (without going too far) and it will sound much nicer.

Saurencaerthai · Post by **Saurencaerthai** » 2003-08-23 10:59pm

I generally just tune my set in either minor thirds or perfect fourths.

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2003-08-23 11:07pm

I don't have much choice...I'm a mallet player, so A=440 and I'll like it!

Although there are some rather freaky chords you can get from ET...if I had a keyboard with me, I could tell you what they are, but I can't envision hand position that well.

Drewcifer · Post by **Drewcifer** » 2003-08-24 02:29am

Hethrir wrote:Ever tuned your guitar by ear up the strings, but found the octave out when you reached the other end? This is a classic example of temperment, nobody really knows where to put the intervals between the octave.

On my acoustic yes, but not on my electric. Sometimes if the intonation gets out of whack -- and all my guitars seem to go out of whack in the same way -- I have to tune the low E and the G a little flat to compensate until I can get my hands on a strobe tuner to set it correctly again.

Regarding your poll, I have no idea...I just tune my guitar and play...I'm one of those annoying rock and roll fuckers

aphexmonster · Post by **aphexmonster** » 2003-08-24 01:41pm

Drewcifer wrote:
Hethrir wrote:Ever tuned your guitar by ear up the strings, but found the octave out when you reached the other end? This is a classic example of temperment, nobody really knows where to put the intervals between the octave.
On my acoustic yes, but not on my electric. Sometimes if the intonation gets out of whack -- and all my guitars seem to go out of whack in the same way -- I have to tune the low E and the G a little flat to compensate until I can get my hands on a strobe tuner to set it correctly again.

Regarding your poll, I have no idea...I just tune my guitar and play...I'm one of those annoying rock and roll fuckers

:::watches as he immediately starts playing stairway to heaven::::

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-08-24 04:01pm

tuned down a half-step to help cover my ghastly vocals

Drewcifer · Post by **Drewcifer** » 2003-08-24 11:58pm

aphexmonster wrote:
Drewcifer wrote:...I'm one of those annoying rock and roll fuckers
:::watches as he immediately starts playing stairway to heaven::::

haha probably not. I know most of the rock standards, including Stairway to Freebird

, but I'm mostly a roots rock player, more like Jay Farrar or Matthew Sweet than Jimmy Page. It depends on what I'm playing or writing, but there's usually a lot of twang in my thang.

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MUSIC: Prefered Tuning Method

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