Guitar Tuning

Subject: Guitar Tuning
From: Lester
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 12:19 PM


I know the new electronic tuners mean you can tune quietly but it is only quietly, not silently. Back in the good old days when you tuned by ear it was so loud you didn't do it when others were performing, these new tuners are a menace. So please don't tune when others are singing or playing because we can hear you and it is very, very annoying.

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Leadfingers
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 12:39 PM

Lester - A VERY valid pont - I have been known to tune up (Electronic)
while some one else was performing , but I DO tend to avoid doing so if the performer is unaccompanied . If its an Unka Chunka Melodeon , I am not going to affect them though . Am I ?

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 03:22 PM

Oh please! The new tuners are great when the musician is confronted with loud audiences. Also they are wonderful to go from one tuning to another; DADGAD to standard. To do that by ear is a waste of time both for the musician and the audience and lastly as the human ear gets older it is more difficult to hear the true pitch of the string. Get a tuner and get a life.

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Lester
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 03:28 PM

Leadfingers - It's not an Unka Chunka it's a Salterelle.
Guest - Re my message it's not about individual performers in front of an audience it's about people tuning whilst others are performing

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 03:40 PM

Lester's absolutely right. Playing anything (including tuning) whilst others are performing is the height of rudeness, and is totally unneccessary. Would an unaccomperated singer start singing scales whilst another was performing, on the basis that they were warming their voice up? Of course not - good manners make it a complete no-no.

Everyone knows that stringed instruments need to be tuned before a performance, and that they need to be re-tuned (or tuning checked)during a performance, and audiences understand and expect it. The time to tune up is before any performances begin, with a quick check and tweak when you first go on - absolutely NOT while someone else is playing or singing.

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 08:41 PM

Right on John

Don T.

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 24 Mar 07 - 09:53 PM

But what do you do if the tuning and noodling in the background is more interesting than the "performance"?

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 04:24 AM

Makes no difference - good manners MUST prevail and the noodler/tuner needs telling to shut the f**k up.

I'm assuming the scenario you describe is purely hypothetical, but if it does, in fact, exist then that's a different problem from the one under discussion here, with different remedies! :-)

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 10:12 AM

I agree with the notion of tuning before things start. I was singing my set at an open mic one night years ago where a singer did feel the need to warm up his voice at a table close to the stage. One of the coffee house managers pointed out to him the error of his ways.

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Mr Happy
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 10:14 AM

they should make 'em with an earphone!

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Willie-O
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 10:37 AM

All guitar players should be issued Stratocasters and floor-pedal tuners. Better yet, synthesizers. Acoustic guitars should be forcibly repossessed from their untrustworthy suspicious owners (who undoubtedly have other moral failings that cause them to deserve this treatment). In fact, all acoustic instruments should be banned. As a class they are an obsolete nuisance.

That oughtta take care of the problem described and a whole bunch more.

None dare gainsay me, for I am...
Willie-O

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 12:02 PM

:-) LOL!

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: The Sandman
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 12:09 PM

It sends out a message that the guy/girl performing is not worth listening too ,it is arrogant,bad mannered and insensitive and under NO circumstances, should it be done

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: GUEST,Mally
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 07:23 PM

"So please don't tune when others are singing or playing because we can hear you and it is very, very annoying."

I've not been lucky enough yet to play anywhere that quiet!!! However, if I do, you can rest assured that I'll leave the tuning until no-one else is playing. :-)

Mally

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 07:34 PM

absolutely ...bloody prima donnas. they need a kick up the bum with an open toed sandal - that's make them look sharp.

good manners in a folk club....!
just count yourself lucky if we let you let you finish the song before flogging you a raffle ticket.
Which d'you want by the way, the bottle of wine or the box of Turkish Delights?

and it traditional round here that the guest buys five quids worth and puts the prize back in for next week if he wins.

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 11:47 PM

That's a very posh club you go to, WLD, with new raffle prizes every week! At ours the raffle prize is the same CD every week - everybody hates it and puts it back in as next week's prize.

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 25 Mar 07 - 11:57 PM

And before you ask, NO it's not mine! :-)

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 06:10 AM

All those Lowdens and Martins, I thought the economies must kick in somewhere..........

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 07:38 AM

Hmm. I bought a Boss tuner about 20 years ago and I still use it occasionally but maybe it's just me - I've never found it that useful for decent acoustic guitars. It's ok on the top three strings but lower down it seems to get confused. I've always thought it was because the lower the pitch of string, the more interference there is from harmonics and overtones from other strings. Maybe I'm wrong.

When I have got it 'in tune' according to the machine and then played a chord the chord invariably doesn't sound right to me. Again, maybe that's just me.

I've seen these new tuners that seem to fit on the head of the guitar - is this what we're talking about? Anyone have any information on them? I wouldn't mind giving one a try.

One thing to remember in a session is that not every instrument can tune as easily as a guitar. If you're playing alongside a concertina or an accordion a tuner's no good to you if the reed instrument is sharp or flat from concert pitch. In that event you just have to use your ears. That's what they're for, after all.

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 11:41 AM

three out of six ain't bad!

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Big Mick
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 12:02 PM

Chris, the new tuners are the Intellitouch tuners. I have had one for 6 or 7 years now. I am completely satisfied with their performance, and the service on these units is first rate. The knuckle on them eventually wears out. Send it back to them and they will repair free of charge with the exception of shipping.

I use three different tuners, depending on where I am and what the conditions are. Onstage with my band (The Conklin Ceili Band)I use the Boss TU-2 stomp tuner. I have one set up for my bouzouki, and one for the trusty old Larrivee. When I am playing solo acoustic, or in a session setting, I use my Intellitouch PT1. This is my workhorse tuner. At home, I also have a Boss TU-12H, which I use when I am in a quiet environment. I also use this one when I am tuning my Uilleann pipes as it has a needle monitor.

If I had to pick just one, it would be the Intellitouch. It is easy to use, and works in noisy environments. Once in a while, when a bass player is noodling at very high decibel rates, it will affect the Intellitouch, but that is rare.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Songster Bob
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 01:08 PM

"All guitar players should be issued Stratocasters and floor-pedal tuners." But no amps, right? Of course, if everyone had a Boss TU-whatever pedal tuner, then the problem would be fussing over changing batteries whilst others are performing!

The point is to be quiet when others are "on," and do your tuning when it's your turn to play/sing/wank in public. I have different electronic tuners, for different instruments, and know a few tricks -- for instance, when tuning by ear, you pluck near the bridge, but for electronic tuners, near or at the octave point gets better results (I guess it emphasizes the fundamental over the harmonics or something). But I don't use 'em till I'm "on." Then a quick tuneup and I can start my song/set/concert. In any case, tuning is part of your set, or playing in tune is, anyway, so use your own time to tune before you start performing.

And if your instrument is in tune by the electronic tuner (or the ears of yourself and the rest of the band), but still sounds "out" once you start fretting, it's probably time for new strings or a guitar repair/replacement (Is your bridge saddle leaning? Is your neck corkscrewing? Is the top bulging?). Being in tune sometimes means more than that the open strings match some standard set of pitches. Don't, however, expect your audience to sit quietly while you restring your 12-string!

And if you need to warm up your vocalizer parts before your turn, sing on the bloody choruses! If you're any good, your added voice will support the other singers, making you more welcome when it's your turn. Ditto playing along when there's instrumental music to make. Don't take over, even if you're good enough to do so, but offer your talents when appropriate (but ask first; unaccompanied singers might or might not like your attempt at a bagpipe accompaniment).

My approach, at least what I try to do, is support the music being made, either by playing or singing along (if asked/allowed) when it's someone else's turn, or accepting others playing and singing when it's my turn (and is appropriate). If no other "voice" is needed, I'll hold off. If there are already three banjos, I'll play guitar, or mandolin, or harmonica or nothing. I don't always succeed in stifling my enthusiasm for accompanying others, but I try.

My hope is that my epitaph will read, "Played well with others."

Bob Clayton

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Midchuck
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 01:28 PM

All guitar players should be issued Stratocasters and floor-pedal tuners. Better yet, synthesizers. Acoustic guitars should be forcibly repossessed from their untrustworthy suspicious owners (who undoubtedly have other moral failings that cause them to deserve this treatment). In fact, all acoustic instruments should be banned. As a class they are an obsolete nuisance.

Jeeeezus Kee-rist on a crutch! Who let this obnoxious dork in here? Punk rocker. Probably plays on stage in nothing but his dirty underpants.

This list is going totally down the tubes. I quit!

Peter.

(That was what you wanted, right? Nyuck, Nyuck.)

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 01:53 PM

Thanks, Mick.

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: GUEST,worker
Date: 26 Mar 07 - 06:23 PM

I agree with Strollin Johnny

Subject: RE: Guitar Tuning
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 27 Mar 07 - 07:34 AM

I think most of the serious posters on here do!