tuning based on frequency

[slapadelic]

Hi guys, i need some information here on tunning.

We should all know how to use a basic electronic tuner. Most these tuners also come with the option to change the freq you tune to. What is that about? I do see that when its in its default mode, it reads like 440hz? haha... anyone has any idea?

My bloody tuner just died... so yeah, anyone here who bothers to tune outside of the norm? Does the note stay the same?

 

[sofyan]

use an online tuner

 

[theblueark]

In history, sometime in the 50s i recall, it was internationally standardised that A above middle C was to be 440Hz. Before that standard, tunings were different all over the place.

Orchestras in the early 19th centuary tended to increase their pitches a little, to compete with other orchestras, sounding more 'brilliant'. Lots more interesting stuff happened before the standard was implemented.

The reason why your tuners have the ability to adjust, is so that if you go to somewhere, and they have nice piano, or pipe organ, or any other hard to tune instrument, you don't tune that instrument. You check what that instruement is tuned to, say maybe 380Hz. Then you set your tuner to that, and tune the rest of your band/ensemble to that instrument.

 

[Cheez]

440Hz refers to the standard tuning for concert A note. As with frequencies, you can see that the note "A" can have a certain range before it starts to sound like either G# or A#.

Tuning was not always set at 440. In the olden times (17th century), it was set at 425. That was because of the make of violins and strings (using gut instead of steel). Setting the tuning higher tend to snap the strings. As instruments develop, the standard tuning for A also increases. 440, I believe, was set by Bach. Today's standard A tuning fork is also set at 440.

Today, 440 remains the standard. But other tunings are also commonly used. I believe European orchestra tunes at 443. The Steinberg piano is tuned at 440 in New York but 443 in Hamburg. When I was in the school band (eons ago), we tend to tune to 440 usually, but 442 when in a cold room. The reason was instruments tend to become flat in cold temperatures. So we were told to tune "sharper" ie 442. But once the instrument is warmed up, tuning will change. So I'm not exactly certain that tuning sharp in a cold room will make the difference - the important thing being to make sure instruments are warmed up during tuning and throughout performance.

 

[slapadelic]

Thanks guys. The was informative =) now i better understand.

 

[live33]

Someone posted a link here in the past to a "Tuning History" page at Schiller Institute. Just thought i'll put it here to share.

http://www.schillerinstitute.org/music/rev_tuning_hist.html

 

[Ruff-Muff]

So I'm not exactly certain that tuning sharp in a cold room will make the difference - the important thing being to make sure instruments are warmed up during tuning and throughout performance.

I encounter the same problem with wood wind instrument. But what i did was to literally warm up my instrument by blowing long gusts of warm air into the instrument. It helps, but still you have to tune a little sharper to maintain a correct pitch. It seems like the cold air doesn't quite allow warm air to get thru. Any thoughts, anyone?

 

[Cheez]

Yes, blowing hot air into the instrument is how we warm it up and keep it warm during the resting bars of a piece. I think the key is to maintain it at a constant temperature. Then the tuning will not change.

I think I understand what you mean by "cold air does not allow warm air to get through". It's the feeling of blowing warm air and the instrument doesn't feel as if it lets you get the air through as well as in a warm environment. I think the reason is because cold air moves slower than warm air, and therefore the warm air going through a tube of cold air in the instrument will encounter some form of "resistance". The speed of the air is also what causes the change in frequency (ie pitch and tuning) - cold air=slower speed=lower frequency=flat.

So while tuning sharp will help, maintaining at a constant temperature is still the key to maintaining a constant tuning in cold environment. I've lost a lot of my physics since my school days. I'm sure others can explain the physics and acoustics better than me.

 

[unagi]

Hi guys, i need some information here on tunning.

We should all know how to use a basic electronic tuner. Most these tuners also come with the option to change the freq you tune to. What is that about? I do see that when its in its default mode, it reads like 440hz? haha... anyone has any idea?

My bloody tuner just died... so yeah, anyone here who bothers to tune outside of the norm? Does the note stay the same?

sorry but u're tuning a guitar or ..?

i use a tuning fork that is at A note with freq 440Hz. old-school method b4 electronic tuners came and make our life easier (or has it?).

there are quite a few articles on the web on how to tune using a tuning fork (and its a cheap piece of metal that is porketable). i use it to tune my A or E string and then tune the rest. After that, i double check with the tuning fork on every string at all A positions, something like checking for intonations.

maybe u can try. never hurts to have tuning methods more than one.

 

[Cheez]

Not to foget that there's the pitch pipe - one of the most inconsistent piece of tuning equipment I know!

Agree - tuning fork is great. Also help to train you ear rather than depend on electronics. Always tune with ear first - then check with electronic tuner later on if you want.

 

[theblueark]

Fun with a tuning fork:

Hit it, then put the base (where you hold your hand) against your teeth. Make sure it doesn't rattle against your teeth but is firmly placed. You will hear the pure note inside your head. TRIPPY! Tried it a couple of years ago

 

[unagi]

teeth?! wow... it does get crazy sometimes eh..... hahaha.

 

[live33]

Fun with a tuning fork:

Hit it, then put the base (where you hold your hand) against your teeth. Make sure it doesn't rattle against your teeth but is firmly placed. You will hear the pure note inside your head. TRIPPY! Tried it a couple of years ago

If i open my mouth wide while doing that, does my mouth acts as a sound hole and amplify the A note? LOL... I can hear the ringing in my head after removing the tuning fork. Perfect pitch!

 

[Cheez]

The sound is conducted through the bones in your skull to your hearing system in your ears (the auditory nerves). For testing of hearing (for certain type of hearing losses), we usually put the tuning fork behind the ear on the bone (mastoid), We also put it on the forehead. There are a few other manipulations but no point putting it down here.

 

[sofyan]

hehehehe :wink:

 

[Colarndo]

"E" note of a Bass is 440hz

 

[Cheez]

No it is not. 440Hz is A.

If you used a tuner tuning your bass at "440Hz", it simply means that the "A "is tuned to 440. The "E" string is tuned with respect to the standard concert 440Hz "A".

The lowest note (E) of the bass guitar is actually about 41Hz.

 

[Colarndo]

Opps, ok cause my sound textbook said E string on bass is 440hz