Electronic Tuner

[John Roche]

The only problem I have found with tuners is if other members of the band use there own tuner there seems to be conflicts. Last night I played at a jam session and every guitarist used there own tuner, I found that I had to play above the fret marks to be in tune with them.

[Charlie McDonald]

Last weekend, I pulled out the little tuner before the set, every note was the same !

Seems a lot of guys get the same results with batteries: A=440, E=440, etc.

Here's mine, $30, 30 years ago.
It's not accurate to more than 2-1/2 c., which makes it fine for meantone
(+ or - 2.5, 5, 7.5, etc.), and fortunately that requires fine tuning by ear.

I originally used it for setting A & C on a piano.

[Gene Jones]

What irks me are those who claim they can tune by ear so they don't a tuner but, have tuned out of tune far enough that even in a noisy atmostphere you can hear their bad tuning.

You might want to soften your criticism in respect to those who worked in this business for many years before tuners were invented. For those whose work experience is after the advent of the electronic tuner, I suppose they never had the opportunity to learn to tune by ear. But, for many of us who toiled in the "dark ages", we didn't do so bad without an electronic tuner.

[Charlie McDonald]

Gene, sometimes I think it was better. I never heard Bob Wills play in anything but pleasing tune.
There's way too much reliance on the things, to the detriment of tonal hearing.
There's something too fussy and sterile with one mass tuning standard these days as it goes to recordings.

I applied at ProPiano in NYC in the 80's; they had me tune a piano with a StroboConn. I couldn't believe it.
New York would have eaten my lunch anyway.

[Tracy Sheehan]

What Gene Jones said .

[b0b]

Gene, sometimes I think it was better. I never heard Bob Wills play in anything but pleasing tune.

You're the lucky one! I have an LP, I think it was on the Kapp label, that is downright painful.

[Doug Jones]

When Newman's tuning chart came out and the Korg WT-10 was the hot ticket, I got hooked. I determined the cabinet drop issue and methodically created my own tuning chart for my Emmons. I did this and checked it several mornings in a row when I thought my ears were good. Once I was convinced it sounded in tune I noted all the tuning #s in hertz. I had other steelers come listen and they agreed it sounded in tune. Since then, I will use my old WT-12 to fine tune when changing strings or before a recording session. I also use a DTR-1 in my rack between some songs, especially playing outdoor stages quite a bit in the busy season. I'm a strong believer in if your steel is in tune and something sounds bad it's my fault. If I'm on a non-critical gig I'll check by harmonics out loud.

[Charlie McDonald]

I'm OK with folky

[Ralph Paulin]

I use a Korg WT-12 Chromatic.
I went to see BIG E when he came to
A music store in Pawtucket R.I. in the late 70's
He showed me what he used so I imediatly
walked up to the counter and bought it.
It still works fine although I have to tap
it with my finger to double check the calibration.
Well worth the $180.00 Investment

Ralph Paulin
North Kingstown R.I.

By the way
big E totally blew my Mind....

[James Martin (U.K.)]

I'm having the same problem as John Roche.I've been using the Jeff EO9. Every gig I've played since using the Stroboflip has been spent tuning and retuning all night. Last night I tuned the guitar using my old Korg and had a great night - no problems. I've no doubt the tuner is working properly the problem is in my use of it. What's going on here. Any suggestions? You betcha!!

[Jeff Hyman]

John,
I agree. The Peterson will perform best for the band if all pickers use the one unit. PITA in some cases but it works. Maybe a little more forgiving to the Bass player, but the Lead players a must. This request is sometimes wishful thinking.

James,
A mistake I made on my StroboRack is setting the dial to Standard Guitar for the lead player, then forgetting to dial it back to the E09 setting when tuning my PSG. This mistake doesn't happen any more. There's lots of valid feedback here. Like Gene, I remember the days before the CONN Stobotuner using a tuning fork. Simple 4 piece band with all good pickers. Still sounded good until we used the CONN when it first came out. Major improvement. One thing worth trying is to tune to the Peterson, then immediately tune to the Korg and observe the difference between the two units.

Charlie,
You have a HUGE advantage with that super-sonic radar-obsorbing super-human non-rusting water-proof Rogain-emitting insect-resistant odor-obsorbing non-breakable scratch-resistant alien-detecting PSG-tuner you hide under that hat of yours. We need to see the inside of that hat so we can all argue on equal grounds :-) I do believe the Smithsonian Institute in DC would gladly put both the hat and your old tuner next to Fonzies Jacket. :-)

DISCLAIMER: Don't blame me, I'm just the messenger

[David Chapman]

I USE THE PETERSON VIRTUAL STROBE TUNER ITS THE BEST NOTHING ELSE WILL DO

[Les Anderson]

Gene, I have been around since the dark ages of no tuners and people using the same set of strings for more than a year, worn out and dead or not.

In about 1960 or 61 I was playing bass with a country band when the lead guitarist, broke his E string and borrowed one of my bass strings. He tried everything in his power to tune it to the other strings but finally gave up and tuned the other five strings to match the bass guitar string.

In those days, a tuner was for sissies.

[Bo Legg]

Back in those days we all had to play by ear which explains why there were no pedals on the steel guitar.
You can’t pick with one ear and reach the pedals with the other.
Those were the days when we all tuned up using our ears . This left our hands free to pinch the bar maid with one hand and hold a beer in the other while tuning.
We finally decided to use the same tuner so we would all be tuned the same. Well we started of using the Bass players ear but the Guitar player lost it and then we had to use the drummers ear.
Pretty soon each band member was down to one ear and we had to quit tuning that way.
Those were the good ole days!