The Steel Guitar Forum Store 

Post new topic Digital Keyboard Goes Flat
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  Digital Keyboard Goes Flat
Lee Baucum


From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
Post  Posted 29 Sep 2002 10:15 am    
Reply with quote

This has nothing to do with steel guitar, but I know there are some techs out there that can answer this.

I play acoustic guitar in a Praise and Worship band at our church. Every now and then, our keyboard player's keyboard will go flat, relative to everybody else's tuning. It's not a half-step or anything that drastic, just a hair flat. It's enough that I have to stop playing along with him. When the song is over, he can turn off his keyboard and then turn it back on again and all is well. In the past, it will just happened once, during a service. Today, it happened three times.

Could it be we have a fluctuation in voltage coming in to that particular electrical outlet? Or could it be a problem with the keyboard itself?

------------------
Lee, from South Texas
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 29 Sep 2002 10:33 am    
Reply with quote

Nope, voltage fluctuations shouldn't have anything to do with it...that is, unless the instrument is of sub-standard design. At the heart of all these instruments is a precision oscillator circuit built around a fixed crystal, and that crystal (and the surrounding components, to an extent) is what keeps it "on key".

In other words...yes, that keyboard has gone kafluey.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

chas smith R.I.P.


From:
Encino, CA, USA
Post  Posted 29 Sep 2002 11:21 am    
Reply with quote

Any possibility that everyone else is going sharp from all the excitement?
View user's profile Send private message

Richard Sinkler


From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
Post  Posted 29 Sep 2002 11:38 am    
Reply with quote

He definately needs to have it serviced. Something is definately wrong. I owned an Ensoniq ESQ-1 synth that used 3 oscillators to develop the sounds and I had a problem where they would randomly detune (independently in different directions and amounts) causing all sorts of problems. Of course, with most modern (last 20 years or so) keyboards, all the components are on 1 or 2 circuits boards and they just replace the whole board instead of troubleshooting to the component level.

------------------
Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Lee Baucum


From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
Post  Posted 30 Sep 2002 2:13 pm    
Reply with quote

Thanks for your help, guys. Well, Donnie and Richard, anyhow.

I'll pass the info on to our keyboard player.

------------------
Lee, from South Texas
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

Ernie Renn


From:
Brainerd, Minnesota USA
Post  Posted 1 Oct 2002 3:36 am    
Reply with quote

Our key player had to replace the tuning adjustment pot. It was way beyond cleaning. It'd change pitch back and forth in the same song. It depended on how firmly he'd hit the keys. New pot installed... no problems...

------------------
My best,
Ernie

The Official Buddy Emmons Website
www.buddyemmons.com


View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

jerry wallace

 

From:
Artesia , NM (deceased)
Post  Posted 1 Oct 2002 8:39 pm    
Reply with quote

Lee, unless the oscillator crystal is in an "tempature controlled oven", ambiant temperature as well as heat generated by other componants inside and near can cause small changes in the pitch..

Frequency counters/calibrators made for high degrees of accuracy have there crystals in a "oven" and the temp is maintained at a very constant temperature..

------------------
Jerry Wallace-2001 Zum: D-10,8+6, "98 Zum: D-10,8+8,Nashville 1000,Session 500 ,Session 400 head only amp,Tubefex,ProfexII, Artesia, New Mexico
http://communities.msn.com/jerrywallacemusic http://www.jerrywallacemusic.com

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website

Dave Robbins

 

From:
Cottontown, Tnn. USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 1 Oct 2002 9:51 pm    
Reply with quote

I have been playing some session work with a keboard player friend of mine who has recently been experiencing something similar. We can be right in the middle of a take and all the sudden the keyboard will just take off south! It's pitch will just go extremely flat. He has to unplug it for a little while and then replug it and it is alright again. Strange...very strange...but usually real funny too!

Dave
View user's profile Send private message


All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  

Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction,
steel guitars & accessories

www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

Please review our Forum Rules and Policies

Steel Guitar Forum LLC
PO Box 237
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 USA


Click Here to Send a Donation

Email admin@steelguitarforum.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for
Band-in-a-Box

by Jim Baron
HTTP