How to improve Intonation?

Sigi Meissner · From: Duebendorf, Switzerland

Recently I got the DVD of a gig I played with our Band.
I'm kinda disappointed of my playing. I thought it was much better. All the runs and fills where technical an musical Ok. But although I have a good hearing my intonation has not the precision I have expected. Especially in fast things.
Is there a certain practicing method to improve that or is there only another 100 000 miles to go with the bar?

Emmons, Steelking

Thnx for help
Sigi

P Gleespen · From: Toledo, OH USA

I'm not the most in tune guy in the world, but I've found it helps to play (practice, that is) against long sustained tones and really listen (REALLY listen) to your self as you slowly play up and down the scale. (...and sometimes up and down the string too, that'll help a lot with yer ears, and it's so often avoided...)

A while back Bob Hofnar (whoops, that's Hoffnar) was selling a cd with lots of long sustained tones on it (as well as long sustained chords) for just this purpose.

I think if you did a search in Buy and Sell you might find it. I don't know if he's still selling 'em.

Hope that's helpful!
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Patrick

Jon Light (deceased) · From: Saugerties, NY

Another recommendation for Bob's CD. Here's the info you need--

http://www.bobhoffnar.net/intonation.html

Any time spent with this is time well spent.

Howard Tate · From: Leesville, Louisiana, USA, R.I.P.

If it's still available "Long Tones and Chords For Ear Training" by Bob Hoffnar helps a lot, especially if you practice with it before a session. I don't have the link but he's a forum member.

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Sigi.

What "tuning method" or "cents sharp or flat chart" are you using?

Is it you, or other members of the band?

(Vocalists are typically flat.)

(Guitars are typically sharp.)

?

EJL

Papa Joe Pollick · From: Swanton, Ohio

For me,the two best tools I've found for improving my intonation are a fretless insturment and a recorder.Since I've started on steel my ear has gotten much better.I record my practice and listen for the sour ones.
I spend a lot of time practicing above the 12th fret just to tighten up the intonation. If it's good up there I know it's gonna be right when I'm in the lower
register. Works for me. Smile

PJ

Mike Winter · From: Portland, OR

Seems like if your instrument is "in tune," then it's a matter of your ear. It's like when some people whistle. Some are on pitch, others are way off...usually flat. With a fretless instrument it's even more important...if you can't hear when you're not on pitch, then you're tone deaf. I don't think it's possible to play any fretless instrument correctly if that's the case.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I still sell the intonation practice CD's. Check my website for info and contact me directly if you have any questions. Its a pretty simple idea that does work. It works in the same way that a metronome works to improve your sense of time. Working with a drone can help you to learn how to focus your attention to improve pitch perception.

Thanks guys !
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Bob

David Doggett · Posted 16 Apr 2007 6:23 am

When I was in high school band our director had us play Bach chorals to focus on intonation (Now Thank We All Our God, O Sacred Head Now Wounded, A Mighty Fortress is Our God). That works for steel too. The simple pure major and minor chord harmonies, the slow stately pace and the long held notes at the end of each phrase are good for close listening. Other slow hymns such as Amazing Grace, as well as popular ballads work for the same reason. This may not translate directly to fast playing. But if you develop good bar placement playing slow, and gradually speed up, maybe it will eventually improve the fast stuff too. Also, it is good to practice intonation without vibrato. Then you hear the raw bar placement with no chance to fudge with vibrato.

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

I really do wonder if any musician is satisfied with their input on a record or CD cut.

As for the tone thing. Once the session is complete everything is in the hands of the mixers and sound people. Jeez, they tinker with vocalist’s voice pitch, bass tone, they cut certain notes, suppress and enhance the lead guitar, deepen or sharpen the steel slides.

Not satisfied with your tone or tuning on a CD cut? Baby-sit the sound engineers.

Jim Bob Sedgwick · From: Clinton, Missouri USA

Practice with CD's that have steel on them. It's hard, but you will become much better at intonation, not to mention learn lots of great steel from the top professional steel players. Another advantage is that there is absolutely no variation from day to day. (Even the pro's have their off days )

Ron Randall · From: Dallas, Texas, USA

Man, I know what you mean.

It helps me to practice with no efx.
I will pick an open string and let that be the key. I will move up and down the neck trying to stay in tune with the reference.
That is why they call the reverb the talent control.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

To me, reverb really doesn't do much to hide intonation problems. They're still there, big as life. A chorus will mask some problems if it's carefully adjusted, but you never want to play with a chorus all the time. The best method, though, is to simply listen. Many steelers are way too visually oriented. Use the frets to get you in the ballpark, and then your ears to find the harmonic center with the rest of the band, or music.

John Macy · From: Rockport TX/Denver CO

Another vote for Bobs drone disk--very helpful no matter what level you play at...
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John Macy
Rockport, TX
Engineer/Producer/Steel Guitar

Don Olson · From: Muscatine,Ia. USA

Take voice lessons to train your ear.It will help to just do the exercises with a in tune piano.
Don

Jay Jessup · From: Charlottesville, VA, USA

Sigi,
If it generally sounds good to you live then I think I would pursue Eric's line of thinking if you haven't already. Experiment with different ways of tempuring you tuning to make it fit with the other instruments and see what winds up sounding the best it may be that it's not your ears or technique that need tweaking. I once went to session and tuned everything to 440, it sounded pretty bad to me playing by myself and coming through the headphones while we were recording didn't sound too good either but when I walked into the control room and heard it mixed in with the rest of the band I was amazed at how in tune it sounded. I still can't get comfortable tuning to 440 in E9 but am a lot closer to it than I used to be and have adjusted to it pretty well on C6---of course YMMV

Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

You have to be able to hear yourself AND the rest of the band in a suitable mix. Without that, you're flying blind.

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

Very good Fred. I have been in situations where the stage volume was so aweful loud that I literaly could not hear myself. The funny thing is that if you are sitting next to your amplifier you are more likely to here the guy next to you better tahn yourself because sound from an amplifier forms farther away from the amp tahn being right on top of it. This is especially true of bass amps. If you can't hear yourself in relation to the other instruments you can't intonate.

Gerald Menke · From: Stormville NY, USA

I am a big fan of Bob's Intonation CD. Just remember that it's not about a special technique of tuning, just tune how you always do, and focus on getting each single note in tune with the drone, then try some scales and harmonized scales. You will not believe the difference in your playing, it's almost like the bar knows where to go by itself after working with the cd for a few weeks. I would say next to a metronome, it's the best practice tool you can get.

Check it out, it's really worth it.

Gerald

Dennis Schell · From: Shingletown, Shasta county, Kalifornia

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

I will be putting out a DVD on steel guitar intonation in the next few months. I have a hands down solution that is 100% accurate. I have showed it to some friends in the past. I've kept it a secret for many years. Being that I had an intonation problem when I first started I needed a solution, and I found one. Stay tuned.

Tim Harr · From: Dunlap, Illinois

I find that if I sit with my chest centered on the 12th fret that helps the visual perception of the bar placement over the fretboard.

better visual perception = better intonation

IMHO

Tim

Ron Scott · From: Michigan

I think that if you practice some without looking at the fret's it might help too. That way you can look off for a second or two and not be off.You will gradually be able to hear when it is off,This only works if you are not tone deaf,(not to be funny)..Ron
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Steeling with Franklin's..and Zum Encore

Wayne Wallett · From: Shermans Dale, PA USA - R.I.P.

Just curious. Do you have a fiddle in the band? I have worked with 3 fiddle players over the years that tended to play flat.. really makes it tough to keep on pitch with other fretted instruments. You are hearing the fretted instruments in tune and the fiddle flat and you are stuck in between. The same thing can happen on fretted instuments if your tuners are not all calibrated together. And to make matters worse they always put the fiddle player on my side of the stage. Anybody else ever experience this?
Wayne

Ron Scott · From: Michigan

I have noticed a problem with the Key Board and steel not being in synk with each other.I have also worked with some people who just tuned all the time and were never satisfied that they were in tune. Hope you find out what the problem is and it might not be any of the above...Goodluck....Ron
_________________
Franklin D10 Stereo - 8 and 6 - Black Box-Zum Encore 4 and 5 Nashville 400,Session 400, DD3 for delay ,also Benado Effects pedal.
Steeling with Franklin's..and Zum Encore

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