Intonation - How Can I Check It Myself?

[thumbtrap]

It has a green light, and red lights sharp and flat that blink faster the further off you are. It needs a little bit of help on low E and B though, even though the newer one (I have one about 6 years old, and a brand new one) is supposed to be able to track low B - it settles much much faster if you give it the 2nd harmonic, and is less prone to track the 3rd or 5th harmonic. (Yes, it will sometimes warble A D A D when if gets confused.)

It also seems to me, that if YOU are responsible for providing the 12th "fret" on a fretless - that you're already dealing with errors an order of magnitude outside the error you're talking about by assuming the 3rd harmonic is a fifth, which indeed it is for some temperaments. The error is about two and a half times smaller than the amount of sharpness in the equal tempered 3rd.

My 5.87 cents worth.

[pkr2]

Originally posted by thumbtrap


The 2nd and 3rd harmonics provide very useful reference points to check against the 12th and 19th frets. Did you forget your meds this morning? That's not the normal level of emotional intensity used for answering questions not involving Fieldy.

Yes the harmonic is "always" in tune with the open note. That's exactly why it's useful.

The emotional intensity is an assumption on your part! You don't have any idea what my emotional state is.

Capitalization and repetition were being used for emphasis.

No, I didn't forget my meds. I don't use meds but since you turned it into a question and answer thing ,did you forget what the original poster asked? Do you even care what was asked? Did you miss the part where he stated that he was a beginner? How many beginners do you know that have any idea what a harmonic is, much less how it does or doesn't apply to intonation?

At least I ANSWERED HIS QUESTION!

Pkr2

[pkr2]

[quote]Originally posted by john turner


wow, man you might want to consider relaxing. i've been intonating my own instruments for over 18 years, and i've always used the harmonic as a comparator to the fretted 12 note, since they are the same frequency/octave. i can hear differences that my $200 korg tuner doesn't quite catch, even in strobe mode. this is especially the case with lower than e string strings, and forget about it with a little battery powered tuner like most folks have.

as for it being "simple", it's also prone to inaccuracies.

to intonate without using your ear to hear what you're doing is folly of the highest sort - in fact to do anything on your instrument without using your ear to _hear_ the results is unwise, imo. i've seen tuners that weren't exact, i've heard instruments that were tuner-intonated that were most definitely _OUT_ intonation-wise above the 12th fret and below the 3rd. you are going to bet a better "ear" comparison between the 12th fret harmonic and the 12th fret note than the open string and the 12th fret because the harmonic is the same note.

/QUOTto tirade on about using the harmonic as if it is wrong or unnecessary is ignorant. i wouldn't be so strident about this, but i can't help but react this way when someone presents themselves in this manner. [E]

"wow, man you might want to consider relaxing. i've been intonating my own instruments for over 18 years, and i've always used the harmonic as a comparator to the fretted 12 note, since they are the same frequency/octave."

JT, I am not impressed by your experience or how long you've been doing what. Mine far surpasses yours.

"i can hear differences that my $200 korg tuner doesn't quite catch, even in strobe mode."

I'm not even going to comment on that one. I will say that there are probably a lot of people whose eyebrows raised a bit when you made that statement.

By the way, if your ear is that good, why do you have a "$200.00" Korg tuner?


"to tirade on about using the harmonic as if it is wrong or unnecessary is ignorant. i wouldn't be so strident about this, but i can't help but react this way when someone presents themselves in this manner."

I'm not really sure who is showing thier ignorance here, JT.

You have conveniently IGNORED the fact that I said that harmonics are useless in intonation IF A TUNER IS USED for intonation! READ MY POST before you jump all over me!

You have made it sound like I have said that harmonics are useless for anything. THANKS A LOT!
That looks really great coming from a mod.

It seems kind of odd to me that the Gibson website doesn't agree with what you say either.
They very specifically say to tune the open string and the12th fret. Nowhere does it mention using using the octave note as the base reference.Of course, they probably weren't writing instructions for someone whose ear is more accurate than a "$200.00" korg.

Pkr2

[merlin]

I will close this thread right now.

I have my opinion but will not voice it as i am moderator. I did consider sending PM to a few users that replied to this thread. If you feel the need to vent please PM me.

I will say that some users that posted in this thread have astounded me. Pull your fingers out the perverbial and act like the role models you have become, and by being the long standing members you are.

Merls