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Buy a friggen tuner!

#61
The only time I was impressed by someone tuning by ear was at an Apocalyptica show where one of those guys breaks a string, changes it AND tunes it before the song ended (he was muted in the PA but since I was frontline I still heard it. Those cello's can still produce massive volume without amplification)

Now THAT's impressive, being able to tune even in that cacophony of sounds
 
#62
While I own a tuner and frequently use it, I think its a very important skill to be able to tune by ear. Maybe this is because I play Jazz half the time. Think about it though, not everyone can afford rack or pedal tuners which allow imediate tuning. Most cats I know have got the little hand held tuners which you have to plug in separately. What happens if at the start of a song (or set even) your in tune and then maybe your diggin in real hard and suddenly you find yourself out of tune. Is it more respectful to ignore this creating a musical problem for the audience or to suck it up and grab your tuner (which is most likely off stage) and tune up. You must be able to tune by ear in situations like this or else I would think you'd lose that gig fast.

Both are important but having big ears will take you farther in the music business than having an expensive tuner.

Thats my two cents
 
#65
MazeMouse said:
The only time I was impressed by someone tuning by ear was at an Apocalyptica show where one of those guys breaks a string, changes it AND tunes it before the song ended (he was muted in the PA but since I was frontline I still heard it. Those cello's can still produce massive volume without amplification)

Now THAT's impressive, being able to tune even in that cacophony of sounds
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+10!!

That's amazing
 
#66
I used to always tune by ear before gigs, unless there was a proper tuner around. I got sick not being able to do it silently and there were occasions when I needed to do it mid-set (like when I play something in drop D). Eventually I bought one of these babies, and it has made things much easier.

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Of course, you need to make sure you know how to use it before you get on stage and make sure you can clearly see it. One time I tuned a half step sharp because I couldn't see that the # LED was on. Spent the entire song trying to figure out what was wrong.
 
#67
beyondhairy said:
i think the two posts above me are the only reasons anybody should ever tune on stage, but i think this thread was directed more towerds the people that tune on stage before the song and or set starts.
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Amen brother. ;)

I still have the tuning fork I bought back in the 70's and although I usually just tune by ear when I'm not onstage, I always use the tuner when I'm getting paid to play songs and not for subjecting the customers to listening to me do the musical equivalent of scratching my nuts.:ninja:
 
#68
jive1 said:
One reason to use a tuner - drummers!

How do you get a drummer to start fiddling on the drums?
Tune your bass
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How can you tell if the stage is level? If drool comes out of both sides of the drummers mouth. ;)

I'll share a little recording experience I had just last week on the topic of tuning....

A couple of guys came into the studio, friends from waaaaay back. One had a tuner and the other likes to "tune tell it sounds good". It was a recording disaster. Ever try overdubbing your tracks when you have your guitar tuned differently every song? OMG!!! It drove be nuts. They asked me to lay some bass tracks down which I was happy to do, but I had to tune my bass to every song differently. I gave them their CD and gave him some tuning tips for the next 'real' session. It was a mess, I suppose we got something down for reference for them, and for this it worked out, but nothing was salvaged for production value.

Back in my DB Orchestra days, the DB section never had electronic tuners but there was a reference note. It also took the Orchestra a half hour to tune. In my current gig setting, I have a mutable rack tuner for silent tuning. Who in bloody 'ell wants to listen to you tune??? :)
 
#69
Munjibunga said:
Once they see I have almost 12,000 posts, they'll come around.
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At this moment....you just need ONE more post to be at 12,000. The meter says 11,999....very impressive!

Ah...regarding tuners....yep very unprofessional these days to tune off of each other by ear while up on stage. I played a sub gig on Saturday using 3 different basses, and I spent a lot of time before each set tuning them as perfectly as I could. We were playing outside on a rooftop in the heat, so we knew that tuning would be an issue. I even tuned in between songs whenever there was time.

I own three tuners, and use every single one of them...these guys should pony up some cash and move up to the new century...we are 6 years into after all!
 
#70
A tuner can keep everyone in tune, and on the same page. What is the problem with having this tool to keep things consistent? Nobody wants to hear someone tuning, no matter how loud it is.

Some folks are just too proud to use a tuner (or practice with a metronome for that matter), and then shoot themselves in the foot when they play out and look foolish.
What a painful and embarrassing lesson to learn.

Has anyone run into problems with band members having different types/brands of tuners and being a little off?
 
#74
Poop-Loops said:
And if you've ever snapped a string by using a tuner, you just need to go hide under a rock. I'm sorry.
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*hides under a rock*

I only did it once! (I was turning the wrong knob...wondering why the danged thing wasn't saying the pitch was going higher...all of a sudden...POP) (I couldn't play guitar for like a week to get new strings...guitar not bass)
 
#75
Although tuners can help, the ability to tell if you're in tune is what separates musicians from wannabees. Back in the day, you either could tell the difference or you couldn't. Those who lacked this skill sounded like poop and soon ( rightfully) left the music performance business. There are some instrument owners who just don't listen, whether its to the other musicians they're playing with or to their own instruments. For some, its a step above air guitar: they want to be involved in the music thing but just can't grasp whats necessary to be a functioning musician. Since the proliferation of tuners, more amateurs think they have the ability to do music.
My beef isn't with the box, its with people who can't hear when they're in tune or not. It has brought more people into this thinking they have what it takes to be a musician when the most primary skill taught to beginners ( maybe the actual test of whether a person has musical abilities) is being able to match pitches.
Piano tuners don't use a box. They rely on strings being in tune when there are no beats present with two pitches played at the same time.
I was in a band where the guitarist (who set up on the other side of the stage) would use a box. I tuned to the keyboard player ( whose amp was at my ear level) for obvious reasons. After a few months, the guitarist complains, I'm out of tune. I check with harmonics and my ax is in tune with itself. I get a note from the keyboard to check for pitch. Guitarist tells me i'm out of tune still. I get his box and I'mm off a little to the tuner. I put the keyboard through the tuner and sonavabitch, the keyboard is sharp by a few cents.
Bottom line? You have to be able to use your ears to tell if you're in tune or not.
 
#77
I finally became the "Tuning Boss" with the guitarists. I tune to a rack tuner, or a typical Boss unit (which I love...). After every rehearsal tune, I remind them to check their tuning. I check mine silently, and then give them a tone. Both have bought tuners, but then they have the nasty habit of leaving it at gigs or rehearsals.

Last saturday at rehearsal, it was 70 degrees and very damp outside, the rehearsal room was cool and dry, with the A/C going. I tuned up, but after a few minutes of warming up (I had time to warm up by myself because they others are always late), I was out of tune, by about a quarter tone sharp.

So when the guitarist of the day got there, he tuned, and after the first tune, I told him to check his tuning. He was surprised he was out of whack, then I told him, "So you about a quarter tone sharp?" Which he was..he was shocked..I just pointed to the tuner and smiled.

They now BOW DOWN TO MY TUNING!!!!! WORSHIP MY TUNING AND INTONATION, YOU GUITAR PLAYERS LOSERS!!!!!

:D
 
#78
Tuners are nice quick & accurate tuning - although the traditionalist in me invariably means I tend to more than likely tune up by ear, although I've began using tuners more and more often.

But on a separate nore - I've noticed one or two comments here about using tuners becuase someone's "tone deaf"........ without incurring the wrath of these folk - a "musician" who's "tone deaf" is a bit ironic isn't it? Step away from the bass slowly, please!!
 

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