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Double Bass Good Practice Tuner

SirFunk

SirFunk

May 24, 2001
275
5
41
Topeka, KS
www.jeffutter.com
#1
Hi,

I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for a good practice tuner.

I have had two of those black Korg ones, I've lost both of them (I think because they are the same color as the pianos in our practice rooms :p )

Anyway, they are good for tuning an instrument but I find them awful for tuning your playing, it takes too long to register the pitch you are playing.

Does anyone know a better tuner (maybe an analog one?) for practicing with?

Thanks,
Jeff
 
#2
what excactly do you mean while your playing, do you mean that you wqant to learn the note position on the fretboard. or to tune whilst playing a song?

Rackmount Tuners are always nice, plus you would have a hard time losing one

EDIT:sorry just realised this was in the Double bass section.
 
#4
SirFunk said:
Hah, that's ok.

I mean when learning a classical piece mostly... I want to be able to hold a note and quickly look up and see if i'm sharp/flat.

With the korg it's more like Hold, Look up, Wait 4 seconds, adjust, wait 4 more seconds, etc.
Click to expand...

Sir, Your ear is for that....There is a great article in the latest ISB mag about tuning. The author goes on to compare using a tuner in this manner wiht that of playing a video game..I kind of agree.
I use the tuner for tuning one note "a" for example and then go on to use it with a pedal note which I use to compare my tuning. If you trust your tuning to a maching it will own you....

G
 
#9
i used to have a Korg OT-12, about $100 with a mic (from lemur) which was great, as it played referance notes, had very fast response time (which was also adjustable). It also had a 'real' needle which i found much better than the not very accurate and often hard to see LED or digital displays. If you get it, get a clip-on mic with it too, its so handy for orchestra rehearsals.

There is a big difference between tuners, and in general, like with a bass, you pay for what you get.

EDIT: But of course don't have it on while you're playing a piece - that's rediculous. Use it to tune open strings, or have it play a referance note while you practice scales.
 
#13
One thing to think about: Korg seems to have just come out with a new white tuner (the CA-40) that was twenty someodd dollars, which I think has a much quicker response time than the old Korgs. I recently lost one of those little black ones, and went to replace it and ended up with this one. Its not going to be able to pick up sixteeth notes at 120 bpm, but it can easily pick up quarter notes at that speed, which is all you really need. I've been playing through some Bottesini pieces, the Koussevitzky (sp?) concerto, and the Hindemith Sonata with it and it has been able to keep up with me (not turning real fast runs, but more for reference notes).
(To whoever said that your ear should do the tuning; this is true, but a tuner works as a tool to help keep you on track when you are learning a piece. Especially when the tonality is not as straightfoward.)
 
#14
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I use this korg TM 40 that also has a metronome that works very well as it subdivides and such. The digital display is very quick and nice and big so you don't have to more than glance at it. You can also get the microphone clip with it for group playing. Plus it gives you idicators for lowering or raising thirds to keep them in tune with a group. I really like it though because it has a two in one function and responds quick. You also won't spend more than $60 for the tuner and clip.
 
#15
just to add a little middle ground... imo, tuners are worthless. i can never figure out what part of the sound the little ear is actually hearing. but as i said my opinion.

it is difficult with some music to hear the intervals and to avoid what i feel sometimes as the red shift (where relative intonation takes over and you slide progressively farther away from the center). of course open strings and harmonics are the fastest (best for the ear and hearing the instrument) way to get a reference, but if in doubt check it on the piano. you are still developing your ear and you have a musical source as a reference - much less of a crutch than a tuner.

oh yeah, what was it the old cats are always saying - you can't play it until you can hear it. get the sound of the passage firmly in your head before trying to play it (again the piano is a great tool).

peace

charles
 
#16
bopfrog said:
but if in doubt check it on the piano. you are still developing your ear and you have a musical source as a reference - much less of a crutch than a tuner.
Click to expand...
I don't see how using a tuner is a crutch. Personally the best musicians I know use them or have used them extensively at one point or another. Maybe you could tell me where you're coming from on that one?

Also what am I supposed to do when playing bass in my room where there is no piano? Grab my bass and go into the other room hit a note on the piano? It's much easier to have my tuner on and to the side and when I'm in doubt and can't check against a harmonic or open string I look over to the tuner and check the pitch then do the passage again at tempo with the correct pitch in my mind.
 
#18
I practice with a pitch generator, not a tuner. Just set it to play the tonic or dominant of whatever key your in. You instantly know whether you're in or out of tune without looking up and waiting for a little needle to respond. This method actually develops your ear as well. Plus, if you really want to be picky, the tuner is set to equal temperment which isn't really intune...
 
#19
I think people are misunderstanding the question (I know I am). He's either asking what tuner is good to tune the bass to, or what tuner is best for providing a solid drone to practice over.

If it's the first, I would think any old tuner would do.

If it's the latter, I'd recommend the Seiko ST-1100. I've been using it a couple years, and using its droned has really improved my intonation. I use it mostly for scales and arpeggios, but I've often put it over pieces when I'm first learning them slowly. Despite what Conor might think, it's not "rediculous" to have it on when learning a piece. It's much easier and cheaper than hiring a pianist every time you want to practice.
 
#20
So when using a drone do you find it affects you much when modulation accurs? I know it wouldn't be to bad in closely related keys but if it's a modern piece where it's just impossible to tell tonic or dominant don't you find it hard tell if you're really being honest and keeping it in tune?

I know my teacher practices with one and he says he usually only uses it when he plays modern pieces in a section and it's not really going to sound any worse if you put an A or an E in bass so he does it just to be honest to the work and know he is playing the right pitches in tune when performance time comes.
 

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