Is there someone out there who has any tricks for tuning a low B string. I have a Korg rack mountable tuner. For some reason I have trouble getting a reliable signal from low B. I usually us a harmonic from the 12th fret just like I do to tune all my strings, but I just get a really bad signal from B. Is there a really good rack mountable that is better than Korg? Is there a trick to getting a good signal? Help!!!!
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Tuning a low B
- Thread starter Grinder11
- Start date
I have to tune mine by ear. First, my tuner doesn't pick-up the B too well (flat-wound). Worse, the intonation is off (can't be made better; bridge problem), so I match a few notes on the B with the E string (generally F, G and A) and take an "average".
Play the 5th fret harmonic on the B string and the 7th fret harmonic on the E string, and tune the B string harmonic to match the E string harmonic.
If that's clear enough.
See, the fifth fret harmonic on one string is the exact same as the seventh fret harmonic on the next higher string. So if the two match perfectly, then it's in tune.
Is that clear enough? lol
If that's clear enough.
See, the fifth fret harmonic on one string is the exact same as the seventh fret harmonic on the next higher string. So if the two match perfectly, then it's in tune.
Is that clear enough? lol
I have a Sabine rack tuner...works fine with a B. Maybe a little slower to respond than with the higher strings (perhaps by a second), but I do get a strong signal.
- Mar 24, 2005
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- Seymour Duncan/Basslines SMB-5A Endorsing Artist
Similar, but NOT "exactly the same" . . . and NOT "in tune" . . .
see http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=348237 for details.
It IS close, though . . .
i dont understand why the harmonics wouldnt be in tune on an instrument...care to enlighten me? I read that thread and it made no sense to me. Thanks
My Boss pedal tuner picks it up fine, haven't really used my rackmount a whole lot, but it always seemed to work fine as well. Newer looking Korg one. Seems weird though.
- Mar 24, 2005
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- Seymour Duncan/Basslines SMB-5A Endorsing Artist
The question is "in tune" to what?
The harmonics that we find at the 12th fret and at the 5th fret ARE, in fact, "in tune" with the notes of the equal-tempered scale, but the harmonic at the 7th fret ISN'T "in tune" with the notes of the equal-tempered scale . . . so if you make "the fifth fret harmonic on one string...the exact same as the seventh fret harmonic on the next higher string", the higher (open) string will NOT be "in tune" with the notes of the equal-tempered scale either . . .
The idea is to be "in tune" with the notes of the equal-tempered scale . . . all of the electronic tuners that I know of are calibrated that way ("in tune" with the notes of the equal-tempered scale) . . .
Grinder11,
My Korg DTR-1 picks up the low B no problem. If I use my small portable tuner (say at a jam where I won't have my own amp) I need to use the 12th fret harmonic, but with the rack-mount Korg I can use the open string.
So it is surprising to me that even with you using the harmonic, your Korg rack-mount is not syncing to the B. If you fret an E on the 5th fret of the B-string, does your Korg pick up the signal?
Although in theory, comparing the 5th fret harmonic of the B to the 7th fret harmonic of the E is not exact, I think that if you tune the E,A,D, and G strings using the tuner and then get the B with the harmonics, you will be pretty close.
Good luck.
My Korg DTR-1 picks up the low B no problem. If I use my small portable tuner (say at a jam where I won't have my own amp) I need to use the 12th fret harmonic, but with the rack-mount Korg I can use the open string.
So it is surprising to me that even with you using the harmonic, your Korg rack-mount is not syncing to the B. If you fret an E on the 5th fret of the B-string, does your Korg pick up the signal?
Although in theory, comparing the 5th fret harmonic of the B to the 7th fret harmonic of the E is not exact, I think that if you tune the E,A,D, and G strings using the tuner and then get the B with the harmonics, you will be pretty close.
Good luck.
I have a 5 string Yamaha with active electronics and a $12 Korg GA-30 picks it up and tunes it perfectly.
I also have a tuner built into a Behringer VBASS Pro modeling pre-amp. It has to look a little harder so it responds slower, but it still works just fine.
I also have a tuner built into a Behringer VBASS Pro modeling pre-amp. It has to look a little harder so it responds slower, but it still works just fine.
- Mar 24, 2005
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- Seymour Duncan/Basslines SMB-5A Endorsing Artist
Thinking about your actual problem . . .
maybe that particular B string is no good . . . if it's NOT relatively new, if it's a flatwound, halfround, groundwound or tapewound (or anything other than a roundwound, for that matter), that may be causing your mistracking. A new B string might help . . .
If your bass has two (or more) pups, try using ONLY the neck pup when you're tuning . . .
Maybe the input is overloaded . . . try turning the bass's volume control down a little bit. If the string tracks better that way, that could be your answer . . .
Also using the harmonic at the 5th fret (instead of the one at the 12th fret) might work better.
IME, the Peterson units are really good . . . but they ARE expensive . . .
The question is "in tune" to what?
The harmonics that we find at the 12th fret and at the 5th fret ARE, in fact, "in tune" with the notes of the equal-tempered scale, but the harmonic at the 7th fret ISN'T "in tune" with the notes of the equal-tempered scale . . . so if you make "the fifth fret harmonic on one string...the exact same as the seventh fret harmonic on the next higher string", the higher (open) string will NOT be "in tune" with the notes of the equal-tempered scale either . . .
The idea is to be "in tune" with the notes of the equal-tempered scale . . . all of the electronic tuners that I know of are calibrated that way ("in tune" with the notes of the equal-tempered scale) . . .
How much of a difference is "a few cents?" Cause I don't notice anything being out of tune when I play on the open notes.
When you say "In tune to what?" I mean the fifth fret harmonic to be in tune with the 7th fret harmonic on the next string to the point that nobody notices anything being out of tune.
The harmonic at the fifth fret of, let's say, the E string, is one octave above the 12th fret E.
The harmonic at the seventh fret of the A string is a fifth up from the 12th fret A.
If A is a fourth above E, and the 7th fret on the A is a fifth above the 12th fret A, then it would logically follow that the 7th fret on the A string would be an octave above the 12th fret E, and therefore it would be the same note as the 5th fret on the E string.
I hope that's clear enough.
EDIT: That's not to say that using an electric tuner is bad; by all means, use one, it could be faster. lol
Hmmmzzz....I don't know exactly what Korg model you're using, but I have a DTR2000 and I have no problem in tuning the low B (in fact, I'd say that tuner is oversensitive as opposed to not being able to pick up the string's signal). It could be either a problem with the bass (dead string, too lowered pickup, etc) or the tuner (in this case, try to find another 5er and tune it - it you have the same problem, then maybe you have a faulty unit).
ive got a tu-2 boss tuner picks up my low be fine all i have to remember is to turn the volume control all the way up, and then all the 12th fret harmonic's come out perfect? it does struggle when i try to tune it by playing the strings open? or if my battery a bit fat in bass or tuner?
hope that helped a bit?
hope that helped a bit?
- Mar 24, 2005
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- Seymour Duncan/Basslines SMB-5A Endorsing Artist
I'm not "blessed" with "perfect pitch", but I DO notice a difference of "a few cents" . . . I suggest that you haven't REALLY listened to your intrument's tuning with a very critical ear if you CAN'T hear the difference of, say, 5-10 cents.
It's a known fact that a fretted bass (or guitar, or mandolin, or whatever FRETTED instument) does NOT, in fact, play "in tune" with the notes of the equal-tempered scale. It's close, but it's NOT exactly "in tune" . . . check it for yourself (with a set of "fresh" strings, with the instument properly intonated). Check (with an electronic tuner) the open string, the 12th fret harmonic, the 12th fret fretted, then EACH of the notes (that is, at each and every fret), being careful to press straight down with only enough force to barely fret the note. What's the result?
And that's why, in my relatively long career as a "studio musician" (37+ years), I ALWAYS tune whatever instrument I'm recording to the actual key of the song, so that the ACTUAL notes that I will be playing ARE in tune with the notes of the equal-tempered scale . . . you can never get ALL of the notes "in tune", but I try to at least get all of the TONIC (1 and/or 8) and DOMINANT (5ths) notes of the key to be "in tune" . . .
It wasn't that I didn't understand you . . .
I was refering to the fact of the resultant "tuned" bass NOT being in tune with the notes of the equal-tempered scale.
My matrix SR3000 has a hard time finding the B. Sometimes its quick and other times if I got and tune the other strings and then come back to the B it will find it...go figure!
Surely a 12th fret harmonic would work, that doesn't matter about intonation cause your not tied down to the fret?
