Your instrument may be perfectly in tune on its own, but if it doesn't match the instruments you are playing with you will sound out of tune. I'm not talking about stubborn viola pegs or sticky clarinet keys, but a 250 year old pipe organ or a tinny house piano at a bar. At times, the people you are playing with may have instruments that aren't perfectly in tune and can't be tuned without great difficulty. If you are playing in a group, listen to the other players and "agree" with their tuning. Traditionally, violin, viola, and cello strings are tuned in fifths (sounds like the beginning of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"). On a stringed instrument, you will need to listen to the intervals between the strings. Listen to what it sounds like to be in tune and out of tune. It's not enough to simply look at the tuner see that you are in tune (or worse, just play a note and turn the pegs until you are tired of it or the rest of the group stops tuning). The best habit to have while tuning would be listening. Good Playing Habits: some of this may seem like common sense, but it's good to be reminded. We recommend parents download one to help tune student instruments. Tuning Apps are available and are a great portable option.They aren't exactly portable like the other options but they are the best choice if you are going to be playing with a piano (I'll explain that later). Pianos are best used in a band setting.The downside is that if they get dropped or beat up, the notes on the pitch pipe will get out of tune themselves. Pitch pipes are lightweight and easy to use as well.There are even some that clip directly on the instrument! For beginners, an electronic tuner is useful because they can either emit the desired pitch or show you digitally what pitch you are playing.*NOTE: Never strike a tuning fork on your instrument.* I've seen this happen, which is why I have to say it… It is a piece of metal cast into a specific u-shape so that when struck, it emits a particular pitch. A tuning fork is the classic tool for tuning.In my experience there are two main things that will help you master the fine art of tuning: a strong pitch reference and good tuning habits.Ī Strong Pitch Reference: Unless you were born with "perfect pitch," you will need a reference to the correct pitch. The concept may seem like simply matching pitches but there is "fine art" to it that I see even advanced musicians missing out on. His comment, while quite dry, actual holds a lot of truth. Our first song was 'The Fine Art of Tuning.'" The audience, slightly confused, would laugh and we would move on to the actual concert. Once the squeaking and squawking settled into a common A natural, our conductor would say, "Thank you very much. In high school, at the beginning of each concert, like all orchestras, we would take some time to tune.
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