automatic tuning?

[Ned Knepp]

 Maybe I'm late to the dance but I haven't seen this until today.  The site for the manufacturer is here.

I spend a lot of time playing the song "Tuning" because the B string bugs me  but I know a lot of people that struggle with tuning their guitar and have a hard time getting the tension right even if they don't have to match tone to tone. Anyone here seen this system in person?

 

 ( Before anyone asks, I don't know now much it costs but I imagine it's not cheap.)

[Paul Verticchio]

Hi Ned.

They appear to be $300 USD.

Being in the "Holiday Spirit", I withhold any other opinion.

Have a good one,

Paul

[Hesh Breakstone]

Well said and I'll follow your lead Paul and stifle myself too.... ;)

[Paul Verticchio]

As you can see, I didn't do a very good job of that, Hesh :o

[Ned Knepp]

    Well I can't see recommending to one of my friends that any of their guitars are worth $300 dollar, battery powered tuners.

    I known a couple of people that never seemed to master the fine motor skill needed to fine tune the tension of the strings and always overshoot when they try to tune up. They knew they were out of tune but just couldn't manage the fine movements well enough to get there. They could use something like this if it's accurate AND much less expensive. 

  Personally, storing a library of alternate tunings appeals to me. The headache of tuning back and forth between tunings is what keeps me from experimenting with them more. There are a couple that I've played with enough to be able to tune in and out of them fairly quickly but it's taken years of practice to be able to do it. I don't want that ability bad enough to pay anything like that much to have it. I also can't help but wonder how finely tuned the guitar is when it's done tuning. I've come across a couple of electronic tuners that weren't too accurate.  I also have a guitar that I use fairly often that I "justify" a couple of strings just a smig to compensate for what I hear as I fret the string.  May just be my ear but I would still need that on this particular guitar. 

[Paul Verticchio]

Ned,

It's been my person experience/observation that every instrument has it's own tuning eccentricities. I could go into a 'temperamental tuning' digression but I won't. Perhaps our friend Peter Poyser could explain it in a way that's "understandable" even to me.:)

Even using a strobe tuner, all the strings need to be rechecked as a harmonic system. I've never owned a guitar that didn't need a bit of a tweak after using an electronic tuner. It's the nature of the beast and comes with the territory.

Would I trust that device without hesitation? No. I'm too anal about being in tune, to the point of it becoming a disorder. I've walked out on performers whose only issue was a lack of being in tune. It's like nails on a blackboard....to me.

Plus, what will Cousin Bert do at 1:00 a.m. when his batteries go dead? We should not allow ourselves to become THAT dependent on technology. Therein lies the difference between "interesting ideas" and "sound (good) ideas".

There's no disgrace in being a hobbyist or casual player and not being able to fine tune a guitar. It takes more practice than most non-pro players wish to invest. On the other hand, playing out of tune in public, to me (especially if you're being paid for your performance), is a capitol crime.

Hey, for $300, you could buy a used mid-line Asian acoustic and just keep it in your favorite alternate tuning. :)

The scariest part of using alt tunings on a gig (and again, it's probably just me) is not the tuning issue, but the PROBABILITY of popping a string.

Have a good one my friend :)

[Ned Knepp]

Thanks, Paul. What you said about tweaking and tuning applies to me too. I drive my wife crazy because she claims that I never actually finish any song before I start tweaking my tuning. She once threatened to withhold food if I didn't finish just one song. 

Now what we've "talked" about it, I think my enthusiasm for techie stuff got the best of me. Now you've made me realize that it probably wouldn't do me much good. I do know some people that simply can't tune a guitar and, too often, don't even realize that it's out of tune. It would be nice for them IF it was affordable since I doubt if it would do a worse job of tuning than they do.

 One of my playing friends used an electronic tuner that not calibrated correctly and every time our group gets together he's tuned something like 15-20 cents flat. He insist that it correct but re-tunes for us since we tune to the piano. It drives me crazy because it happens every single time but what can ya do. 

Anyway, thanks for the input and the level head. I won't be dreaming about automated tuning tonight. 

[Paul Verticchio]

But remember to keep dreaming about other stuff, Ned. It's the nourishment of our craft :) :)

[Paul Verticchio]

"he's tuned something like 15-20 cents flat". Whew, I thought that only happened in our town ;)

In an informal setting, every stringed instrument player is 'encouraged'  to use (read: cajoled into using) the same tuner. That fixes that issue every time....well, at least through the first verse of the first tune. There's ALWAYS that one guy who firmly believes that stretching out his new strings will somehow convolute the natural order of the Universe.

Have a good 'un :)

[Steve Bettesworth]

Don't know what cousin Paul would do. But I have an App on my phone that helps to tune the guitar.

Steve

[Paul Verticchio]

I'd use it, Steve :) But YOU'RE tuning the guitar using the app only as an audio/visual reference. Kudos :)

[Steve Bettesworth]

True. But given my love of 'unplayable' guitars Stella, Harmony etc I think we can take it that fine tuning is not high on my agenda. ;)

[Paul Verticchio]

Overall, it's about having fun...and a well setup old Stella or Harmony are perfect ingredients for creating BIG FUN. Besides, if it get's too out of tune, just call it Jazz ;) :)

Have a good'un, Steve :)