Distortion tuning, am I crazy???

Doyle Mitchell · From: Loraine, Texas

Help ,from the real pros. please!! Many years ago, I was taught by a very good steel man to use distortion to tune the e 9th fast and so it would be with the fiddle and guitar almost perfect. I was taught to tune the E's about 5cents sharp and then turn on the distortion pedal and tune all the other strings to the E's and pull out all the waves untill it became as one sound. This has worked well for me for many years, but now I am running into steel players that ask me what the heck I am doing and think I am crazy untill I show them how it works and then they start using it and are telling me that for the first time they are able to get in great tune with the fiddle and guitar. I have thought this was common practice for years but I can see now that it is not.Does anyone else use distortion to tune your guitar. I know you can not tune a steel to 440 straight across and be in tune!! You might be able to play by yourself but if you have any kind of ear you will realize you are out, especially if you are playing with a fiddle. A lot of the younger steel men I am meeting are tuning to a strobe to straight 440 across the neck, they ask me to play their steel and it sounds horrible and I am embarresed to re tune their steel after they have been playing for hours in that state of tuning. Maybe some of you real greats could reply to this and help out many young steelers that are playing out of tune and dont know you cant tune 440 straight across. Thanks, Doyle

Ron Sodos · From: San Antonio, Texas USA

I have used Jeff Newman's tuning chart for over 25 years. It is designed for temper tuning. e's at 442.5 g#'s at 439 b's at 442 etc. I have never had a problem sounding in tune with fiddles or guitar. Of course I always use my ear to accomodate syncing with the other instuments. I think most steel players I have known all tune to Jeff's chart or some temper tuning chart. I've never met a steel player that is not aware that you cannot tune everything to 440.....

Mark Herrick · From: Bakersfield, CA

So, you are tuning by ear (harmonically) using distortion? Does the distortion enhance the perception of the "beats" between notes? Does this work using just any old distortion pedal?

Ooops, sorry, I'm not a real pro...

[This message was edited by Mark Herrick on 04 June 2004 at 10:18 AM.]

Nathan Delacretaz · From: Austin, Texas, USA

I have never tried distortion as a tuning aid on steel, but based on my six-string experience, it stands to reason that it would work. The overdrive enhances the harmonics and beats...

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Yes! Distortion really emphasizes the overtones and allows you to hear the "beats" much better. In short, if you tune JI, it works. If you temper the tuning, though (ET), it's not as useful.

Gord Cole · From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Doyle:
By accident a few months ago I had my Steel Driver switched to distortion and started to tune up. I clearly noticed the beats just as you have said and have been tuning this way ever since, especially when I have to tune at low volume. Although I confess it was so much easier that I kept thinking there must be some reason not to do it this way. Smile

Cheers.--Gord

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

Distortion helps you hear the beats. I used to tune real loud for that reason (I didn't have a fuzz tone pedal). It actually brought about my divorce - she couldn't stand that sound. I bought an electronic tuner before I remarried.

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Doyle Mitchell · From: Loraine, Texas

Thanks guys, I was beginning to believe I was doing something that was not musically correct. I have been tuning this way for 30 years, its fast and right on, the only trouble is when you are playing a gig and get out of tune you must wait until there is silence to use this method. I usually grab my tuner and get it close enough to play till break, then turn on the distortion. Yes Bob, it draws a lot of evil looks from the crowd so I am going to buy a headphone amp set, then I can distort tune in peace. Yes to the question Mark asked.Any form of distorion or fuzz will let you hear the harmonic waves between two strings. You can do this without distortion also but distortion makes it very clear. I tune 4 and 8 with the stobe 5 cents sharp and then tune them togather with distortion, then I tune 5 and 10 to the 4 and 8, I use string 5 (B) to tune 1 and 2 to distortion, you can hear the harmonic waves better there. Someone told me that if I checked the tuning with a strobe after tuning with distortion it will be the same as Jeff Newman's recomended tuning chart. I have not done this yet but intened to see if that is true. Maybe this guy 30 years ago showed me a fast and easy way to do the same thing as Jeff's chart recomends. Thanks guys

Smiley Roberts · From: Hendersonville,Tn. 37075

Doyle,
Years ago,Radio Shack sold little,pocket-sized,amplifiers to use w/ their "electronic kits". They're about the size if a cigarette pack. They even have a headphone out plug. I've been using one for years,to tune by distortion. It works GREAT!! Don't know if they still carry them or not,but I paid $8.00 for mine. It uses a 9 v. battery. Former,& late guitarist,for Hag,Roy Nichols,is the one that turned me on to it. He was walkin' around the dressing room, warming up,& I couldn't figure where the hell the sound was coming from,until he pulled this gadget from his shirt pocket. This was back in the mid-70's. I've been using it,ever since.

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Winnie Winston · From: Tawa, Wellington, NZ * R.I.P.

I'm not using distortion, but I learned about a similar way of tuning years ago, and it works fine.
I use an old Korg which has a dial to select the pitch and a meter with a needle.
First I tune all my E's with the Korg.
Then I set the "range" on the "high" octave and hit the harmonic on the high G#. The *METER IS STILL SET TO E*. I tune the G# so the needle is right on the center.
Then I do the B. If the needle doesn't stay too long on the center, I select a lower octave.
Then I do the 6th G#, the 8th, the 10th, and on mine, the 11th and 12th.
I then tune the F# to sound OK with the B, and then push the pedals and tune the 9th D to the "A" chord.

Don't ask about how I tune the pedals-- I haven't touched them since I got the guitar back in 1979-- no kidding. I've tweaked the 6th string raise a few times, but that's been it.

JW

Doyle Mitchell · From: Loraine, Texas

Smiley, I have seen those things you are talking about, after you mentioned it I got to thinking about a very small Marshall amp. about 4 inchs square, the lead guitar player used to practice on the bus to and from gigs, I went and looked in the bus and it was still there although we havent used the bus in a while, (gave up the road work) and it has a headphone jack. I think this will work perfect for me. Winnie, I dont have to do a lot of pedal tuning either, thank goodness but I have a method I use for the pedals also when I do tune them, the pedals are not tuned to 440 either,they are both sharp and flat depending on the string and note. I use the Emmon's set up, A B C, and 5 knees. I had Bobby Rains build me a new D 10 and so far it has impressed me on staying in tune, just a little touch up from moving it from gig to gig.Even the third string stays in tune and does not break after Jeff Newman talked me into using a .012 stainless instead of a .010 or .011. I thought he was crazy but he was right on.Now I replace the string with a new one before it breaks. I used to break 3 to 4 .011's a night before Jeff told me about this.Two years ago at Jeff's place, I showed him how I was tuning to distortion, he smiled at me and shook his head and then played my steel and did not retune any string, he was still smiling when he left but never made a comment on my tuning method except, " I dont like your bar" throw that thing away and get a heavier bar for better tone", I guess it was acceptable or for sure Jeff would have said something .He was one great guy!!

Wayne Cox · From: Chatham, Louisiana, USA * R.I.P.

Actually, you are in very good company! Weldon Myrick and Hal Rugg were both using "Boss-Tone" fuzz units to tune with back in 1976. This was before the modern digital tuners we now have but they did have other options. Weldon personally showed me his approach to it. His technique was very close to what you have described.
~~W.C.~~

Roy Ayres · From: Riverview, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

I bought a little practice amp called a "Skel-Zo" then removed the little speaker, cut the case down to about half size and mounted it under my D10 with Velcro. I plug my steel and earphones into it and tune away without interference from ambient noise. It can be used as a straight amp, or it can be switched to "overdrive" to add distortion. It runs off of a 9 volt battery. They are available from several sources, but here is one that shows pictures: Click Here

[This message was edited by Roy Ayres on 07 June 2004 at 10:41 AM.]

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