Tuners and Tuning

Payton Vermeesch · From: Santa Cruz California

I'm sure this has been discussed at length on the forum before.. But what is everyone using to tune their steels? I've tried many different brands of pedals and little plastic boxes, including the Peterson strobostomp, but I'm always fine tuning a few strings after using them. I figure I'll always have to do a little on the fly ear tuning but some of these devices routinely leave me wanting better results, especially for the times when I can't listen to the notes out loud. Anyhow, I'm curious as to what's giving you all the best results!

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

Tuning is an art, not a science, although there is science involved. A meter can tell you what frequency a string is vibrating at, but it can't tell you whether it sounds right - it can put you in the ball park but it can't place the fielders. If you're making adjustments by ear that's good Smile

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Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

Agree with Ian. I use an iStrobosoft preset to get close, then tune by ear, then adjust the Strobo settings to match the changes made by ear.

Jon Voth · From: Virginia, USA

Peterson tuner, SE9 tunes open strings, SP9 tunes the pedals (for the E9 neck). Spend the rest of your time playing. I cannot hear the grass grow so it's good enough for me.

Payton Vermeesch · From: Santa Cruz California

Thanks for the replies! Sounds like I’m just making excuses.. I’ll work on my settings and see if I can figure out how to fully utilize this pedal

J D Sauser · From: Wellington, Florida

I use the "KeyTuner" app on my iphone exclusively.
I schlepp that phone around everywhere anyways... and it's a non-nervous display with a "quick"-read and a "fine"-read on top of each others.
I found it to be VERY accurate... It's FREE. No adds.

... J-D.
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Was it JFK who said: Ask Not What TAB Can Do For You - Rather Ask Yourself "What Would B.B. King Do?"

A Little Mental Health Warning:

Tablature KILLS SKILLS.
The uses of Tablature is addictive and has been linked to reduced musical fertility.
Those who produce Tablature did never use it.

I say it humorously, but I mean it.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

I also use a phone app to check my general pitch.
I used to use a tuning fork held over the pickup, which is better in some ways.
I think the point here is that however accurate your measuring equipment, only your ears can determine what sounds musical.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs

Dennis Detweiler · From: Solon, Iowa, US

Once you find what sounds correct to your ears, program it into your tuner. The advantage with the tuner is when the jukebox is blaring, or quiet tuning is required for other reasons.
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1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Revelation preamp, Carbon Copy Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb, Crown XLS 1002, 2- 15" Eminence Wheelhouse speakers, ShoBud Pedal, Effects Pedals. 1949 Epiphone D-8.

Andrew Frost · From: Toronto, Ontario

Roger Andrusky · From: Waterford, PA, USA

For what it's worth, I have Garageband on my Mac which has a tuner built it. I have a chart with each open string and pedal/knee lever designations to set them to the proper cents off the major note. I think we would agree that setting each string, pedal and knee exactly to the primary note will not give a pleasing sound when notes are combined in chords. So, for example, the G# is tuned -4 cents off G# and the B pedal raises it to an A at +4 cents. When my MSA is tuned to that chart, it sounds perfect to my ears. Right now I don't play out, so setting it up this way in my music room works for me.

BTW, it appears that the "KEYTUNER" app is only on the iPhone. I could not find it in the Google Play Store for my Pixel. Just wanted to give it a look-see.

Dennis Detweiler · From: Solon, Iowa, US

If you're playing with a piano player, especially in the studio, and to be closer in tune to it, press A and B pedals down and tune your open E's to 440. Release A and B and check the E's again. That's your cabinet drop. If you start from there, your A's will end up at 440 and be more pleasantly in tune with the piano. An open A chord will be on target.
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1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Revelation preamp, Carbon Copy Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb, Crown XLS 1002, 2- 15" Eminence Wheelhouse speakers, ShoBud Pedal, Effects Pedals. 1949 Epiphone D-8.

Ron Pruter · From: Arizona, USA

If, by some weird alignment of the stars, you ever find your guitar sounding in tune, get your tuner out and jot down all your readings. Have it laminated and stick it in your pack a seat! Very Happy

End of discussion..Yah Right Wink

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Emmons SKH Le Grande, '73 Fender P/J bass, Tick tack bass, Regal high strung, USA Nashville 112.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

What Dennis says about pianos seems to apply equally to guitars, or at least the guitarist I work with. He tunes with care and always sounds spot on.
If I then check my AB open A chord against his and it matches, then everything works from then on. Checking E doesn't seem so reliable. I don't think my Excel has any significant drop, so something subtler must be in play.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs

Dennis Detweiler · From: Solon, Iowa, US

On my MSA guitars, with no pedals engaged, my E's tune to 442. My A's (A&B down) end up at 440. The beats are tuned out on the rest with a few tweaks here and there. Compensators on a couple. It sounds in tune to my ears and with the other band instruments. Studio tracks are in tune with the keyboard. It's all programmed into my tuner so I don't have to compete with a jukebox or other band instruments when tuning. And it's quick to tune.
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1976 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics 427 pickup, 1975 Birdseye U-12 MSA with Telonics X-12 pickup, Revelation preamp, Carbon Copy Delay and Hall Of Fame Reverb, Crown XLS 1002, 2- 15" Eminence Wheelhouse speakers, ShoBud Pedal, Effects Pedals. 1949 Epiphone D-8.

Andrew Frost · From: Toronto, Ontario

The pedals down E's and A's at 440 is the way I tune.
Those open string pitches can then fit pretty well into most equal tempered musical contexts and I use them a lot. The pedals have to be down though, otherwise things are pitchy. The cab drop keeps the open Es on the grid and the As can be used too, open. I rarely use the open B strings, as they are tuned about a dime sharper than concert pitch, and the peddled C#s are about the same distance flat.
But those pedal down open Es and As at 440 are tremendously useful...

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