Tuner preference

[D_A]

The Tuner Dependence topic got me thinking about this. I have a Qwik Tune tuner and although I occasionally use it, I haven't been that impressed with it. I've seen others belonging to my students that I think worked better. For those of you who have actually compared tuners, which brand/model do you prefer and why?

[Austen]

I've never used anything except my old Korg chormatic tuner. Which isnt even mine to begin with.....*Thanks go to Karla.

[lversola]

I insist on using an oboe.

[Andrew Victor]

What tuner does the oboist use?

Andy

[Kevin Miller]

At school I once saw an oboist run out of the rehearsal room to a pay phone outside so she could tune to the dial tone.

[lversola]

Yeah, good question -- why DO we always take the A from the oboe? And if the oboes use the dial tone, why don't we all just save some cash and use the phone?

[Karla]

I use the korg chromatic which is very responsive but to get even better results I have purchased also a little device that attaches to the instrument and measures by vibration instead of sound. The response is super quick using that and I can do this in a noisey room if needed. The two pieces together run just under 50 bucks if I am not mistaken.

[Fellow]

Hi,

For e-tuner comparison, I must say "clip-on Matrix SV 1000 for violin" the best at a price about $27-$40. The electronic needle of my other e-chromatic tuner jumps around. I have a hard time to read it. Anyway I use them for tuning open string only. /yuen/

[bryan]

I can't fit an oboe or oboist in my case . . .

[maestramusica]

The reason for the oboe tuning note has to do with the overtones produced by that specific instrument. I don't remember whether it's because it has fewer overtones or more overtones.

whichever it is, it seems to be the easiest live tone to tune to for a broad spectrum of instruments.

I s'pose I should have waited to answer this since I'm only maybe 5/8 awake. Maybe I'll remember more later today.

[D_A]

I've always speculated that we tune to the oboe because its timbre cuts through the sounds of everyone else tuning better than any other instrument.

I will have to ask our oboists which tuners they use -- good point. Frankly, I use a tuning fork 99% of the time and the tuner is mostly a curiosity for me, but thinking about stillnew's experiments made me suspect that the Qwik Tune is probably not the best choice for such explorations.

[redd]

tuning fork 440 A, and then trust your ears

[Fellow]

The reason we use oboe to tune in band is its loudness. No one can miss it. Just my thought. /yuen/

[thom]

I have used a Korg and a Sabine at various times. They are both fine, although I find the Korg slightly more sensitive. The Sabine has the advantage of also being a metronome. There is really no reason at this point not to get a tuner/metronome as opposed to getting each separately.

[rufviol]

Heifetz and my ear!

[Steve_W]

I currently use an old Seiko Tolv (an early to mid-'80s model) which has an analog VU meter to show whether the string's flat or sharp, and must be set to pitch manually using two knobs. In spite of its user-unfriendliness I like it because it's very accurate and in its tone generation mode it's quite loud (much of the time I use it as an electronic tuning fork). If I were going to replace it I think I'd take a look at the Korg OT-12. It may be overkill for an individual violinist (OT = orchestral tuner) but it's the only one out there I've found that handles just and other intonations as well as equal temperament (i.e., it can tune to true fifths...).

[LadyAmati]

Tuning fork on A and ears, and then place on violin to watch the A string vibrate sympathetically when it's in tune.