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Posted

I have a chromatic tuner Korg CA-30 this was bought for my sons guitar and now I would like to use it for the cello or do I have to buy a new one

my son said "it a guitar tuner not a cello the note are different " but I told him a c,g is a c,g on any stringed instrument and the tuner will work just fine"

please help with this argument!!

James

Posted

I have a chromatic tuner Korg CA-30 this was bought for my sons guitar and now I would like to use it for the cello or do I have to buy a new one

my son said "it a guitar tuner not a cello the note are different " but I told him a c,g is a c,g on any stringed instrument and the tuner will work just fine"

please help with this argument!!

James

The A will be good. Use the others to get real close and then refine a bit by listening to the beats. It's more than good enough.

Posted

I have a chromatic tuner Korg CA-30 this was bought for my sons guitar and now I would like to use it for the cello or do I have to buy a new one

my son said "it a guitar tuner not a cello the note are different " but I told him a c,g is a c,g on any stringed instrument and the tuner will work just fine"

please help with this argument!!

James

James, he may be confusing the fact that other orchestral/band instruments are in different keys, making their "named" notes different. For example, an "A" on a B flat keyed trumpet, tenor sax, trombone etc, is not the same sounding note as an "A" on an E flat instrument (Alto sax etc),and is not the same note as an "A" on all of the string instruments (key of C). You don't have to worry about this, as all the string instruments are in the (Key of C)same family. Since your tuner is chromatic, all the notes show up. The CA30 is one of our best selling chromatic tuners. Maybe your son doesn't want to give up his tuner!! :D jeff ps-there are some really cheap priced chromatic, automatic (hand free, like the ca30)tuners that you can just clip (temporarily)onto the bridge and works much better in picking up the sound.

Posted

Guys it's an electronic tuner not a pitch pipe.

You can certainly just play each string(A, D, G, C, A is the highest), and tune it that way.

But tuning it by ear, to perfect fifths should be your ultimate goal.

(but it takes kids years a few years to get to that point, so don't despair if it doesn't happen overnight)

Posted

I think John is right. I never went to conservatory but then few years ago I started to surf the web, and found more and more about temperamental (just) and pythagorean intonation. I don't fully understand but it's obviously an issue even amongst different string instruments. You can have an idea

.

Although not too much an issue, but your son might be right.

And after 7 years practicing with my violin I now trust more my ears than my tuner... :)

Posted

I think John is right. I never went to conservatory but then few years ago I started to surf the web, and found more and more about temperamental (just) and pythagorean intonation. I don't fully understand but it's obviously an issue even amongst different string instruments. You can have an idea

.

Although not too much an issue, but your son might be right.

And after 7 years practicing with my violin I know trust more my ears than my tuner... :)

To be honest, I think that if the A is fixed to 440Hz in the guitar tuner, then the difference between the two temperaments will be negligible (probably less than the frequency uncertainty of the tuner).

Posted

I have a CA-30. Nothing wrong with it. And, uh, the difference between perfect fifths and equal temperament is not an unknown or variable quantity. It’s all common cents (pun). :lol:

Posted

If you play perfect 5ths on violin open strings and the same perfect 5ths on a guitar they should be in tune. Violinists will automatically make some adjustments in their intonation depending on the other instruments they are playing with.

Posted

Jeff, Sully, Michael and Vathek are all correct, but this is a perfect example of cyberspace disinformation. Just because it's on the Internet doesn't mean it's correct, and if you're serious you should check the C.V. of your sources carefully!

Posted

Jeff, Sully, Michael and Vathek are all correct, but this is a perfect example of cyberspace disinformation. Just because it's on the Internet doesn't mean it's correct, and if you're serious you should check the C.V. of your sources carefully!

my cv includes teaching a course on the physics of music at a major UK university, if that's good enough for you.

Posted

Jeff, Sully, Michael and Vathek are all correct, but this is a perfect example of cyberspace disinformation. Just because it's on the Internet doesn't mean it's correct, and if you're serious you should check the C.V. of your sources carefully!

Crap, I'm just an ex-music ed major pursuing my undergrad in chemistry. There goes my credibility.ohmy.gif

Posted

You can't tune a violin with a chromatic tuner. The 5ths will be wrong and the difference ( for a good ear ) is MASSIVE.

You can get the A from it, place the others in the ball park and then know for sure which way you need to turn to get the other

three right which is a bit of a problem for some string players.

You also can't tune a piano with a chromatic tuner - it'll sound like crap.

Posted

You can't tune a violin with a chromatic tuner...

You can get the A from it, place the others in the ball park and then know for sure which way you need to turn to get the other three right...

Yes and... ? I thought we all agreed on that?

I spent my undergraduate years studying empty fifths. smile.gif

702 cents vs 700, that’s HUGE!

Posted

A C or a D# etc is the same on any instrument, otherwise they wouldn't be able to play together in tune. The octave may be different but that won't matter.

Not at all. They're not the same even on the same instrument.

Posted

You're right. It is huge.

It's audible to a well trained ear, sure. So, yeah, depending on the performer, huge. Others, not so much.

I think this forum often forgets that not everybody is a professional player right out of the womb.

If someone is inquiring whether or not a tuner used for guitar can double to tune a cello, I feel comfortable guessing that their ear isn't yet developed enough to render a tuner obsolete.

Hell, I know excellent(professional) players who use the clip on tactile tuners in loud classrooms. Because let's face it, if your goal for the month is to teach a low 2nd finger to your class of 23 10y/o violin students, who get two hours a week in your class, that 700 vs 702 doesn't matter.laugh.gif

Posted

my cv includes teaching a course on the physics of music at a major UK university, if that's good enough for you.

And my CV includes 4 decades making my daily bread in a major US orchestra, mostly in tune, too. I hope that works for you.

Posted

Not at all. They're not the same even on the same instrument.

Sorry but that's just not true. If I'm playing violin with a piano my d# 'should' be the same as theirs. If I'm playing solo I'd agree with you.

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