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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000088.txt from 2003/12

From: barbara trautwein <mzeztee@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Tuning Trivia
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2003 16:08:40 -0500

Well said, Ed. I do think that the modern tuners stop a lot of
arguments before they get started!. . . .

Happy Holidays!

B

Lacy, Edwin wrote:
>>I've never seen anyone using a tuning fork, personally. Electronic
>
> tuners
>
>>seem to be the preferred device.
>
>
> All of you who are saying that you have never seen anyone using a tuning
> fork to tune an orchestra are revealing something about yourselves -
> that you are mere youngsters! ;-)
>
> Compact electronic tuners are a relatively recent invention. My memory
> is that they were the latest technological gadget in the music world of
> the mid-1970's. Before that, most electronic tuners were of the
> stroboscope type, and you needed a wheelbarrow to carry them around.
> (Oops - I suppose many of our younger colleagues won't know what a
> wheelbarrow is, either.)
>
> When tuners did become small enough to carry around in one's briefcase,
> they cost several hundred dollars. The $20 micro-mini tuners of today
> are an even more recent marvel of modern technology.
>
> Those of us who are, ummmm, over 39 years old, will remember well the
> oboist striking the tuning fork on his/her knee and holding the base of
> it in the right ear while playing the A tuning note for the orchestra.
>
> There was an advantage for us musicians in those days before we could
> haul out the tuner to settle intonation disputes and discrepancies - we
> had to use our ears! And after all, for a musician, there is something
> to be said for this practice.
>
> Ed Lacy
> University of Evansville
>
> DOUBLEREED-L mailing list
> DOUBLEREED-L@-----.edu
> http://lists.washburn.edu/mailman/listinfo/doublereed-l
>
>