Klarinet Archive - Posting 000620.txt from 1999/03

From: Phil Shapiro <pshapiro@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Intonation questions
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 1999 03:02:13 -0500

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OK,

I know that I'm going to get alot of heat for this but...

It is my firm opinion that once you've gotten an idea of your
instruments tendencies, via your tuner's indicator, you should never use
that feature again.  Over the last 25 years I have seen a decline pitch
accuracy amongst PROFESSIONALS that directly follows tuner use.

To be blunt, if you're using the needle you aren't using your ears. 
Plain and simple.  I can count on one hand the number of wind players I
know who can function without the "electronic ear".  It has become so
pervasive that people don't check pitch with each other any more. 
Whenever I voice a pitch concern to my fellow players, out come the
machines.  That's not a good sign.  We don't play with the tuners
sitting on our stands always on.  At least not yet.

I don't mean this to be tacky in any way, but this is a problem mainly
for professionals.  If you don't play regularly, or don't play in a
group that has a stable pitch center, then tuning without mechanical
assistance can be difficult.  But it's not impossible.  With a little
practice the human ear, in most cases, can easily hear differences of 2
vibrations per second.  Acuity of 1 and 0.5 vibrations per second are
not uncommon.

I don't discourage my students from owning tuners, but I teach them how
to use one properly and monitor the way they use them.  Once we
determine the instrument's pitch tendencies, and identify (and correct
if possible) any bad notes, we stop using the needle.  Usually 2
lessons, 3 tops.  Then we have the tuner play pitches and we play scales
to them, both directions, learning the sound of the intervals as they go
in and out of tune.  Then, I get nasty and slightly mis-adjust the
tuner.  He-He.

I didn't mean to get off on a diatribe, but reading all these posts
about how many cents here, and how many cents there and what the
tempering is....That's all useless in real life.  All of that analytical
stuff goes right out of the window when you get a harp in the pit, or
the soloist tunes high for better projection, or the gorilla stagehand
slams the Steinway into a wall, or (gulp) you're accompanying a guitar
concerto.  You have to play in tune and that's all there is to it.  And
for that you need trained ears, not trained eyes.

Soapboxfully yours,
-Phil

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