Klarinet Archive - Posting 000723.txt from 2000/06

From: "David B. Niethamer" <dnietham@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: [kl] Chromatic Tuners
Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2000 23:50:24 -0400

on 6/18/00 3:13 PM, Gil Guerrero wrote:

>I'm looking to purchase a good tuner to start examining my tone in
>more detail, and I was wondering what people on the list were using
>and why they thought it was a good purchase.

Contrary to the opinion to get a small cheap unit, I'm going to advocate
that you get a tuner that will emit tones, so that you can practice
intervals against a fixed tone. This will probably necessitate a
$150-$200 (US) expenditure, but in the end the tuner will be much more
useful.

Look on Sneezy for Tom Labadorf's article and exercises for playing
intervals against a fixed pitch. I can at least get you close:

<http://www.sneezy.org/OCR/>

>From there you should be able to find it.

Also check Gary Van Cott's web sit for Larry Guy's book, "Intonation
Training for Clarinetists." Well worth the $15 (US) for a wealth of
practical information about playing in tune. Gary can give you the URL.
[please? ;-) ]

The problem with cheap tuners is that tuning is not a visual exercise -
it is an aural exercise. Also, notes are not "in tune" or "out of tune" -
intervals are. Context is everything. "D" in D Major or G Major is not
the same as "D" in Bb Major or B minor. You have to practice playing
these intervals, and hearing the proper voicing of the various intervals.
Playing "stop the needle" (or LCD lights) with a cheap tuner won't teach
you much of any value, unless you only play with well tuned equal
tempered pianos. Maybe not even then.

I was particularly struck by this part of the message -

>start examining my tone in more detail

Leon Russianoff used to tell us that the perception of tone improved with
good intonation, and we thought he was nuts. We wanted the reed of a
lifetime, and every week! But my experience is that he's right. When
you're playing in tune in an ensemble of any size, the alignment of all
those overtones makes everyone's tone sound better. I don't know if the
physics backs this up, but my perception is that it's true.

Although you can probably find them cheaper in the catalogs, I'd suggest
going to a store large enough to have a few of the larger ones in stock,
and see if you can hear yourself play against the pitch played by the
tuner. Pick a loud one! My 20 year old Korg is a dinosaur, but makes a
loud sound that's easy to tune against. I've seen Seiko models that seem
nice, too. Any other brand suggestions from the list?

Standard disclaimer - Larry Guy pays me nothing, same for Gay Van Cott,
Seiko, Korg, Sneezy, Grumpy, Snow White...

David

David Niethamer
Principal Clarinet, Richmond Symphony
dnietham@-----.edu
http://members.aol.com/dbnclar1/

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