 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: kimber
Date: 2010-08-02 15:52
What is everyone's typical band/orchestra tuning regime? Different notes for brass vs. wwinds? Hold the note through the tuning or just give a short note and let the section adjust themselves? Tune right with a tuner or have adjusted ahead of time? Just curious what other bands do.
Post Edited (2010-10-26 13:32)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-08-02 16:03
She should tune woodwinds to A and brass to Bb.
And yeah - she should be warmed up and have the reed all working well before tuning everyone. If she's lipping it to get the A in tune with the tuner, then she won't be in tune without it.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2010-08-02 16:09
I would agree that her tuning needs to be steady at the point when all the rest try to pick up the note. At some point she (and the director) need to make the leap of faith that her pitch is "good enough." And actually I'm sure it is.
The rest you'll have to get used to. Clarinets probably tune best to a concert Eb (our F), but you'll almost NEVER get that. So everyone has to compromise since this is bestowed upon us from generations of orchestras tuning to concert "A" which is a fundamental for the strings.
.................Paul Aviles
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-08-02 19:12
The use of the tuner is to check her intonation. She needs to make her reeds so when she tunes she's already a perfect as she can be. Otherwise the band is tuning to the concert pitch but when she begins to play she will be out of tune unless she can adjust her oboe pitch without having to play with a distorted embouchure. Many orchestra's use the tuner now to avoid other members questioning whether or not the oboe player is giving the proper pitch. This eliminates a lot of arguments, believe me. Orchestra's tune to concert A, I heard that bands tune to a Bb and sometime do give the brass and winds a different note. This is up to the director I suppose. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2010-08-02 19:31
A wind/military band will almost invariably tune to Bb.
This note is good for most brass as it tunes the open instrument (no valves used) and tenor trombone is closed slide position.
Bb is far better far the Bb clarinet since concert C is a much clearer and well defined note on most clarinets than the bell B nat.
In the orchestra of course the open strings must take preference hence the A.
In the band the solo clarinet is leader (concertmeister) not the oboe.
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Author: William
Date: 2010-08-02 20:35
In the band where I am principal clarinet, all the woodwinds tune first to my concert A (which I previously check with my tuner, but give without) and the brass to a Bb. Often, if individual sections do not sound exactly "right", I will single them out, even individuals--or at the very least, make everyone listen to a second "official" A or Bb and retry tuning. After the brass have tuned, then the entire band tunes to a Bb which I give. I usually try to hold the general pitch to A=440, but it often rises to 442 in spite of my initial efforts. We do often retune during a rehearsal or concert, especially after an intermition of before a featured selection or soloist.
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Author: Arnoldstang
Date: 2010-08-02 20:41
It is pretty common for an oboist to use the tuner. It just makes it more accurate for everyone involved. I think the reason for an oboe A is the clarity of sound......it is quite defined and easier to tune to than a less "pointed" tone of say the B on a clarinet. I would not worry about whether the oboist is having to work to find a good A. In a perfect world the oboist would have a perfect A without a tuner but that isn't always the case. The case for a given pitch not being 440 is when the temperature is outside the norm. If it's cold 438 seems reasonable as does 442 or higher in hot temperatures. This would occur naturally if the oboist didn't look at a tuner.
Freelance woodwind performer
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2010-08-02 22:04
I am the oboist who gives the pitch in most of the ensembles with which I play. I am more comfortable if I have my tuner in front of me, for a variety of reasons.
First of all, in my experience, there is no such thing as a perfectly-tuned reed. There are reeds which one can play well and in tune, but playing in tune is as much a function of the player as it is the reed. The idea that anyone could just plug the reed in and naturally blow a perfect A 440 is a misconception.
When I am warmed up, I can virtually always give you a good A with confidence and without reference to a tuner. But most often when I am asked to give a pitch, I have just arrived at the rehearsal or gig just like everybody else. By the time I get my gear set up (often setting up two instruments) and the oboe warmed up under my armpit, the director is staring at me, asking for the tuning note, before I've had a chance to settle in or even blow a note. Using the tuner is almost mandatory in that situation.
Is the room warm or is it frigid? Am I anxious or am I relaxed? Is the reed well-broken-in or is it brand new? All these things are also variables that influence the exactness of the first pitch I blow.
In my favorite ensemble, btw, we tune to the low brass, and three pitches are given: a concert Bb, a concert A, and a concert F. That makes sense to me. I don't know why ensembles tune to the oboe, except that it is a tradition to do so.
Susan
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Author: Wes
Date: 2010-08-02 22:25
The oboist has a duty to have reeds ready to go at the start of the rehearsal and, with a good instrument and stable reed, the A440 should be no problem without a tuner. The Loree oboes seem little affected by temperature in my moderate climate unlike the Buffet clarinets which are usually somewhat flat before warmup and can get sharper in warm weather.
Use of a tuner can eliminate arguments and discussions on the pitch so I think it is a good idea.
Tuning up to an out of tune tuba never made much sense to me but it sometimes happens in concert bands. Perhaps if the tuba players used tuners, it would be ok. Brass players have their own culture which is not always clear to us woodwinds but we ofter hear very sharp high trumpets who normally play ok in tune on lower notes.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2010-08-02 22:30
<<The oboist has a duty to have reeds ready to go at the start of the rehearsal . . .>>
Yeah, that's why they pay us the big bucks!
S.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-08-02 22:50
When giving a concert A or Bb on oboe I use a tuner to be sure it's 440Hz. In the summer I may use 442Hz if it's hot and in winter 438Hz when it's cold - if all the instruments around are either hot or cold then they should warm up at a similar rate so when it comes to retuning around an hour later we should still be in tune with each other.
Add strings or electronic keyboards then that just makes things difficult - add bagpipes (who probably tune to around 452Hz) and that makes things far worse!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2010-08-03 13:05)
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