 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Brooks
Date: 2002-12-10 15:24
My girlfriend plays clarinet (first chair in our city's Concert Band) and needs to get a tuner. I'd like to get her one for Xmas. I play guitar and have used a number of tuners over the years - now I use an Intellitouch Tuner and see it is used by Woodwind players.
What tuner what you guys recommend for me to buy her?
Thanks alot-
brooks
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Author: clarynet
Date: 2002-12-10 15:30
Brooks-
Don't know how much you want to spend, but Korg makes a nice tuner, it's only about 25-30 bucks depending where you go. These bad boys run on AAA batteries, and they use a digital needle, they work great and are very reliable.
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Author: Brooks
Date: 2002-12-10 15:39
$$ is not really an issue - I just want to get her a good one. She's the 'Concert Mistress' and tunes everyone at the beginning of the concert/practice. Didnt know if using a 'vibration' tuner (like the Intellitouch) might be better than the ones which use a microphone.
Thanks for the reply.
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Author: ken
Date: 2002-12-10 16:13
Have you checked the Website classifieds/accessories section for brands/any deals?
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Author: Matt
Date: 2002-12-10 20:06
Brooks:
The Korg CA30 is a decent tuner. I purchased one for my GF and it works well. However, I own the Seiko ST757 and prefer it over the CA30 for a couple reasons. I think it gives a more immediate response and also displays the "cents" value, something I don't believe the Korg does. Either is available from Woodwind/Brasswind as well as many other shops - online & Local.
MOO,
Matt
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Author: Henry
Date: 2002-12-10 20:18
The Korg CA-30 DOES display the "cents" value. I got one at WW/BW for about $19, if I remember correctly. I don't know what more one would need!
Henry
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2002-12-10 21:00
I have the Korg CA30 as well. It's great -- small, accurate, dependable, inexpensive, and it does have cents marked on the meter. It fits easily in my case and doesn't crowd the music stand. And it powers itself off after about 5 minutes inactive. For $20, it's a great stocking stuffer.
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2002-12-11 02:20
I use a Korg and really test it out:
Batteries last a LONG time. In the crash test I can attest that from Music stand height to cement or wooden floors a Korg can easily withstand 4 or 5 crashes without damage. Sometimes the case will pop open and you have to chase down a battery, but stuff that puppy back in and squeeze it closed and it is as good as new.
I tried it with an add on microphone but was unimpressed, the stock out of the box (approx $19 US) tuner does just fine, thank you very much.
I haven't tried water immersion yet. I just wish it had an integral metronome and perhaps a tone generator.... but for a basic tuner it really works well.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-12-11 02:51
I like my Seiko SMP-20. It is much smaller than the Korg, easily fitting into my clarinet case and--in addition to being a fine tuner--also is a metronome. Downside is that it is more expensive (at least mine was when I bought it a few years ago). But for its compac size, it has a large needle meter for easy reading and accuracy. I do not like the tuners that have digital readouts or blinking LED lights. The needle meter gives much faster feedback for making tuning adjustments. The Korg is an excellant tuner, I just like the added feature of the metronome in my Seiko.
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Author: Jim E.
Date: 2002-12-11 04:23
I too use the Korg for all the reasons listed. Look into the Seiko clip on metronome for about $30, it will clip right onto the music stand. My band director has a tuner with many more lights than the Korg, (I cant remember the brand.) It kind of looks like the dashboard of the space shuttle. I find the Korg much easier to read.
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Author: ET
Date: 2002-12-11 05:14
I'll second the Korg CA-30's ability to withstand an amazing amount of abuse. I've dropped it on a marble floor countless times and it keeps on working! I also use it to tune my guitars, acoustic and electric. There's an input jack for the electric. Just in case you want to borrow it for yourself.
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Author: Matt
Date: 2002-12-11 12:22
Henry:
Can you verify for me that we are speaking of the same thing? Both the Korg & the Seiko have digital needles that give the overall picture. These are in "cents", that is true. However the Seiko also digitally displays the "cents" value which I don't believe the Korg does. Am I not correct on this? I haven't used the GF's tuner a lot so I'm a little vague on this.
I do believe that the Seiko responds quicker than the Korg. It has also survived the "fall from the music stand" test a few times!
Either one makes a very good addition to the clarinet case.
Matt
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Author: Mark S.
Date: 2002-12-11 13:40
Brooks,
Petersen VS-1 tuner. Expensive (ca. $170), but very accurate strobe-style tuner in a ruggedized case. Woodwind and Sam Ash have them.
Cheaper than earrings...
Happy hunting,
Mark.
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Author: Benny
Date: 2002-12-11 14:13
I have a Korg CA-20. It is inexpensive (about $20), accurate, and fits in your pocket easily. I think the CA-30 is practically the same thing, just a newer model.
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2002-12-11 14:43
Brooks,
Whatever you buy, your tuner absolutely needs to play sounds and not just an A.
One needs to learn to tune with the ear more than with the eye.
I made the istake of buying an expensive tune which did not have this feature. I can't practice tuning properly if I adjust by looking at the needle.
According to music123, the Korg CA30 appears to be generating tones, so it's a decent choice.
the Seiko ST777B is a higher end choice...
the KORG OT12 Orchestral Tuner is the best one out there in my humble opinion.
Lucky girlfriend...
-Sylvain
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Author: d dow
Date: 2002-12-11 16:43
Dear Freinds: without seeming irrevrent, I would like to add the human brain is the best tuner of all. Really good players should be able to perceive whether they are sharp or flat, and young players can work on these ideas with a teacher on how to listen and tell when they are high or low on any given pitch, expecially the middle 3rd of the chord which is so tricky to tune.
As for investing in a tuner I have a set of tuning forks from middle C to C of the staff and i use these as a reference to where the pitch is sitting on my instrument. As to electronic I believe Korg make a fine chromatic tuner...it is also important to keep the batteries fresh as well...l.
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Author: Henry
Date: 2002-12-11 19:33
Matt: You are right. On the Korg CA-30, the "cents" is read from the position of the needle on the scale. There is no digital display. But I have not found that to be a problem.
Henry
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-12-12 14:24
Hmmm....re the human brain being so accurate. Maybe yours, but not mine. My brain told me I was playing in tune the other night until my stand-mate pulled out his tuner...hint,hint!
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Author: Marina
Date: 2002-12-13 02:58
I also use a Seiko ST757. The reason I went for this model (other than price) is I also play Alto sax in Eb and the Seiko handles both with no transposing.
Additionally, it also has a light which is great if you are performing in a room which is poorly lit.
Marina
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Author: Mark P. Jasuta
Date: 2002-12-13 03:01
I use the Yamaha YT-250. With a full 8-octave range I can tune almost anything. (transposing where necessary of course)
Mark
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Author: jbutler
Date: 2002-12-13 23:31
Mark S.,
I find the Peterson tuner to be way <b>overpriced </b>for what it is. In fact I talked with a Peterson representative about the fact that I was VERY disappointed in the tuners performance. Admittedly, he told me they work much better with an external microphone. However, I find that <b>any</b> extraneous noise whatsoever disrupts the tuning mechanism so that an accurate reading will not display. I feel that a portable tuner that costs as much as this one should perform much better. I was thinking about buying one of their more expensive rack models for the shop when they came out with the VS-1 so I thought that to be a cheaper alternative. I wish now that I had saved the money and put it towards one of the rack mount models. I think the Seiko and Korg are a much better portable tuner for less money.
jbutler
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