 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: JazzyAndrew
Date: 2012-12-14 15:45
I use my phone for three things when practicing:
To keep an eye on how long I have been playing
Metronome on my phone
Tuner.
I use the tuner at the beginning of a session, I generally start at E and play the three Es I can play, then on to F, then Fsharp, going up and down the octaves like that until I have played everything. I use the tuner to help me get better pitch.
Does anybody else use a phone while practicing?
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2012-12-14 16:19
No.
But some folks use them during rehearsal. Mainly for texting. ![[down]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley23.gif)
They'd better use their ears for learning how to play in tune with others.
--
Ben
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2012-12-14 17:07
I occasionally use my iPhone in practice sessions. I use it in rehearsals only when there is a string sectional happening.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2012-12-14 17:21
Depends on what sport is in season.
I occasionally use the metronome on my phone, but I prefer separate dedicated metronomes and tuners - they don't run my phone's battery down.
Karl
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2012-12-14 17:33
I don't really use it for practicing, but I use it sometimes in rehearsals (which is like practice I guess) and concerts, not for texting, but for playing. I mean, who wants to carry this primitive, old, heavy thing... you know... a laptop
Post Edited (2012-12-14 17:50)
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2012-12-14 20:22
I don't even own a smartphone. My cell phone is a clamshell that's ten years obsolete. That's partly because I don't need a phone for anything except making phone calls, and partly because I want to feel free to use it anywhere on the street in Washington, D.C. and in the subway to let my husband know I'm on my way home with no fear that some thug will see a nice phone and jump me to steal it. Smartphone grabbing has become quite a popular crime around here. And I figure any thug who sees me wearing my typical schmattes and using that old phone will most likely figure I haven't got any money or other valuables on me, either, and will go jump somebody else who looks more promising.
What do I use when I practice? I tune to my piano. (Okay, it's an electronic piano, a Yamaha CLP811, and I bought it new ... in 1996.) My metronome is a manual Seth Thomas from the mid-1950s. Latest and greatest? Phooey. If it works, I'll use it.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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Author: DrewSorensenMusic
Date: 2012-12-15 04:01
If you'll allow me to rant:
I loathe people that use their "smart" phones as a tuner. Do you really trust your phone and a app you got for free to give you an exact measurement on pitch? Really, you do? Maybe that's why I'm banging my head against this music stand right now, because my Peterson tuner that was designed to only tune instruments is telling me otherwise. Do yourself a favor, break open the piggy bank on this one, and make an investment in your future and my sanity please. The world will thank you for it.
Note* This rant was not directed at anyone here, but was brought to you by 2 unrelated incidents of inept musicians using smart phones to tune their instruments on a professional gig.
Drew S.
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Author: Phurster
Date: 2012-12-15 08:01
It's not a bad idea to constant check your tuning. The ear will generally accept as the norm all sorts of odd intervals and out of tune scales if this is all it hears.
An example of this would be flute players playing consistently sharp in the upper register.
The main benefit of playing with a tuner is that at least you become aware of the inconsistencies of your own instrument. With practice you can play with a generally in tune scale.
Obviously this is not the same as playing in tune, but it is a step in the right direction.
Chris.
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Author: Vova Doob(UA)
Date: 2012-12-15 13:11
I use phone as metronome, there are few good apps, with many options.
As for tuner, I think that phones has not so good microphones to professionaly show the tune of note.
Also, somtimes I use video camera to analyzie some moments of my performing.
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2012-12-15 16:56
I am sorry you loathe me, DrewSorensonMusic. I bought the Peterson tuner iphone app along with a connector to the phone that isolates my instrument from all the others blasting away before rehearsals and concerts. I also have expensive tuners and metronomes that I use at home....and oh, guess what....I also use my ears! Yes, friends, I know that a tuner only gets you so far and there are many adjustments to be made during performing depending on who you are playing with. I often play Eb clarinet and so tuning is a huge issue for me. But please try not to loathe me.
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Author: DrewSorensenMusic
Date: 2012-12-15 17:35
As I prefaced before, it was just a rant to get that off of my chest. I'm sure you sound wonderful and the app works decently. I don't trust the things, cause they were designed as phones, not tuners, but you did purchase an extra microphone that would eliminate the problem of the phone mic, so I commend you. I haven't tested the things myself to really know.
I'm sure the two experiences I had with smartphone tuning musicians were related to the musicians themselves and not the tuners, however, if ever I see someone pull out their smartphone before another gig, I may twinge from past experience.
Drew S.
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2012-12-15 18:09
I know many professional players that use the ClearTune app, but only as a backup. On one occasion the oboeist had left her tuner at home and luckily happened to have it on her iPhone. I have ClearTune to but hardly use it as I carry a tuner with me at all times. ClearTune is useful for the different temperaments as it has quite a few to use. Ideal for early music.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2012-12-15 21:47
are smarthphone tuners and metronomes bad or far off? I mean, most tuners and metronomes are a bunch of circuitry and a microphone or speaker anyway.
I HAVE seen metronome applications that momentarily skip a beat, and I believe it might have something to do with memory available, or the processor being tasked with too much. But what's wrong with using a smartphone to get a good base tune before practicing solo or in an ensemble?
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2012-12-16 06:33
>> are smarthphone tuners and metronomes bad or far off? <<
In general, no. Maybe some are, I don't know.
>> But what's wrong with using a smartphone to get a good base tune before practicing solo or in an ensemble? <<
Nothing.
Thanks for the easy questions
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Author: Claire Annette
Date: 2012-12-17 19:48
I use my phone when teaching lessons to middle school/high school students in the following ways: as a metronome, as a tuner (which also sounds a pitch as well as measures a pitch and has a microphone outlet that has been useful), as a camera to take pictures of students' finger positions and embouchures to show them (I erase the pictures in front of the students), as a video camera to let them see and hear themselves playing, as a recorder to let them listen to themselves, and as a clock so I can keep my eye on the time. Oh, yeah...and as a phone, if the parent isn't there on time to pick the student up!
I'm very pleased with my metronome app (free) that can be set for varying time signatures and varying sounds. I can also tap the speed of a performance and the app tells me what the tempo is. (Since I can't figure that out on my own with a second hand on a watch, I really like this feature.) And, for what it's worth, a Steinway technician who tuned pianos for a living was the one who liked and showed me the tuner app (free) that I have on my phone.
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Author: JazzyAndrew
Date: 2012-12-18 10:45
So I became curious about the quality of the tuner I have installed on my phone.
I went down the the music district and talked to a piano shop owner and explained what I wanted to do, and he pulled out his phone and said that he had the same tuner and was also curious.
There was a piano that had recently been tuned and we tested them out on that. His iPhone and my Samsung Note 2 were both in close agreement, within one or two cents.
We tried a set of pitchpipes, the best he sells and again, within one or two cents, sometimes exactly in agreement.
I have since tried a few online tuning forks, I found these to be in closest agreement with the app on my phone
http://www.onlinetuningfork.com/
0.1 cents flat on the E4
2.0 cents flat on the A4
0.5 cents flat on the C5
I am wondering if somebody with an expensive tuner can compare it with this page.
It isnt surprising to me that apps like these are good. The programming needed for this is fairly simple, and the microphone doesnt need to be very good at all. Mostly what it needs is calibration.... I havent calibrated it, this is as it came out of the digital box.
The app I am using is DaTuner Pro, I paid about a dollar for it.
I am not associated with any apps, or the online tuning fork site.
I would also expect smartphone applications to be as accurate as any other metronomes, the processor on my smartphone is better than the one on my year old netbook, and a metronome isnt likely to challenge that at all. I would like to have a lovely wooden one, but my lifestyle is just way too mobile for that.
a
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2012-12-18 11:28
I use it to record a tune right after I write it so that I don't have to put it down on paper immediately.
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Author: MartyMagnini
Date: 2012-12-18 14:50
I have found several good tuning apps for my smartphone and iPad. As mentioned, Peterson has an app that works as well and my stand alone Peterson V-SAM (which was several hundred dollars - the app was $10, as I recall). There's also a tuner out there called Tonal Energy Tuner that works very well with my iPad and iPhone. It has different tones and tuning options for Just tuning for whatever key you select, along with equal temperament. When I use it with my band, I can project it on the screen, and play them a chord or an interval with equal temperament tuning, then let them hear the difference in the way it sounds with the just tuning. Works very, very well. I'd save my rant for those without a tuner, and who still don't use their ears.
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Author: ThomasG
Date: 2012-12-20 20:26
There is an iPhone app called "Tonal Energy" that is very accurate. Now, i don't ever use this as my tuner, it' more just for fun, and to have for me. I have one of those dual meternome/tuner devices.
I put the tuner and my iphone tuner right next to each other, and the iPhone tuner had about the same reading, if not more accurate than the one i normally use.
There are probably are some tuners that are not as accurate, but i don't think you should underestimate what kind technology these smart phones really are.
Post Edited (2012-12-20 20:26)
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Author: Tony M
Date: 2012-12-20 23:16
I use the Cleartune app and find it works well.
I also use iRealB. The ability to quickly write a backing track for any particular cadence or progression that I wish to practice is very useful.
I also use iTanpura for the times that I like to practice over a drone.
Apart from Cleartune, these are things coming out of the device (to external practice room speakers) rather than being picked up by the device's mic. I hadn't thought about an external mic for the Cleartune app and that might be a good idea but it has worked well for me so far.
I use the Garageband app for capturing ideas but that isn't practice so much as wishful thinking.
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