Chromatic tuners (again). But for checking intonation.
Sep 02, 2003 03:49 p.m.
OK, we've beat this topic to death, but I've got a bit different angle. I'm now interested in using a tuner not so much to tune the instrument, since I'm getting better at tuning the instrument to iteself, but to check intonation while playing, particularly meending. I know people with instruments without set tone increments, such as fretless string instruments, trumbones, etc., often use tuners while practicing, at least when first learning, until they train their ear. Seems a good idea on the sitar also.
Unfortunately, my tuner, a Korg CA30, seems to take a bit too long to find the pitch, even with a clip-on pickup. In fact, my son's Sabine tuner is about the same. It could be the pick-up sucks, its old and I've carried it my dulcimer case for a couple of years, so it may need replacing. Even so, I think the tuner itself isn't all that fast.
Are there anyone out there who has done this? What tuner do you use? I think I'd probably pick up another tuner if there was one that worked well for this purpose. I assume you would have to tune the sitar, then set the tuner to whatever A=?? is based on the sitar's tuning.
Re:Chromatic tuners (again). But for checking intonation.
Sep 02, 2003 04:20 p.m.
Hey!
I'm using a Korg DT3. The reason why I bought it was I worked on my Chapman Stick. The Stick has very thin strings at the scale lenght of a bassguitar. Some tuners don't react at all. In the beginning I had some serious problems using my tuner with a sitar but I noticed when I position the tuner on my right leg, next to the tumba it responds well. Don't know if that's because of the position of the build in mic, or the volume. I also noticed when you connect the tuner physically to the sitar it also responds better.
Re:Chromatic tuners (again). But for checking intonation.
Sep 02, 2003 04:38 p.m.
Hi Billy,
you want to make sure, e.g. you are hitting ma from Re ? (I'm thinking raag desh at the moment). I play ma, (while ma is fresh in your head) then try to match it with the meend. I do this over and over. I'll try it with my tuner to see if it works later tonight, after class.
Re:Chromatic tuners (again). But for checking intonation.
Sep 02, 2003 06:20 p.m.
I am practicing meends as of a few days ago. Since I have a tin ear, I just figure I'm hitting the right note when the corresponding (< is that spelled right?) sympathetic string triggers. But of course I make sure I'm in perfect tune first with a tuner or my tanpura machine.
Jeffrey R King
Re:Chromatic tuners (again). But for checking intonation.
Sep 02, 2003 06:42 p.m.
Jeff (Sep 02, 2003 06:20 p.m.):
I am practicing meends as of a few days ago. Since I have a tin ear, I just figure I'm hitting the right note when the corresponding (< is that spelled right?) sympathetic string triggers. But of course I make sure I'm in perfect tune first with a tuner or my tanpura machine.
Hadn't thought about that. Yes, I'm not always buzzing the tarbs, and I know they're in tune when I hit the notes straight on the frets, so obviously I'm off.
See, that's the kind of stuff I like from these kind of forums. Still, I'd like a tuner that was faster, whether I use it for intonation or not.
Re:Chromatic tuners (again). But for checking intonation.
Sep 02, 2003 07:19 p.m.
I've had several players tell me that even if you tune it pitch-perfect, some of the tarbs are just plain "dead" or at least playing possum! Its a characteristic of each individual instrument. There's two tarbs on my Mangla that just don't respond, no matter what I do. So, I just quit worrying about it. As long as it doesn't obviously sound out of tune, I'm good to go.
Re:Chromatic tuners (again). But for checking intonation.
Sep 02, 2003 07:22 p.m.
My teacher has me working on meends similar to the method Paul described. I'll fret Ni > Re (working on Yaman here), then pull Ni > Re, and repeat back and forth, until it matches. When pulling, stroke once for Ni, once for Re, then stroke once for Ni but pull to Re without a stroke. Then Re > Ga, etc. Then, try fretting Ni > Re > Ga > Re > Ni, then pulling the same notes from Ni, etc.
I usually mute my tarbs when practicing - that way nothing interferes with the ear training part of this exercise.
Re:Chromatic tuners (again). But for checking intonation.
Sep 02, 2003 10:04 p.m.
Russ,
I have two dead tarbs on my MPS also. When I fret the 10th and 11th frets, F and F#. They ring but they decay much faster then the others. Sometimes they work but mostly not. For me its very frustrating because I'll sit there and tune and re-tune and I just cant figure out what the problem is.
Does anyone else here have a dead spot and what did you do about it?
It actually drives me nuts sometimes, to the point where I won't pick up the sitar for a few days.
Jeffrey R King
