Re: [Harp-L] tuner



The answer is...it depends. Not all reeds are stable enough but some are, and some can be accurately stabilized. Or, in the lower pitches, at least made to respond evenly with the others. This is just one of the significant improvements I've achieved in my craft during recent months, and one of the first checks/corrections made to a harp. Yes, it can drive you crazy or completely waste your time. That's why I won't work with some reeds anymore.

Without a Peterson strobe tuner I wouldn't be able to do what I'm doing, period. I even have 2 backup units just in case lightning would kill the one I use everyday. Call me foolish if you must, but I wouldn't invest my money in them if a 30 dollar tuner were adequate. I'm not saying that the average player should run out and buy a strobe, just that they do have their place among serious tuners.


----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Hammersley" <rhhammersley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Joe Spiers" <joemopar@xxxxxxxxxxx>; "Harp L Harp L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 10:59 AM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] tuner



The next question is whether the physical characteristics and decay of harmonica reeds are generally stable enough to be tunable to this accuracy. I know that with guitar strings the answer is, broadly, 'no'. They go out of tune relatively quickly and also the attack, peak and decay of a string, particularly the lower ones, varies in pitch and overtones. Same applies to pianos (hence the use of human piano tuners rather than very accurate electronic tuners). You can go nuts with too accurate a tuner trying to get the string spot on and, meantime, another one has wandered off pitch, or the guitar neck has shifted infintesimally under changed pressure, changing tuning.

From previous discussion it sounds as if this may apply also to fixed reeds? I appreciate that tuning a harmonica is 'for keeps' not a daily activity, but nonetheless might too much electronic accuracy actually be a problem relative to the ear?

Richard

On 24 Jun 2008, at 16:18, Joe Spiers wrote:

This link is from the FAQ on Peterson's website. It explains why digital tuners' displays are not as accurate. It isn't just marketing hype to sell expensive tuners.

http://www.petersontuners.com/index.cfm?category=85&sub=84
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