--- In [email protected], "curtisdeltablues" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I use an Intellitouch tuner that is clamped to the guitar headstock > and takes the pitch vibration from the neck. Because it does not rely > on the your ability to hear your own string it is very useful for > performance. http://www.tuners.com/pt1.asp If you shop around the Net > you can get a better price. You need to develop your ear, but you > also need to get to correct pitch quickly without dealing with all the > variables that effect your ear's ability to detect pitch if you want > to perform. Go digital and save yourself a lot of pain. It will also > improve your sense of pitch to be right one most of the time. > > I use a number of different open tunings in my shows as well as > standard tuning which I tune down a half step. I wasn't sure if your > question was about tuning the guitar or different tunings. Hope that > helps. For Spraig, Segovia played gut strings that stretch more than > steel strings. He also played vintage guitars that are more quirky. > I think that is why he had to re-tune mid song. > >
Actually, Segovia enjoyed playing his vintage guitars at home, but according to a 1978 interview, Jose Ramirez sent him new guitars every year starting in the 60's. No-one gives classical guitar concerts with antiques--guitars are far more delicate than violins and just don't age well or travel well for that matter. Also, Segovia co-invented the nylon guitar string with the DuPont family during WWII. BTW, the design of the modern classical guitar was geared specifically for Segovia, who had larger than average hands, especially for a Spaniard. Also, regarding the tuning issue. I've played $6000 guitars. Even those are a little quirky. As I said, for classical music, you need to fine-tune the guitar to the piece you play-- different sets of open strings and the average position that you fret dictates where you try to balance the tuning for best results. Segovia would retune on the fly as he performed-- he may have been tuning to the piece or even to the section of the piece, who knows? His timing was amazing since he never missed a note while he retuned. The one time I saw him in concert, I was about 3 feet away from him at a tiny church in England. He passed within inches of me as he climbed to the stage. I was in the "front row" with my knees jammed over the edge of the stairs. I had to look under the railing to watch him. 12 pounds for the ticket. The people in the choir box behind him only paid 2 pounds (his old friend was pastor of the church apparently and it was a fund-raiser for the church I believe). It was mind-boggling--I even got to shake his hand afterwards and stammer "thankyou" a half-dozen times. He looked me in the eye and nodded. To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
