Thank you William Brohinsky - and others - for your response. I have been tuning using the open strings fifths, but do remember a teacher years ago telling me that tuning using the octave harmonic is more precise. I'll try that method again. My Korg is a less "high tech" model; I may look into the models you mention, at least to expand my awareness of other tuning options. (Needless to say, tuning my cello is a treat compared to tuning my lutes - primarily because I don't have frets to be concerned about. But of course with the cello I'm always tuning each note that isn't an open string). -Ned On Jun 24, 2012, at 9:15 PM, William Brohinsky wrote:
> When intentionally tuning a cello to perfect fifths, use the octave > harmonic (divides the string in half) on the upper string, and the > 'third' harmonic, i.e., the one that divides the lower string in > thirds. For tuning A against D, for instance, your little finger > should touch the same point where you would normally finger the octave > above the open A string while your thumb should lightly touch the D > string where you normally play A. The former will sound the same pitch > whether fingered or played as a harmonic, while the latter will sound > the pitch an octave and a fifth above the open D string (which is the > same A.) The nice thing about using the harmonics is that a) you don't > have to have your finger in exactly the right place to get the > harmonic and have it be on-pitch, and b) the harmonic sounds the > single frequency (unless you way-overbow) rather than the rich-toned > fingered pitch. You need that pure sine to get the least confusion > about the beat. > > When you play these two harmonics together, they will beat unless the > strings are tuned in a pure fifth relation. If you tune the open > strings in the manner you have been doing and then test with the > harmonics, you will find out very quickly if you are actually tuning > pure or not. > > The Korg tuner has gone through a few revisions in the past years. > Mine doesn't allow more than equal temperament (so I've had charts to > adjust for various historical temperaments.) If the model you have is > OT120 (Which is currently on sale for $70 from Musician's Friend and > Sweetwater) then you can set historical tunings and temperaments, > which gives more room for experimentation. Also, petersontuners.com is > full of interesting information on tuning, and if you look in the > manuals for various of their more expensive tuners may just give you > some other tuning ideas. > > William Brohinsky > > > > > On Sun, Jun 24, 2012 at 12:11 PM, Edward Mast <[email protected]> wrote: >> A question perhaps better posed on a bowed string forum, but I'm confident >> someone here can help me. When tuning my cello with a Korg chromatic >> electronic tuner, what pitches am I tuning to? Is it tempered tuning? The >> reason I ask is that though I usually tune the A string from the tuner and >> then the strings below by ear to fifths, if I tune each string from the >> tuner the results seem to be the same - still perfect fifths. >> >> Thanks. >> >> >> >> To get on or off this list see list information at >> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
