Re: Proper tuning technique


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Posted by Warren on December 03, 2003 at 00:13:57:

In Reply to: Proper tuning technique posted by Gordon Stanfield on December 02, 2003 at 19:26:14:

It is important that you be able to center your notes, and be able to repeat notes at the same pitch, before you tune the valve slides. The pressure you put on the mouthpiece, the position of your lips in the mouthpiece, the openness of your throat, and the dynamic level you play at will all affect the pitch. More pressure and louder dynamics will tend to make the pitch rise. Be sure to play at the same dynamic level and with the same pressure on each attempt and on each different pitch. You should not tune using vibrato, but using vibrato first will help you find the center of the pitch. Vibrato tends to bend the pitch up and down, which you will be able to feel on your lips. You will then be able to feel where the center is. Once you know you are centering the notes, do the following on a four valved instrument:

First, find out if your open pitches are in tune with each other. Many horns are not in tune with themselves to start with. So, if you set your tuning note (the fourth harmonic on the horn, 2nd line Bb or 2nd space C), then play the third harmonic (bottom of the staff F or G), it might not be in tune, even though they both use no valves. On most brass instruments the fifth harmonic, D or E, is quite a bit low. Don't worry about that. If you are not playing fast, finger that note 1-2 or 3 to get it in tune. Usually a low fifth harmonic is present on horns that have the sixth harmonic better in tune. (Since there is not a good, unstuffy alternate fingering for the sixth harmonic, I would rather have a low fifth harmonic than a sharp sixth harmonic.)

If the open notes are in tune with each other, and you're using your new Korg tuner, set your tuning note first. Then set your second valve one half step lower (A or B). Then set your first valve a perfect 5th lower (Eb or F). Next set your third valve, using it with your second valve (leave your second valve where you have already set it), a major third lower (F# or G#). Finally set your fourth valve to a whole step above the second harmonic (low C or low D). This is your basic four valve tuning.

Using this system, you will find that the notes between the fourth and fifth harmonic play flat for you. They are flat because the fifth harmonic is flat. To fix this you need a first valve slide that moves quickly and is short enough to play the whole step above the tuning note (2nd space C or 3rd line D) in tune, and/or alternate fingerings. On my horn I had my excellent repair person shorten my first valve slide, and line up the tubing. (It frequently comes unaligned from the factory.) It now moves almost a quickly as a trombone slide, and I move it all the time when I play. As mentioned above, if you are not playing fast, play the fifth harmonic (D or E) 1-2 or 3. Move your first valve slide to the correct position so that, with the second valve, the note is in tune. Play the half step lower (Db or Eb) 2-3. Play the whole step lower (C or D) 1st valve, with the slide pushed in pretty far. (Or, on some tubas with five valves, play it fifth valve.) (Or, play it with alternate fingerings, 1-3 or 4. But that is usually stuffy or unstable.) Play the step and a half lower (B or C#) 1-2, but again push in the first valve slide, not quite as far as for the (D or E). This is your basic adjustment area.

These two steps will get you pretty far. If you want to get further, play every single pitch on your horn with the tuner, and find each one's ideosycrasies. Almost all of them can be accomodated with alternate fingerings or slide adjustments (most often first valve slide adjustments). If you want to get even further, spend time tuning in your small group, or with a friend who has patience and is also interested.

If your horn's open notes are not in tune with each other, everything becomes a compromise. You will need to decide how best to set the horn up, and how best to adjust as you are playing.


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