Posted by Joe S. on July 29, 2001 at 14:13:56:
In Reply to: How to improve intonation posted by Shon on July 29, 2001 at 13:19:20:
Carl has the right approach for most anyone who is serious about this. Playing with other really in-tune players is GREAT therapy, but often in-tune players are too busy to want to sit around and play very much stuff with students. The midi-miracle is a great solution, and one that is now accessable to just about anyone who makes an effort to avail themselves.
This play-along intonation learning method is the main reason teachers often finish lessons with duets - a secondary reason being sight-reading development.
I started playing the ukelele when I was five, and had to tune it myself...by age six the guitar. I think that constantly tuning my guitar and picking melodies and chord progressions off of recordings (to write down for our kiddie "garage band") of popular songs were largely responsible for the development of my sense of intonation. By the time most tuba players make a decision to get serious about developing their musical acuity to higher levels, opportunities for early experiences such as mine have been missed, thus Carl's advice holds.