Bassplaying and tuning

[Daniel Jackson]

Ola Andersson wrote:


 
> Stretch.
> I have noticed two kinds of stretch.
> First playing in a rock or Jazz band with guitarist there no tuning
> problems. The guitars tune with little stretch and has low 5ths.
>
> Ola Andersson
> Bergen
> Norway

Hi Ola,
	 As others have already said, thanks for sharing your experience with
playing/tuning. I learned to tune my acoustic guitar this way:
I tune the D string first. The A is tuned a little stretched to the D
(wide 4th). The low E is stretched a little to the A (another wide 4th).
The G is tuned narrow to the D (a narrow 4th). The B string is tuned by
playing the note D on the B string and tuning a perfect octave to the
open D. The high E is tuned to the low E and checked by playing an open
D chord starting with an open D , A on the G string, D on the B string,
and A on the E string. Other checks are made as well. If I'm going to be
doing a lot of playing in E major and related keys I'll maybe change a
little here or there.
	When I say stretch it is not enough to cause beats to be heard, just a
little off perfect....how's that for accuracy?
	A few years ago I tuned for one of the last Modern Jazz Quartet
concerts before the drummer passed away. They asked for A442 - while
tuning the piano I checked out Milt Jackson's vibs and they were A440!
I asked him about this - which wasn't very easy. He said that when he
asked for A440 it never came out right and A442 on the piano worked for
him. Go figure....maybe it had something to do with all that undulation
in the pitch in the vibs.
	Music is a fantastic art form and will forever be beyond total specific
scientific notation (my humble opinion-cringe). That doesn't mean it's
not good to quantify, just that in the final analysis all that matters
is - did you enjoy the show?
	Any conductor worth their salt is going to hear problems of intonation
with individual pieces/ performers/ instruments and work it out before
hand.
	Another anecdote...once tuned for a European orchestra - The Vienna
Radio group I think. Anyhow - they wanted A442 - While touching up the
piano as they were coming in and tuning up I asked someone with an
electronic instrument to check my A - it was right on . Then they told
me that the Harp starts off at A-443 and the Oboe at A-441 and by the
time they all warm up it comes together! The harp goes flat and the
winds and strings go sharp. The piano stays put...
							hope this wasn't too long......Dan J