Comments

lol. My violin teacher always tells me not to use the chromatic tuner at all. And then My tuba teacher tells me I have to use the chromatic tuner at all times... SO confusing.... Lady, you got a one track mind.
:) A one-track mind, moi? No way. I was simply swept away by the music. Honest. What track was YOUR mind on when you read it?!

Ah, Jim. Was hoping you'd get the chance to read this - it seemed like humor you might appreciate.

And Richard - LOL right back atcha. But whatever you do, just don't get confused about which instrument uses rosin.

Lol Ill try not to... But I have mistaken Valve Oil for Peg drops before! ;) >But I have mistaken Valve Oil for Peg drops before!

That would explain the mysterious booming tone you were producing from your violin afterwards...

Don't be afraid of using the tuner. Of course, don't use it to check every note, but have it there and stop on a random note to check if it's in tune.

Yes, we use Just and Expressive intonation on the violin - however, in order to alter it, we need to know what the tempered pitch is in order to tune it the right way.

Thank you, Ben. I just submitted a thread on this very topic, since this blog is a bit... over the top, shall we say? And your response here is exactly what I was hoping to procure on the thread (which hasn't been posted yet). You must be psychic! I agree with your teacher. I'm strongly opposed to any gadget that encourages you to develop pitch perception by eye instead of by ear. I wish I could get my students to sign an oath to get rid of their electronic tuners. Aaaargh! Ben, that was a clever excuse for tuning by eye, but I don't buy it. Neither do I buy the excuse that the tuner works better in the presence of several musicians. I recently met yet another musician who tunes by eye instead of by ear. I gave him a copy of a CD of music that he really likes, but he said that he can't play along with it because the recorded music is slightly out of tune (vis a vis his visual tuner). He acted rather smug and superior when he told me so, as if to imply that I can't hear when a CD is out of tune. I told him that I tune by ear, but I don't think he got the point. Aaargh! I have more to say on this subject. I'll visit the new thread. > I gave him a copy of a CD of music that he really likes, but he said that he can't play along with it because the recorded music is slightly out of tune (vis a vis his visual tuner). He acted rather smug and superior when he told me so, as if to imply that I can't hear when a CD is out of tune.

Pauline - funny story, especially the "smug" part. : )