Straight Up" tuning?

Tony Harris · Post by **Tony Harris** » 29 Jan 2001 5:42 am

When I first got a (lap) steel a couple of years ago, I tuned all strings 'straight up' to my tuner like I'd always done for guitar. I noticed that the A (in C6 tuning) sounded sharp, so started tweaking...
But unless I tune every string 'straight up', I'm gonna be out of tune with every other instrument in the band, aren't I? They all tune stright after all? Don't understand what's going on here...

Ric Nelson · Post by **Ric Nelson** » 29 Jan 2001 6:06 am

I use the tuner to get in the ballpark then use "chime harmonics" and my old ear to get it right. It always felt it was because the scale on the instrument was off or the bridge was not centered.

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 29 Jan 2001 6:14 am

This is a case of Just Intonation (tuning by ear to get the intervals right) versus Equal Temperment (using the tuner for tuning all strings straight up). The debate rears its ugly head occassionally in the Bar Chatter section. There seems to be a split among steel players as to which tuning method is best.

Use the search feature for the terms Equal Temperment (or ET) or Just Intonation (JI). You'll find some long and passionate threads.

I've been using ET lately, though I started using strictly JI. ET seems harsh, as the 3rd sounds particularly sharp, but there's less conflict with the rest of the band's intonation.

Aaron Schiff · Post by **Aaron Schiff** » 29 Jan 2001 10:31 am

My experience is with guitar only, as I have yet to inflict my dobro on a complete band. I have found over the years that Just Intonation sounds best by far when I am playing solo and Equal Temperament sounds best when I am playing with others. As Chris wrote, search for past threads, there are tons of opinions, and even a little data, to leave you thoroughly confused.

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 29 Jan 2001 3:25 pm

I always tune my non-pedal steels by ear. They don't sound out of tune with a band. If anything, they make the band sound more in tune with itself.

The human ear hears just intonation as "in tune". We have been trained by exposure to ignore the slight difference of equal temperment and hear it as "in tune" too. As long as you don't play exactly the same notes with the same timbre as another instrument, these slight differences just add to the richness of the music.

Paul Crawford · Post by **Paul Crawford** » 29 Jan 2001 3:26 pm

Although this certainly qualifies as a religious war, there has been one observation where opinions seem to converge. If you play with an electronic keyboard, you've virtually forced to tune straight up.

Past that, count me among those that believe if you're the solo instrument, then JI sounds better to my ear. Get a bunch of instruments together, and ET sounds better to me most of the time.

Rich Young · Post by **Rich Young** » 30 Jan 2001 4:05 am

Years ago, my mom was listening to the classical station on the radio. they had this guy on, explaining how Equal Temperament ws developed. How they tried different approaches to be able to play in more than a few keys. Here is what he did.

He had a piano tuned to JI. He played it in C. Sounded great. Played it in Am, Em - both relative minors - still good. Then he played it in F# - not good!!!!!

So your either a little out of tune in all keys or a lot out of tune in some keys.

Sage · Post by **Sage** » 30 Jan 2001 11:06 am

The choice of being in tune or out of tune depending on the key applies mostly if you are playing a regular piano or like instrument. -regarding playing with electronic keyboards- at this point in history if we want to play in J.I. we could ask the keyboard players to change their set-up to sound good with US! My friend's Roland has an option to change it's intonation.