Tuner
A tuner is an electronic device for tuning a musical instrument .
It detects the tone that is being played on the instrument directly via structure-borne noise, via a built-in microphone or via a pickup connected with a jack plug (e.g. an electric guitar or an electric bass) and shows it through lamps or on a scale whether this tone is too low, too high or (within the scope of the measurement accuracy ) correct compared to the usually adjustable concert pitch .
Some tuners only recognize certain tones, for example those of the open strings of a guitar , while chromatic tuners recognize all 12 semitones over several octaves . Simple devices of this type can only set the mood of the same level . Depending on the version, sophisticated devices can be switched between different moods (e.g. Pythagorean , medium-tone , equal) or show deviations directly in cents ( microtuner ). In addition, since the introduction of the first "quarter-tone" tuner, Rohab-1 tuners have been available that can detect and name the range of oriental scales with up to 24 pitches per octave.
There are many different variations. Some have a built-in speaker that can be used to play certain sounds (such as those from the guitar's open strings). For these there is sometimes also the function in which the tuning of all strings can be shifted down in semitones (for so-called flat tunings). The external appearance is also variable: A common variant are small devices as shown, but pedals similar to the guitar effect devices also known as "kick mines" are popular because they can be switched between the guitar amplifier and the (electric) guitar and one step is enough to tune in between, whereby the sound transmission to the amplifier is interrupted.
Programs and apps have been developed for computers and cell phones that can, to a certain extent, replace tuners.
functionality
A microprocessor ( frequency counter) counts the number of vibrations per second and converts them into pitches. Manufacturers of strobe tuners promise customers greater accuracy than conventional devices with a frequency counter.
Related topics
Other tools for tuning musical instruments are the tuning fork and pitch pipe . Tuners with pre-programmed historical tunings are also available for use with historical instruments .
Spread of the mood with piano strings
When tuning the piano, the overall tuning is stretched due to the inharmonicity of the strings. That is, the higher strings are tuned higher, the lower strings lower. There are also tuning programs (for PC or Pocket PC) that measure this inharmonicity and then calculate a suitable tuning; see stretching (music) .
