Accessories Tuner - Best for the Money?

[TripleB]

What's the best tuner (for a tenor saxophone) for the money?

I found this Korg CA1 Chromatic Tuner that gets pretty good reviews and is $9.50.

Thanks for any help.

TripleB

 

[saxofón]

I just use gstring app for my phone

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[TripleB]

I just use gstring app for my phone

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

Great idea!!!!

Looks like the DaTuner (Lite) app gets a lot of great reviews and it's free. Also found a couple metronome apps (Metronome Beats and SlickMetronome) that would come in handy as well.

Thanks!!!

TripleB

 

[TripleB]

Sorry duplicate post. TripleB

 

[Tenor Viol]

Metronomes need to be LOUD to be heard when playing a sax. I use a Korg tuner similar to teh one you show and it's fine - I can adjust "A" from A440 down to 415 for my viols.

For sax it helps if the tuner transposes (Bb/Eb) which I think most apps do.

 

[kevgermany]

For sax it helps if the tuner transposes (Bb/Eb) which I think most apps do.

Naah - learn the differences. You need to sooner than later.

 

[dubrosa22]

Hey TripleB you must have at started least a dozens new 'which XXXX should I buy?" threads in the past 12 hours across CafeSax and SOTW.

Are you trying for a record? 😉

 

[sushidushi]

There is an app - on Android at least - called Visual Metronome that flashes on the beat. That might be worth a try.

 

[sushidushi]

Great idea!!!!

Looks like the DaTuner (Lite) app gets a lot of great reviews and it's free.

DaTuner Pro, the paid version, has a transposition facility (but see kevgermany's comment!)...

 

[zannad]

The Korg TM-40 is the one I use most (when practicing at home) - it has a metronome incorporated.
Then the Android market offers a lot for free: someone mentioned the reliable Gstring but there are some interesting alternative: Pitchlab Pro (free) offers all sort of customizations and graphics - it can read chords and overtone contents too...oh, it can be set to any temperament and instrument, etc... (very impressive).

 

[Taz]

Ok I'm going to show my total ignorance here (and probably make myself look really thick ) but if I play a note to the tuner, it simply tells me what note it is, ie concert pitch?

 

[jonf]

Best value? Take your sax with your usual mouthpiece to a friend who has a tuner. Warm up a bit. Borrow friend's tuner. Blow middle range note. Check in tune. Borrow pen from friend. Mark mouthpiece position on cork. This gives a future reference point. After that, use your ears - they came free with your body.

 

[zannad]

Best value? Take your sax with your usual mouthpiece to a friend who has a tuner. Warm up a bit. Borrow friend's tuner. Blow middle range note. Check in tune. Borrow pen from friend. Mark mouthpiece position on cork. This gives a future reference point. After that, use your ears - they came free with your body.

Most ears aren't blessed with perfect pitch and while a player may think he/she is in tune, but within his own specific "temperament" i.e. dependent on mood, humidity levels, comfort etc.
Marking the cork is also very unreliable especially on bigger horns (from tenor up) for similar reasons cited above....

 

[zannad]

Ok I'm going to show my total ignorance here (and probably make myself look really thick ) but if I play a note to the tuner, it simply tells me what note it is, ie concert pitch?

a chromatic tuner gives you the note in concert pitch but there are some which allows transposition - many android tuners apps do that for free.

 

[aldevis]

After that, use your ears - they came free with your body.

I agree with the tuning advice, but what about the bit in the middle that came with the ears, to keep them separate? Do we really need it to play saxophone?

 

[TripleB]

Hey TripleB you must have at started least a dozens new 'which XXXX should I buy?" threads in the past 12 hours across CafeSax and SOTW.

Are you trying for a record? 😉

I'm not sure...what is the record and do I get an award if I break it? 🙂

As usual, when I start something new (or start something I haven't done in 23 years) I get a bit over zealous. Thankfully everyone has been extremely patient with all my posts.

I was going to post something about the best way to clean my tenor on a daily basis but I think I will refrain from doing that for fear of breaking that record!

TripleB

 

[BigMartin]

Ok I'm going to show my total ignorance here (and probably make myself look really thick ) but if I play a note to the tuner, it simply tells me what note it is, ie concert pitch?

It tells you what the nearest note is (usually in concert pitch) and gives you an idea of how sharp or flat you are relative to that note.

 

[aldevis]

I'm not sure...what is the record and do I get an award if I break it? 🙂

The record is an approximate undecided quantity. If you break it you will get "Cool Points". They are totally useless and worthless.

Kev and Pete are currently working hard to improve the rewarding system on the forum.

 

[jonf]

Most ears aren't blessed with perfect pitch

You don't need perfect pitch, just an appreciation of relative pitch, and being in tune. You need to learn this to play any instrument with variable tuning like the sax. All you need is a single reference point - traditionally middle C on a decent piano, or a single tuning fork. Work out the rest of the pitch from there. That's what everyone had to do before cheap electronic tuners became available.

 

[MLoosemore]

DaTuner Pro, the paid version, has a transposition facility (but see kevgermany's comment!)...

The beta version also has the transposition option but does have ads.... which you dont get in the Pro version