Headhunter Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 I know we have quite a few guitar players here, I thought I'd post this for your interest! Really though, if you can't tune the guitar, should you really be trying to play it?! http://blog.wired.com/music/2007/11/self-tuning-rob.html HH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccmtcanada Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 (edited) The other guitarist in my band just sent me a news article on this....about 5 minutes ago....just finished reading it came here and saw your post!! The article said "For the beginner who haven't mastered tuning". It would likely have to be incredibly RICH beginner...as I cant see this being cheap! I could see it for touring bands....keeping their guitars in tune can be difficult because things like temperature affects tuning...a technician can have it tuned off stage, but once under all the lights, it will go slightly flat. Having it constantly tuning as you play could be a good thing. Personally, I'd never buy one....but there is always someone out there with too much money on their hands. Edited November 15, 2007 by ccmtcanada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky or Specks Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 This is the coolest idea for a stringed instrument ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 The other guitarist in my band just sent me a news article on this....about 5 minutes ago....just finished reading it came here and saw your post!! The article said "For the beginner who haven't mastered tuning". It would likely have to be incredibly RICH beginner...as I cant see this being cheap! I could see it for touring bands....keeping their guitars in tune can be difficult because things like temperature affects tuning...a technician can have it tuned off stage, but once under all the lights, it will go slightly flat. Having it constantly tuning as you play could be a good thing. Personally, I'd never buy one....but there is always someone out there with too much money on their hands. Sent that to my bro. Be interested in seeing his comments. As caught up in the whole "soul" thang as he is with his Taylors, he's a gear pig at heart and may just like the idea. He's a pretty good player (there may still be a writeup on him on the Taylor site). I would think that would lead to some interesting sounds on stage but who knows? JF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 This is the coolest idea for a stringed instrument ever. More fun than the Roland virtual guitars? JF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaque Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 Twilight zone man, i just got done reading it as well as it was on the MSN homepage, then came in here and stumbled upon it here. Spooky lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clampet Posted November 16, 2007 Report Share Posted November 16, 2007 Gibson and Taylor guitars = drool x 100... ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF Posted November 16, 2007 Report Share Posted November 16, 2007 Gibson and Taylor guitars = drool x 100... ! Rick (my little bro) just told me that he's found one that sounds so good that he's trading one of his Taylors for it, a Takamine acoustic. I thought he was married to all his Taylors for life. JF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabluz Posted November 16, 2007 Report Share Posted November 16, 2007 I would be a bit leary of putting one of these systems on one of my guitars because bending strings is part of guitar playing. You bend a string to achieve higher notes and vibratos. Most string benders don't even have a vibrato arm at the bridge because of the system of springs prevents some hard full bends. I think that the automatic tuning system would try to adjust the tuning while the guitar player is trying to do some string bending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF Posted November 16, 2007 Report Share Posted November 16, 2007 I would be a bit leary of putting one of these systems on one of my guitars because bending strings is part of guitar playing. You bend a string to achieve higher notes and vibratos. Most string benders don't even have a vibrato arm at the bridge because of the system of springs prevents some hard full bends. I think that the automatic tuning system would try to adjust the tuning while the guitar player is trying to do some string bending. Could be the next sound for garage bands - bending to the auto tuner. I wonder what the response time really is. JF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clampet Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 I would be a bit leary of putting one of these systems on one of my guitars because bending strings is part of guitar playing. You bend a string to achieve higher notes and vibratos. Most string benders don't even have a vibrato arm at the bridge because of the system of springs prevents some hard full bends. I think that the automatic tuning system would try to adjust the tuning while the guitar player is trying to do some string bending. Maybe it would be easy to overide it with a switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabluz Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 Imagine that expensive system going haywire during a show! There is almost always something that goes wrong during a show. The more stuff you use and depend on....the more chance of something going wrong. Jimmy Hendrix spent years trying to get his guitar perfectly tuned. I doubt that a perfectly tuned guitar is impossible. Actually, some chords do not sound "perfect" when a guitar is perfectly tuned. Certain chords will make a nice throbbing sound while others won't. Tuning a string just a tad will make these other chords throb but the original chord will no longer throb. Hohner diatonic harmonicas are not tuned exactly the same as the Lee Oskar diatonic harmonicas. There is also the fact that if one person is singing....it's easy to spot when that person does not hit the note perfect. Get 2 people to sing, it's quite easy to spot the one who is a bit off key. Get 100 people singing and there are 2 or 3 people just a bit off key....it's called "harmony"...lol. If all the voices were exactly the same and in exactly the same key....it would sound like one voice...only louder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clampet Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 ... Actually, some chords do not sound "perfect" when a guitar is perfectly tuned. Certain chords will make a nice throbbing sound while others won't... I always thought that was called range. The variance of the instruments ability to sound tuned in most chords. I think it is a function of the guitar makers' ability to ensure strict tolerances regarding the correct spacing of the frets and the intonation, the minute ajdustment of the guitars saddle. I thought the more expensive instruments were/are able to sound good in all chord voicings, while lesser priced instruments may sound off in one chord shape. If you tune so that chord sounds correct, then you discover another chord will now sound slightly off tune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnF Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 I watched my bro setting up a guitar once. I had no idea how many things had to be adjusted, straightened, filed or otherwise tweaked. Conversely then, it's easy to see how many ways a guitar can go slightly off. Fret & nut consistency, string breakdown, neck tuning, machine tension, body torsion, heat and humidity, etc. And that's just a basic acoustic. Add in all the pickups and effects electronics and it's compounded. Good acoustic guitars are pretty impressive little constructions. JF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burning Babies Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 I always thought that was called range. The variance of the instruments ability to sound tuned in most chords. I think it is a function of the guitar makers' ability to ensure strict tolerances regarding the correct spacing of the frets and the intonation, the minute ajdustment of the guitars saddle. I thought the more expensive instruments were/are able to sound good in all chord voicings, while lesser priced instruments may sound off in one chord shape. If you tune so that chord sounds correct, then you discover another chord will now sound slightly off tune. It's called intonation. It is a function of string length (adjustable at the bridge) and fret placement. A properly set up guitar will have very good, but not perfect, intonation. To get perfect intonation, the nut must also be modified to compensate for the stretching of the strings as you fret them. Replacement of a traditional nut with a compensated one, like the Buzz Feiten tuning system addresses that issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clampet Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 ..A properly set up guitar will have very good, but not perfect, intonation. To get perfect intonation, the nut must also be modified to compensate for the stretching of the strings as you fret them... Now, I understand, that explains it perfectly. As the player is bending the note, the tuning robot would compensate by slightly slacking up on the string. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burning Babies Posted November 17, 2007 Report Share Posted November 17, 2007 Now, I understand, that explains it perfectly. As the player is bending the note, the tuning robot would compensate by slightly slacking up on the string. Yes, assuming you left the tuner on while you are playing. Obviously, Gibson thought of that and added an on/off pull pot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now