From: Richard Sleigh <rharp@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Conn ST 11 Strobe Tuner / Korg CA- 30 - Alternatives?
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2009, 7:10 AM
Hi Everyone,
I have numerous requests from my students about what tuner
to use, and my standard response is: The Conn ST 11 strobe
tuner if you want to spend a couple hundred dollars (give or
take) or the Korg CA 30 if you want to keep it low price and
very portable. I use both of these tuners and I am happy
with them.
But I recently had one of my Conn tuners rebuilt ($180) and
my other one now needs to be rebuilt, so now I am
re-thinking what to offer people for advice.
I have tried the Peterson strobes, and find them
complicated compared to the Conn. I have also seen other
tuners that may be more stable than the Korg. But I can't
remember what they are.
Here is why I love the Conn:
1. It is dirt simple - 4 knobs, and you really only have to
use one of them (to select notes) most of the time. I
learned how to use it in about 10 minutes many years ago.
2. The strobe pattern reads more than one note at the same
time - for example - If I am tuning draw 1 & 4 on a
diatonic harp, and 1 is flat and 4 is sharp, I will see the
lower band moving counter - clockwise, and the upper band
moving clockwise. So - at a glance, I can get a real good
idea of which note is sharp flat, in tune, and how much -
the faster the pattern moves, the flatter or sharper the
note. I have checked out virtual strobes, and they don't do
this. If someone knows of a virtual strobe or software that
allows you to read more than one note at the same time,
please let me know!
3. It is super easy to tune to pure just intonation -
dial up the root note, play all the notes you are tuning and
look for the pattern to stop - then they ore in tune with
the root. No math, all visual.
4. It is easy to do compromise tuning (for the same
reason as #3 - you just get used to how the patters move to
tune certain notes, like the 3rds, etc.
On the other hand, they are getting harder to find, and
need to be repaired.....
Any suggestions on EASY to use tuners?
Richard Sleigh
shop address:
205 E. Pine Street
Philipsburg PA 16866-1623
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