Re: Re: Re: [Harp-L] tuner

["Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

john thaden wrote:
> Yes, the strobe types give you information on the pitch of higher 
> harmonics (though I'm pretty sure many strobe scope users don't 
> use that information), but are they really better at identifying 
> the pitch of the fundamental?  Can someone with both types please 
> put this to the test?

My issue is not with the accuracy of the tuner, it's with the 
convenience.  Many things these inexpensive tuners do as a "feature" 
are inconvenient when you're tuning harmonicas.  Someone else noted 
the relatively weak fundamental frequencies of a note sounded on a 
harmonica, and this can often result in the tuner having trouble 
identifying and locking in the intended note.  If the tuner doesn't 
have the ability to dial the desired note, this can be a problem.  
Sometimes when a reed needs to be moved a long way in pitch the tuner 
will identify the closest note, not the desired note.  And I, for 
one, use the frequencies of the harmonics.  I suspect the percentage 
of people using this feature is higher among techs - to whom the 
question was directed - than it might be among the general population 
of people using tuners to tune harmonicas.  Tuners with automatic 
note detection also have a delay in response that can be a problem.  
My Korg OT-12 has a switchable "speed" setting for how fast it will 
respond.  

I certainly didn't mean it couldn't be done or even done well, I was 
only saying that techs are probably not doing a lot of work with $30 
tuners.  

-tim