Recommended for band members to use same tuning pedal?

21Fretter

I've been looking at picking up a tuning pedal, I saw a Fender PT-100 on sale which has received decent reviews but the other band member would be using a TU-2. Wondered if it's generally suggested that both band members use the same tuner or does it not matter as long as both tuners are of decent quality?

singemonkey

No it doesn't matter. They use the same frequency definitions of notes. Hence they will match pitch perfectly.

Also. Get a Korg Pitchblack. You'll be very glad you did. I never imagined that my favourite pedal would be a tuner.

Bob-Dubery

Ideally everybody should tune to the same reference, but with modern digital tuners it probably doesn't matter that much as they're pretty accurate. Good quality tuners will have stable, accurate oscillator circuits.

HOWEVER

Make sure they are both configured with the same frequency for the A note. Most tuners allow you to specify A as a few Hz either side of the modern standard 440.

Manfred-Klose

i have seen many guitar tuners that differ, even if the reference frequency is 440hz.
there is nothing as bad as a bass guitar just a few cents out from the guitars.

21Fretter

Manfred Klose wrote: i have seen many guitar tuners that differ, even if the reference frequency is 440hz.
there is nothing as bad as a bass guitar just a few cents out from the guitars.

Even well respected brands/models? So you do rate you should try keep to the same model?

Bob-Dubery

The very best tuners will have extra circuitry to stablise the oscillator, because they can fluctuate. EG those Petersen rack mounts.

I know that when I used to fix watches we had a special timing machine for digital watches and we always used to set them 0.5 a second or so fast because once they were on the wrist body heat would warm up the crystal and they'd slow down a little as a result.

I don't think they can ever be perfectly accurate, but they can be sufficiently accurate that it makes no practical difference.

AlanRatcliffe

The only 100% guarantee is if the whole band uses exact the same tuner - not the same model, but the same specific tuner. They do vary from example to example until you get to the more expensive models and component values can drift over time too. With decent tuners it's not usually enough to worry about for live play though. And you can always check your bandmate's tuners against each other.

Something I like to do when layering guitars in a recording is tune one 3 cent flat and another 3 cent sharp. 3 cent is not enough to hear each guitar as out of tune, but blended together you get a natural chorus-like effect that thickens up the sound nicely.

Trubore

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: The only 100% guarantee is if the whole band uses exact the same tuner - not the same model, but the same specific tuner. They do vary from example to example until you get to the more expensive models and component values can drift over time too. With decent tuners it's not usually enough to worry about for live play though. And you can always check your bandmate's tuners against each other.

Something I like to do when layering guitars in a recording is tune one 3 cent flat and another 3 cent sharp. 3 cent is not enough to hear each guitar as out of tune, but blended together you get a natural chorus-like effect that thickens up the sound nicely.

This sounds interesting... Would like to try it ?

henrebotha

It also depends on the type of tuner. Digital tuners are less (!) consistent model to model and unit to unit than strobe tuners, which are almost an order of magnitude more accurate.

If I can find a good way to build a reliable strobe, I will DEFINITELY do it but I'm terrified of mechanical engineering so I'd prefer to do an electronic strobe ?

21Fretter

Now it's time to choose. Gave Marshall a call and they have all the pedals generally included in the "which is the best tuner" topics i.e. pitchblack, polytune etc. I gave another store a call and they mentioned they had a Planet Waves CT04 at +-25% cheaper than the pitchblacks, polytunes and the reviews seem decent on the pedal; sturdy, keeps up pace wise in side-by-side tuning comparisons on youtube, true bypass. Anyone had any experience with the PW CT04? Does it just come down to which you personally prefer the most at this point?

Airguitar

singemonkey wrote: No it doesn't matter. They use the same frequency definitions of notes. Hence they will match pitch perfectly.

Also. Get a Korg Pitchblack. You'll be very glad you did. I never imagined that my favourite pedal would be a tuner.

+1
All good tuners lead to 440hz (Open A string)

+1 on the Pitchblack. Tough pedal with true bypass and mutes when in the tuning mode.. Lekker!!