Lachenal, Leave At A-444?

[stella24]

Good Morning All.

 

Wes here. first, I'd like to extend my sincere thanks to all the learned contributors of this forum who have helped me restore an old 32b concertina. much of what i learn here is through searching old postings. Now, i'm ready to tune this girl. I've searched much for info on the topic of tuning and haven't turned up specifics relating to keeping a box at A-444. i have a Peterson strobe tuner and this is as close as i have to the original tuning. i play by myself mostly, so the step up wouldn't be terrible. on the net, i read that some orchestras are tuned up to this for bright effect. It looks as though only a couple of reeds have been tuned and a poor job at that. In the 444 pitch the tina is still quite out of tune even with itself and i checked in different temperments. I'm thinking to first tune it at A-444 where it generally lives, and then later bring it down to modern pitch if i prefer. Happy New Year!

[Paul Read]

Good Morning All.

 

Wes here. first, I'd like to extend my sincere thanks to all the learned contributors of this forum who have helped me restore an old 32b concertina. much of what i learn here is through searching old postings. Now, i'm ready to tune this girl. I've searched much for info on the topic of tuning and haven't turned up specifics relating to keeping a box at A-444. i have a Peterson strobe tuner and this is as close as i have to the original tuning. i play by myself mostly, so the step up wouldn't be terrible. on the net, i read that some orchestras are tuned up to this for bright effect. It looks as though only a couple of reeds have been tuned and a poor job at that. In the 444 pitch the tina is still quite out of tune even with itself and i checked in different temperments. I'm thinking to first tune it at A-444 where it generally lives, and then later bring it down to modern pitch if i prefer. Happy New Year!

If you don't play with others, I don't see why you need to get it to concert pitch. If you're selling, it would probably fetch more money in concert pitch but ifyou are keeping it no real need to change pitch.

[Theo]

And if you do play with others it will depend on what they play. Stringed instruments can tune to you.

[Mark Evans]

And if you do play with others it will depend on what they play. Stringed instruments can tune to you.

 

 

I agree with you in principle Theo but in practice it can play havoc on a fiddle, guitar or mandolin to move from concert pitch in the midst of a session. A=444 is a bit up the hill. Best to keep them from getting grouchy .

 

Evening 'fore last I had been invited to tape a local TV progam featuring a resophonic guitarist buddy of mine. His band had already done a few numbers under studio lights in a room that was on the cool side. All their instruments were buckin' like angry mules and the intonation was "crunchy" at best. When I insisted on stopping and taking time for a good tune-up before my bit, I thought the banjo player was going to have a stroke. They complied, and all went fine. Banjo player didn't forgive me however and refused to do anything but chord...loudly . I ended up trying to make him feel better after the taping but he still went out the door with a ...

 

Had he been asked to re-tune to A=444, I might have been sportin' an impressive shiner by evenings end.

Edited January 12, 2006 by Mark Evans

[stella24]

wes back.

 

thanks for input, mostly what i was thinking anyway. i didn't get immediate feedback, so i tuned to 440 and it took a calm 2 afternoons and some to get all 64 reeds just right, and now the impulse to play is even worse, just what am i gonna do??? would also like to know if any of you have or have played an anglo in meantone temperament, or is it technically 1/4 comma meantone? Of course, what did you think? were chords, fifths, thirds, etc. better? not as pleasing to modern ears....

[Theo]

I've tuned and played 20 key anglo and 2-row melodeons in 1/4 comma mean tone. Chords sound very sweet, especially in the upper octave.