Hi,

This is very stupid question, but it is the basic learning item of stick for me.

How does everybody tune your stick ?
When I play bass, I always used clip type tuner, like Polytune clip by TC Electronic. And I played opening string of bass and tune up.

Could somebody tell me the correct way to tune the stick ?

Best,
Take.

Hi Take. I usually tune the bass side at the 7th fret(the second inlay marker) and the melody side at the 12th fret(third inlay marker). Then I double check those notes against other places the same notes are found on the instrument. Sometimes there are small adjustments that need to be made to make the Stick sound the best.

Mike

Not a dumb question at all. Once you remove open strings, then the whole fret board is fair game right?

So assuming that no fretted instrument has 100% perfect intonation, I tend to make sure and tune where I play the most. So like Mike, that's around the 7th fret on the bass strings and the 12-13 fret on the melody strings. Although on the bass strings I move to the 5th fret after tuning the two lowest strings just to ensure that my low bass chords are perfect.

Hi Mike, gpoorman,

Thank for your advice.
This is very helpful.

Best,
Take.

What Glen said; I do the same 7th, then 12th then 5th fret!

What he said. I use a cheap chromatic tuner, but I'm thinking that having one built into my pedal may be a good investment. For what it's worth, my stick seems to hold it's tuning well - I don't have to tune very often.

I use a clip-on tuner also. I clip it on the tailpiece I seem to get a better response down there. Then I check by ear - octave, fourths, fifths, unisons on different strings, chords...even temperment, indeed...

This makes so much sense... Why didn't I think of this...
I'm going to do this from now on. I play mostly around the 5th fret on the bass side and 12-15th fret on the melody side.

...stupid or not, what a question...
...but an instrument well in tune is pure delight...

...and...

...I'm doing this for 10 string matched reciprocal (MR10):


...1) tap the note a on string#9 with the L e f t H a n d (LH) at fret #12 (third dot)
comparing with the pitch (a') of usual tuning fork...
--> tune string#9 to unison with tuning fork, by holding taped note with LH,
R i g h t H a n d (RH) on the tuners,

string#9 is tuned now...


...2) tap together string #9, fret#7 (second dot), LH finger 3, note e
--> comparing with string #10, fret#7, LH finger 2, note b
--> is it a fifth?
--> tune string#10 with RH to a real fifth by ear, by holding taped notes with fingers 2&3
(same procedure on violin!)....

string#10 is tuned now too...


...3) tap together string #8, fret#7, LH finger 2, note A
--> comparing with string #9, fret#7, LH finger 3, note e
--> is it a fifth?
--> tune string#8 to a real fifth by ear....

now string#8 is ready...


...4) tap together string #9, fret#5, LH finger 1, note d
--> comparing with string #7, fret#7, LH finger 4, note D
--> is it an octave?
--> tune string#7 to a real octave by ear....

string#7 is ready...


...5) tap together string #8, fret#5, LH finger 1, note G
--> comparing with string #6, fret#7, LH finger 4, note 'G
--> is it an octave?
--> tune string#6 to a real octave by ear....

with string#6 in tuning, the bass side of a ten string is finished...



go on for melody side:

...6) string#4, fret#7, RH finger 2, note e
string#9, fret#7, RH finger 1, note e

--->tune string#4 with LH on tuners to unison

...7) string#4, fret#7, RH finger 2, note e
string#5, fret#7, RH finger 1, note B

--->tune string#5 with LH on tuners to real fourth (same on guitar!)

...8) string#4, fret#7, RH finger 1, note e
string#3, fret#9, RH finger 3, note b

--->tune string#3 with LH on tuners to real fifth (violin!)


...9) string#4, fret#7, RH finger 1, note e
string#2, fret#9, RH finger 3, note e'

--->tune string#2 with LH on tuners to real octave


...10) string#2, fret#9, RH finger 3, note e'
string#1, fret#9, RH finger 2, note a'

--->tune string#1 with LH on tuners to real fourth


...bravo, and done...
...don't worry, it's much harder to read than do this...

...and just forgoten...

...there isn't existing a Correct method of tuning...
...there are only correct tuned instruments...

... ...