TJ1 Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Hi I've got a Snark tuner that has a special bass button. The bass tuner reads at half a step lower than the 'normal' guitar tuning, so A not the bass reads as A# on the six string acoustic. Could anyone tell me if this is correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Standard bass tuning is same as standard guitar tuning - so it is “wrong”. is there an option to reset it to standard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnR Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Yes it sounds like the bass setting has been changed and needs to be reset to concert pitch. I am guessing the bass button somehow changes the tuner sensitivity to make it better tune bass frequencies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ1 Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Yes - but do you know why the bass button reads at half a step lower? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnR Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Many tuners can be recalibrated to allow non-standard tunings. I am guessing that the bass setting on your tuner has been altered from concert pitch and needs to be reset. Layout 1 (snarktuners.com) Look for the Pitch Cal button. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnR Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Reading the manual I don't thing the button is a special bass button, I think it is a transpose button so when you press it it goes down 1/2 a step? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ1 Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Thanks - could anyone tell me what the 'standard' pitch calibration is in hz, at the moment it's on 440. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 18 minutes ago, TJ1 said: Thanks - could anyone tell me what the 'standard' pitch calibration is in hz, at the moment it's on 440. 440hz is standard concert pitch - what most of us use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ1 Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Thanks for the replies - maybe it is lack of experience but I am finding much more difficult to detect whether my bass is in/out of tune that my acoustic guitar - which I can usually tell just by ear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 In my experience it's easier to discern pitch differences at a higher pitches, as you're finding with your guitar. This is why when trying to pick out the bassline of a song you're learning, people will sometimes suggest using a device that plays the song at a higher pitch, the bassline then just pops out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Could the button you're pressing actually be a b as in b flat or # sharp? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 1 hour ago, TJ1 said: Thanks for the replies - maybe it is lack of experience but I am finding much more difficult to detect whether my bass is in/out of tune that my acoustic guitar - which I can usually tell just by ear. Use the octave harmonic if the open string is too difficult to discern. Lightly touch the string at the octave, and release, whilst plucking. This is very accurate for tuning. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Also, if you tune your G string, the easiest to hear, you can use harmonics for relative tuning from the G for the D, A and E. EG: When in tune, the harmonic at the seventh fret on the G string is the same as at the fifth fret on the D string and so on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killed_by_Death Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 I have a very new Snark Super-Tight HZ here & there is no Bass button, but there is a 'b' button, as in Flat. If you have a 'b' onscreen, it's half a step down http://www.snarktuners.com/wp-content/uploads/snark-ST8HZ-instructions.pdf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TJ1 Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 21 minutes ago, Killed_by_Death said: If you have a 'b' onscreen, it's half a step down http://www.snarktuners.com/wp-content/uploads/snark-ST8HZ-instructions.pdf Oh right - sorry everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Just a quick tip on tuning lower frequencies - don't let the note ring. Pluck lightly and often. A long note will allow the tuner to pick up harmonics and get confused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moldsight Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 (edited) 20 hours ago, Dad3353 said: Use the octave harmonic if the open string is too difficult to discern. Lightly touch the string at the octave, and release, whilst plucking. This is very accurate for tuning. To OP. Sorry if I am teaching you to suck eggs but make sure intonation is spot on first. Edited January 31, 2021 by Moldsight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Moldsight said: Sorry if I am teaching you to suck eggs but make sure intonation is spot on first. I think it meant playing a harmonic at the 12th fret, rather than a fretted note...... so this method is tolerant of poor intonation I would say. Edited January 31, 2021 by Nail Soup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 6 hours ago, SpondonBassed said: Also, if you tune your G string, the easiest to hear, you can use harmonics for relative tuning from the G for the D, A and E. EG: When in tune, the harmonic at the seventh fret on the G string is the same as at the fifth fret on the D string and so on. This is what I do, and I’ve got tuner pedal, and the two are normally spot on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 The harmonic will always be exact, whatever the intonation, and, in fact, helps check the intonation..! The fretted 12th fret should be the same note as the harmonic. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 Not really the answer your looking for but I would try a decent tuner pedal most clip on tuners are naff imo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moldsight Posted January 31, 2021 Share Posted January 31, 2021 (edited) On 31/01/2021 at 11:31, Dad3353 said: The harmonic will always be exact, whatever the intonation, and, in fact, helps check the intonation..! The fretted 12th fret should be the same note as the harmonic. Now that I did not know. Must check to see it with own eyes as I always believed otherwise. Ty Dad3353 given me another tangent to explore. Well I never, all the years thinking that intonation was needed before a harmomic check. thank you for enlightening an old fool ** update ** As a fan of the floor/pedal tuners which I seem to recall it is based on and specifically naming 4 and 5 string bass it might be worth a punt? https://www.boss.info/us/products/tu-02/?utm_campaign=boss_pidd_0131&utm_medium=email&utm_source=activecampaign&utm_content=button2&utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=New+pedalboards%2C+tuner+++wireless+tech&utm_campaign=BOSS+Launch_Jan21+-+US Damn, looks like March 1st release date..... Edited February 1, 2021 by Moldsight update 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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