The archive contains posts about tuning instruments and vocals.
Are you frustrated that your guitar or synth chords sound out of tune? Do you want to sing in tune? Many of the following posts deal with how to retune guitars and synths so they sound better. Other posts deal with singing or playing in tune.
However, the tuning posts do not stop at the simple question of how to tune a guitar or a synth. They also look at the deeper questions of what does it mean to be in tune and how to tune better.
When musicians tune instruments, they bring the instruments’ notes into agreement with a cultural standard. The standard remains different for fixed pitch instruments, such as the piano, than for flexible pitch instruments, such as the voice.
In Western culture, equal temperament remains the standard for fixed pitch instruments. It allows the instrument to have a manageable number of notes. Also, all twelve scales remain usable.
However, the chords sound barely in tune. Therefore, many of the posts in the archive talk about how to tune instruments using Supplemented Equal Temperament (SET). SET is an enhanced version of equal temperament. Thus, chords sound better in SET than in equal temperament.
Flexible pitch instruments, such as the voice, violin, brass, and woodwind families, have the ability to adjust their pitch as they play. Consequently, many of the archive posts deal with vocal intonation. (Though any flexible pitch instrumentalist will benefit from the ear training.)
To help them achieve this, the singing posts have specially tuned sing-along songs that train vocalists to sing melodies and harmonies accurately.
© 2021 Geoffrey Keith
Back to the Successful Music Student Blogs page
How do rock and pop vocalists sing differently from your average joe singers? There must be something different they do, otherwise fans wouldn’t pay millions of dollars to buy their merchandise. Read more to learn how to sing in tune like a rock star. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
I’m excited to share that I’ve posted my 100th blog article. My goal is to deliver fun, relevant, and insightful content that’s chock-full of soundtracks, vibrant images, and videos. I hope you like what you’ve seen so far. If you have, please visit again. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
Do you have a hard time getting the authentic sound of bluegrass banjo? How you tune impacts how you sound. Read more to learn how to tune like an authentic bluegrass banjo player. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Have you ever wanted to sing exotic music from long ago or far away? Do you have trouble performing modal music? Modes can create the feel of mysterious sounding mediaeval chants, some old timey folk and roots music, and exotic types of ethic and world music. Every other month we will explore a new mode. “Singing Shape Note Solfege Dorian Melodies” will start you down your path of discovery.
Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Do you have a hard time singing 7th chords in tune? Most vocalists do. Don’t worry, the sing-along song tracks can help! Read more to learn how.
Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Want the authentic sound that comes with Hawaiian tuning? How you tune impacts the guitar’s sound. Read more to learn how to tune your guitar like a Hawaiian.
Estimated reading time 6 minutes.
Do you have difficulty singing dotted half notes? The sing-along song tracks can help! Read more to learn about singing dotted half note rhythm syllables.
Estimated reading time 9 minutes.
Want to sing in tune? Knowledge is power. The following post talks about how singers group pitches as they perform. Read more to find out how the fact that a note contains many pitches can impact singing in tune.
Estimated reading time 7 minutes.
Are you confused about how to chant the Kodaly rhythm syllables in cut time? Do you wonder if it’s like chanting 2/4 or 4/4 syllables? Don’t worry, this post has you covered! Read more to learn about singing rhythm syllables in cut time.
Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Want to get the authentic sound of country blues guitar? Frustrated that your guitar sounds different from your favorite blues artist? The guitar’s tuning impacts the sound. Read more to learn how to tune country blues guitar to achieve an authentic blues sound.
Estimated reading time 7 minutes.