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Topic: Why isn't the PSG tuned straight Et like a guitar? |
John Polstra
From:
Lopez Island, WA, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2014 8:39 am |
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What is the "two F#s dilemma" exactly? Does it have something to do with the dual use of the F# as the 5 of the open-string B major chord (4-5-7 with Es lowered) and as the 1 of the open-string F# minor chord (5-6-7 with AB down)?
John |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2014 8:58 am
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I use a capo quite a bit, so I tune my acoustic guitars flat as follows:
1st string high E = 3 cents flat
2nd string = 6 cents flat
3rd string = 4 cents flat
4th string = 8 cents flat
5th string = 10 cents flat
6th string low E = 12 cents flat
Give it a try, you might like it. 
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Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 8 Jun 2014 12:20 pm
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John, yes it does. There are two natural intervals that the ear recognises as a whole tone - 9:8 and 10:9. Taking E as the reference, the F# in the B chord needs to be 9:8 above it, but the root of the F# minor chord needs to be only 10:9 above. The possible remedies are well documented, but basically you can have a tunable split that gives you the F# you want, or you can compromise (or get lucky like b0b), or you can go the whole ET hog.
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Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Brint Hannay
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2014 12:55 pm
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Or you can tune both F#'s straight up as the center of the Sixth-Comma Meantone tuning, and they work very well, and equally well, as roots of F# minor, fifths of B major, and thirds of D major.
It's a great tuning system for PSG. I really think everyone should check it out.
Search "meantone" on the Forum. |
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John Polstra
From:
Lopez Island, WA, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2014 2:07 pm
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Thanks for the explanation, Ian. I understand it now.
Brint, I think I tried the meantone tuning some time ago when you explained it in the forum. But to my ears and on my instrument it didn't sound as good as the Newman "sweetened" tuning that is stock on my Peterson tuner.
Several months ago, I went the whole ET hog, as Ian put it. The sweetened tuning sounds much better when I'm playing alone at home. But listening to recordings of my band, I felt that I never quite sounded in tune with the band. Since switching to straight ET tuning, I feel like that's improved a lot. I'd still prefer the sweetened tuning if all I did was play alone, but that's not the case.
Another influence toward switching to ET came from watching various great players on YouTube. I noticed that when they played in the A+F position, the bar was right over the fret line. Whereas with a sweetened tuning, the bar has to be quite a bit sharp of the line in that position. So, the players I watched either are tuned to ET or else they have compensators that I don't have.
Finally, I suspect that tuning ET has helped to train me to sweeten up the sound myself through subtle adjustments of the bar.
John |
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