Author |
Topic: tuning with the Newman chart |
Brendan Mitchell
From: Melbourne Australia
|
Posted 5 Mar 2016 3:57 pm
|
|
The Newman chart I have is all numbers , that is it says to tune G# 439 and the A 441 .
Does this translate to G#-1cent and A+1cent ? |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From: Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 5 Mar 2016 4:09 pm
|
|
No, Brendan. Those are hertz.
The following statement is NOT accurate but it is close enough to give a ballpark understanding: 1 hertz = 4 cents. This relationship changes in different frequency ranges but it gives an idea of what a cent looks like standing next to a hertz.
|
|
|
|
Jim Priebe
From: Queensland, Australia - R.I.P.
|
Posted 5 Mar 2016 4:25 pm
|
|
B0b has the conversions here
http://steelguitarforum.com/b0b/jefftune.html
Tuning seems to be a very personal thing. I find it depends both on your instrument and the instruments you are playing with to some degree too and I have never found the 'Newman' settings to work (for me) especially if playing with midi backing tracks. _________________ Priebs GFI ('09)Short-Uni10. GFI ('96)Short-Uni SD11. ('86)JEM U12
www.steelguitardownunder.com |
|
|
|
Calvin Walley
From: colorado city colorado, USA
|
Posted 5 Mar 2016 7:17 pm
|
|
i have used the Newman chart since day one
never had a problem with it _________________ proud parent of a sailor
Mullen SD-10 /nashville 400
gotta love a Mullen!!!
Guitars that i have owned in order are :
Mullen SD-10,Simmons SD-10,Mullen SD-10,Zum stage one,Carter starter,
Sho-Bud Mavrick |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From: Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 6 Mar 2016 6:58 am
|
|
A Boss TU-12 gives you the numbers.
Calvin,
So do I! |
|
|
|
chris ivey
From: california (deceased)
|
Posted 6 Mar 2016 9:26 am
|
|
i started with the newman chart (which is too widespread for me) and gradually dialed everything in a lot closer to straight up...as much as i could stand...and it's been like that for decades and i rarely have to tune.
the more you obsess over tuning, the less you play and enjoy it!
i've always played with people, not backing tracks.
Last edited by chris ivey on 6 Mar 2016 11:21 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
|
John Sluszny
From: Brussels, Belgium
|
Posted 6 Mar 2016 11:15 am
|
|
Calvin Walley wrote: |
i have used the Newman chart since day one
never had a problem with it |
So have I ! |
|
|
|
Jim Priebe
From: Queensland, Australia - R.I.P.
|
Posted 6 Mar 2016 2:42 pm
|
|
I'm with you Chris exactly. Just too wide for my ears. The A pedal and F (E up to F) lever combo just don't sound right to me with the Newman set.
But if it works for you and your guitar and I am sure they do for many then go for it. _________________ Priebs GFI ('09)Short-Uni10. GFI ('96)Short-Uni SD11. ('86)JEM U12
www.steelguitardownunder.com |
|
|
|
Calvin Walley
From: colorado city colorado, USA
|
Posted 6 Mar 2016 3:40 pm
|
|
Jim
i have to admit that the A pedal with F lever on the 4th fret never sounded quite right
i just always thought it was just my ears _________________ proud parent of a sailor
Mullen SD-10 /nashville 400
gotta love a Mullen!!!
Guitars that i have owned in order are :
Mullen SD-10,Simmons SD-10,Mullen SD-10,Zum stage one,Carter starter,
Sho-Bud Mavrick |
|
|
|
Lane Gray
From: Topeka, KS
|
Posted 6 Mar 2016 4:02 pm
|
|
It cannot possibly sound good. The, C# is tuned around 17 cents flat, and the G# would have to be between 13 and 17 cents flat to sound good instead of its 8. 5 to 9 cents sharp is kinda jangly. _________________ 2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
|
|
|
Jim Priebe
From: Queensland, Australia - R.I.P.
|
Posted 6 Mar 2016 4:06 pm
|
|
Calvin It's a hard one to master and many players just avoid it. I battled with it and even wrote an instrumental called "Rough Cut" which was full it so I could play it 'till i got it right.
After many years I tried B0b's suggestion to moderate the temperings and bingo it worked. I was a Jeff Newman 'follower' and used his U12 books etc. I played a U12 for 25 years but only felt happy once I changed the tuning - it is only a very small amount and I believe in an 'open mind' towards music.
I guess we are all searching for "Camelot" to a degree. _________________ Priebs GFI ('09)Short-Uni10. GFI ('96)Short-Uni SD11. ('86)JEM U12
www.steelguitardownunder.com |
|
|
|
Lane Gray
From: Topeka, KS
|
Posted 6 Mar 2016 4:15 pm
|
|
The AF dilemma, along with the dilemma of playing with fretted (ET) instruments and keys (also ET) is what led me to try my "everything to 0 except A#, C#, D#, E#, G# which go -4" system. Coincidentally, although the E# is a trifle sharp, the fifth from C# to G# is actually perfect. _________________ 2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
|
|
|
Calvin Walley
From: colorado city colorado, USA
|
Posted 6 Mar 2016 4:38 pm
|
|
i never could understand why when i would watch
one of Jeffs instruction DVDs and he would use it it
would sound perfect
but i'll be damned if i could get that combination to sound right _________________ proud parent of a sailor
Mullen SD-10 /nashville 400
gotta love a Mullen!!!
Guitars that i have owned in order are :
Mullen SD-10,Simmons SD-10,Mullen SD-10,Zum stage one,Carter starter,
Sho-Bud Mavrick |
|
|
|
Bill Moore
From: Manchester, Michigan
|
Posted 6 Mar 2016 5:48 pm
|
|
It sounded perfect because Jeff played in tune. He used his ears, and moved his bar until it was in tune. There's no mystery here, practice playing IN TUNE. |
|
|
|
Bill Ferguson
From: Milton, FL USA
|
Posted 7 Mar 2016 4:54 am
|
|
Bill, you are dead on.
That is the key.
I don't believe there is any tuning that will be perfect in every position.
You HAVE to compensate. _________________ AUTHORIZED George L's, Goodrich, Telonics and Peavey Dealer: I have 2 steels and several amps. My current rig of choice is 1993 Emmons LeGrande w/ 108 pups (Jack Strayhorn built for me), Goodrich OMNI Volume Pedal, George L's cables, Goodrich Baby Bloomer and Peavey Nashville 112. Can't get much sweeter. |
|
|
|
Jack Stoner
From: Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 7 Mar 2016 5:03 am
|
|
When I first got a Korg tuner I tuned everything to "0" and people would tell me I'm out of tune. When the Newman tuning chart came out for the Korg Tuner I started using it and no one ever told me I was out of tune after that.
I used a modified Newman chart for a long time. When I got a Peterson tuner with the Newman pre-programmed I tried the "442.5" version and didn't like it and went back to my modified Newman at "440". When I upgraded to the StrobOPlus HD tuner I tried the Newman at 442.5 and suddenly it worked. I've been using that for the last two years both live and recording. _________________ GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit |
|
|
|
mike nolan
From: Forest Hills, NY USA
|
Posted 7 Mar 2016 1:28 pm
|
|
To the OP... the Newman chart will usually sound out,unless you happen to have a guitar with the exact tuning issues that Jeff was compensating for on that particular guitar. I used it once for about 10 minutes, and heard how wrong it was. Never blindly use someone else's tuning chart, amp settings, effects order and settings, etc.... Just experiment and use your ears. Playing in tune is a journey, that includes, tuning offsets, compensation, and learning to hear and play in tune.
I think that the Universal tuning, that I play, presents more tuning challenges than E9 or C6. If you want to read up on a methodology for tuning as a base for understanding what is going on, check out Larry Bell's excellent page.
http://www.larrybell.org/id5.htm |
|
|
|
Calvin Walley
From: colorado city colorado, USA
|
Posted 7 Mar 2016 1:35 pm
|
|
the A & F combination on the 4th fret
is the only thing i ever had a problem with
sounding right
and that i'm sure is all on me
just one of those quirks of playing a pedal steel i guess _________________ proud parent of a sailor
Mullen SD-10 /nashville 400
gotta love a Mullen!!!
Guitars that i have owned in order are :
Mullen SD-10,Simmons SD-10,Mullen SD-10,Zum stage one,Carter starter,
Sho-Bud Mavrick |
|
|
|
Jack Stoner
From: Kansas City, MO
|
Posted 8 Mar 2016 3:31 am
|
|
The Newman chart, as I've been told, was developed after he checked the tuning of several "big name" Nashville steel players with his Korg tuner. It wasn't developed to compensate for tuning on his guitars (many different brands).
Bruce Bouton, on his E9th video, talks about tuning and stated that no matter how well you get it tuned the AF will not sound right. _________________ GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat, SIT Strings
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit |
|
|
|
Scott Duckworth
From: Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
|
Posted 8 Mar 2016 4:04 am
|
|
I tried the Jeffran tuning on the Marlen I had, and on my GFI. Neither sounded right. When I started using the Emmons tuning, it sounded right.
That's my copedent tuning and I'm stickin' to it! _________________ Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
|
|
|
Jerry Kippola
From: UP Michigan, USA
|
Posted 8 Mar 2016 6:06 am
|
|
Everyone's guitar is different, and requires ear tuning finesse to get it right on, but I found that the Emmons chart was a better starting point for my Zum. |
|
|
|
Norman Evans
From: Tennessee
|
Posted 8 Mar 2016 6:12 am
|
|
Here's the Emmons tuning chart I received with my new steel in '99. I've tweaked a couple of settings slightly for me.
The settings are cents.
This has worked very well for me. |
|
|
|
Dale Foreman
From: Crowley Louisiana, USA
|
Posted 8 Mar 2016 6:46 am Strobe HD
|
|
With the new Strobe HD tuner, you can create your own sweetened tuning that works for your guitar. Before I tune, I alway let the guitar adapt to the room temp. _________________ Rittenberry Prestige(2) |
|
|
|
Lane Gray
From: Topeka, KS
|
Posted 8 Mar 2016 7:29 am
|
|
I submit that, although programmable tuners are a nifty idea, it's smarter in general to use a chart and just tune the notes to the proper degree of "wrongness" on a tuner set to ET. Inside a few weeks, you'll have all the numbers memorized and won't need the chart, and if your tuner goes south, any tuner with a needle can tell you how many cents you're off. _________________ 2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
|
|
|
Brendan Mitchell
From: Melbourne Australia
|
Posted 8 Mar 2016 10:54 am
|
|
Thanks for all the replys |
|
|
|