tuning frequency.

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.

Update cookies preferences

tuning frequency.

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>General >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

bandurria

Posts: 12
Joined: Feb. 24 2013

tuning frequency.

Hello everyone, no this post is not about how often (frequent) to tune your instrument. It is regarding the frequency of the tuning forks we use (if we use them) I ask myself why do we use A 440Hz as the standard if theoretically we can reach the same tuning "level" using for example E 329.6Hz If you can shed some light on this I'd appreciate it.

Friendly regards.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 24 2013 23:42:05

vigrond

Posts: 161
Joined: Nov. 30 2010

RE: tuning frequency. (in reply to bandurria)

my guess is it is a note most people can physically and most easily sing.

440hz is A4 (octave 4), which is close to the medium of the human voice (which is roughly between 80 Hz to 1100 Hz or E2 to C6)

The note A also appears to be the only note that has a integer frequency (no decimals), which may have some precision connotations. plus its easy to memorize.

these are just guesses

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 25 2013 1:42:06

chester

Posts: 891
Joined: Oct. 29 2010

RE: tuning frequency. (in reply to vigrond)

quote:

ORIGINAL: vigrond

my guess is it is a note most people can physically and most easily sing.

440hz is A4 (octave 4), which is close to the medium of the human voice (which is roughly between 80 Hz to 1100 Hz or E2 to C6)

The note A also appears to be the only note that has a integer frequency (no decimals), which may have some precision connotations. plus its easy to memorize.

these are just guesses

Actually 440hz is not intrinsically A. It's arbitrary.

I think wikipedia is a better place for this question than a flamenco forum.
Here you go - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A440_(pitch_standard).

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 25 2013 2:17:45

Ricardo

Posts: 15725
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: tuning frequency. (in reply to chester)

quote:

ORIGINAL: chester

quote:

ORIGINAL: vigrond

my guess is it is a note most people can physically and most easily sing.

440hz is A4 (octave 4), which is close to the medium of the human voice (which is roughly between 80 Hz to 1100 Hz or E2 to C6)

The note A also appears to be the only note that has a integer frequency (no decimals), which may have some precision connotations. plus its easy to memorize.

these are just guesses

Actually 440hz is not intrinsically A. It's arbitrary.

I think wikipedia is a better place for this question than a flamenco forum.
Here you go - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A440_(pitch_standard).

wow great link there chester.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concert_pitch

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 25 2013 15:40:43

Bulerias2005

Posts: 648
Joined: Jul. 10 2010
From: Minneapolis, MN

RE: tuning frequency. (in reply to bandurria)

440 is gross, I prefer 432. :)

_____________________________

Daniel Volovets
Jazz, Classical, Flamenco, & Latin-American Guitar
http://www.danielvolovets.com/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 25 2013 17:06:43

n85ae

Posts: 877
Joined: Sep. 7 2006

RE: tuning frequency. (in reply to bandurria)

442 is my choice - That was my first car (1969 Olds 442). Be careful not to tune it
to resonant frequency though, or else your guitar will self-destruct

Regards,
Jeff

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 25 2013 17:09:35

chester

Posts: 891
Joined: Oct. 29 2010

RE: tuning frequency. (in reply to Ricardo)

Sorry about that. Guess it picked up the period.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A440_(pitch_standard)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 25 2013 17:23:03

britguy

Posts: 712
Joined: Dec. 26 2010
From: Ontario, Canada

RE: tuning frequency. (in reply to Bulerias2005)

quote:

440 is gross, I prefer 432. :)

Agreed!

I like 432 also. Not quite sure why. Just sounds a little better on my guitars.

But I'm no authority on this stuff.

And I only have one good ear. . .

_____________________________

Fruit farmer, Ontario, Canada

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 25 2013 22:33:58

Leñador

Posts: 5237
Joined: Jun. 8 2012
From: Los Angeles

RE: tuning frequency. (in reply to bandurria)

quote:

or else your guitar will self-destruct

Or cause an earthquake!

_____________________________

\m/

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 25 2013 23:36:17

bandurria

Posts: 12
Joined: Feb. 24 2013

RE: tuning frequency. (in reply to chester)

quote:

I think wikipedia is a better place for this question than a flamenco forum.
Here you go - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A440_(pitch_standard).

Thank you everyone for participating giving your input. I do want to comment on chester's suggestion above. As far a a Wikipedia being better place for the question, that's just a matter of opinion. I think that placing the question in this forum evokes great thoughts. Something to ponder about. For those who may think is not important, thank you for looking at the post. For those that do find it worth your time to give your thoughts, thank you for participating and putting your 2 cents.

Friendly regards everyone.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 25 2013 23:49:27