Looking for a clip tuner

[gpessa]

Can you recommend a good one?

[jkarnes0661]

I really like the Real Tuner LA-1. Can be set to different keys (Bb, C, D, Eb, and G are pre-programmed and you can lower up to 4 half-steps in any of those keys to reach all 12 pitches in the scale). I have 3 of them scattered in different cases, really helpful if you're in a pit orchestra or other situation where it can be difficult to hear yourself when playing soft passages AND you know that there's electronic instruments that never stray from A-440.

Bought mine on Amazon, I think they're around $20.
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Jonathan Karnes
Grand Rapids, MI
jonathankarnes.com

[falado]

Hi, I’ve about given up on clip on tuners. All of the ones I’ve had have broken, or wouldn’t take a charge anymore and just stopped working. I have a tuner app on my phone and an older old school Korg, with metronome, that just keeps working. I also have the option of hooking a small clip on microphone to it if wanted.
Dave
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FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet

[gpessa]

[Brassman19]

Hi, gpessa. I got what, so far, seems to be a pretty good and sturdy clip-on tuner (it clips on your horns' bell) It is made by Korg, and is a Model AW-LT100M. I got mine on Amazon a couple of years back for something like $25.

This particular tuner, however, uses replaceable batteries, not rechargeable ones, in case that is an issue for you.

Good luck in your search.

Larry
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1954 Holton Super Collegiate Trumpet (Yellow brass w/nickel silver bell flare, like the Olds Studio model)
1961 pro Holton Galaxy Trumpet
Bach 1C mp (Trumpet,

[Denny Schreffler]

Snark ST-2 Multi-Instrument Chromatic Tuner, "Super Tight" for an easy-to-read, fast, and stable cilp-on.

If you're more interested in learning some of the subtleties of tuning with a clip-on that displays strobe information, look at the Peterson StroboClip HD.

—Denny

[RandyTX]

I've had two different Snark's break on me after a few years of use. It's the same spot every time, the little plastic 'clip' that swivels where the face of the tuner meets the clip assembly. If you had a special padded case to carry it in, instead of the little black cloth thing that comes with it, I suspect you could keep it in working order longer. I should have tried that sooner, but didn't.

I've since just given up on a clip on and use the tuner portion of the 'TotalEnergy' app on my phone and/or iPad instead.
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"Music is like candy, you throw the (w)rappers away."

[dstpt]

The Tonal Energy app is a very good tool. Regarding clip-on tuners, I've used the Peterson StroboClip SC-1 model for several years. This is the one that has the silver body with an orangish background and black lettering with rectangular segments on the screen to show timbre and pitch. I had two of these models until one stopped working a couple of months ago, and when I called Peterson about it, I was told that this silver model was discontinued. I kind of prefer this display over the newer model, which has a black body and has the opposite coloring on screen: black background with orangish lettering and rectangular segments.

For a secondary clip-on tuner, I recently got from Amazon a $15 Sondery Clip On Tuner, which is rechargeable. It has a small display and a similar reticular arm to that of the Peterson model mentioned above. It responds very quickly to notes as they are being played, but the one unique thing I really like about it is, I can be looking at the music I'm playing, release the last note of a phrase, and then quickly look at the tuner, and the display "hangs on" to that note, displaying your pitch. This has been helpful, since I may have a question as to where I've "landed" by the time I finish playing a segment of music. Have I "strayed" from center over the course of a phrase, or have I maintained that centering from start to finish? Maybe all of my intervals have seemed to be on target, but it's easy to drift a little from center, especially when you're practicing at home. Using sustained drones is great to use with this type of practice, too.

If you're playing with an ensemble, some "pitch drifting" can happen with the entire group, and this is fairly normal. If you're playing with electronic instruments that do not deviate from their pitch center, then practicing with a tuner can be a great assist, particularly if that instrument (e.g. keyboard) sound predominates in the performance space. If you're playing 1st trumpet in a show, your pitch has to align with it, or everyone will know that you aren't in tune.

The hardest thing about using a tuner is believing what you're seeing on screen. I listened to a younger pro a few weeks ago play through part of a Wurm etude in written Bb major on his Bb trumpet. Whenever he hit the 4th line D (1st valve 5th harmonic), it was noticeably flat to my ear. His sound was great on all of the notes he played, but the intonation on that note on his Yamaha Xeno was not good. I put my Tonal Energy app on my iPad on the music stand next to that page of the etude and had him play it again. He could not believe that the note was flat, and when he lipped it in tune, it sounded wrong to his ear. We can grow accustomed to playing notes out of tune, so that can be an important benefit of using a tuner in our practice. Another thing that can confuse us is the timbre of a note, which I'll leave open to another TH thread.

My biggest wish is for a clip-on tuner that has a very small footprint and to be placed, say, on the bell just before the valve block and feature the "lingering" on the display of the Sondery model I discussed above. I'd like to have it match the color of the instrument (silver, gold, clear lacquer, etc.), so that it blends with the horn and is basically not noticed by even neighboring musicians. This would be for those instances with keyboards that predominate in the house during musicals and where I need a brief reference during sustained notes to be sure I haven't drifted from center, and especially when I can't hear the keyboard.

[Man Of Constant Sorrow]

Interesting trivia, regarding tuning:

In the "good 'ole days" , pre-Internet, electronic gizmos, etc., we used to use a land-line telephone for tuning (when sans a keyboard present).
The dial-tone is pitched exactly A=440.
Somewhat awkward, as one had to hold the phone to one ear with one's shoulder (to facilitate having both hands free), while adjusting the instrument (horns, guitars, etc.).

It worked.
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Sub-Optimal Hillbilly Jazz