What kind of tuner are you using most often?

I began to teach myself to play guitar in and around 1986. I got a chord chart from a friend that had about 144 chords on it, and from there I figured out all the notes on the neck. My friend taught me how to tune the guitar using a tuning fork and harmonics. I remember when I first discovered that you could put the tuning fork to your teeth, and hear the note (A - 440Hz) in your ears rather loudly - it make it a lot easier to tune up, since I'd bang the tuning fork on something, then immediately bite down on the end of it, to have both hands free to tune.

At some point I picked up an electric tuner - the kind that had the Monochome LCD screen. It was less accurate as the battery drained, and less accurate as you moved the mic away from the guitar. It did allow you to plug in a guitar, which was a bonus, but I found tuning to the fork to be more accurate, and (frankly) I felt like a cheater tuning up that way. Of course, at the time I wasn't playing in a band or in a live setting, but sitting in my living room. It was only after I joined a band and began trying to tune up when everyone else was making noise that I learned the value of being able to plug in and tune up privately (as it were).

For the longest time I used the tuning fork at home, and my less than perfect, but certain adequate electronic tuner when I was playing out.

Then smart phones came along, and with them, Tuner apps. Most of the tuner apps will show you as being in tune when you get to within a few cents* of the true note (* the pitch difference between adjacent notes is logarithmically divided into 100 "cents"). That's a little better than a lot of the older tuners, and as good as most of the guitar pedal tuners - assuming you can tune in a quiet place.

For convenience, I began using tuning apps, because unlike my tuning fork or my electric tuner - I always have my phone on me.

I used the freebie apps until about about three years ago, when I became frustrated by the imprecision when setting up intonation during a set up. I needed something more precise - a lot more precise.

I began looking for a hardware solution, and while examining various strobing products by Peterson, I discovered that they had a phone app. It was pricey for an app ($10 or so), but a whole lot cheaper than a full on hardware solution. So I bought it. It was a lot more precise (within +/- 0.1 cent) than other tuners, and I even picked up an iRig audio interface to allow me to plug guitars straight into my phone!

That's my main tuner these days. I never did get around to picking up a full-on hardware solution. This cheap fix ends up being far more useful and portable to me.

How about you guys? What has your tuner journey looked like? What are you using, and why?

I'm a big fan of the TC Polytune clip-on tuners, which read all six strings at the same time, so one strum and you can see which string is out and in which direction when in the middle of a set. Also have a Peterson Strobostomp 2 on one of the pedalboards, the Peterson phone and tablet app, a built-in tuner in the Line 6 Helix and my ears. They all work. If I ever go back to doing tech work for others, I'll reinvest in either a Conn or Peterson mechanical strobe tuner, just for nostalgia's sake (the Peterson app claiims the same accuracy as the mechanical strobes, which were unparalleled).

Although the chromatic Seiko tuner I bought more than 30(!) years ago is still going strong, all my other tuners are Petersons. I have the Peterson Tuner app on an old iTouch, a VS-II (Programmable Visual Strobe tuner) on the workbench, a VS-R StroboRack in (guess what?) my rack, and recently purchased a StroboClipHD clip-on tuner which is easy to carry around. One piece of advice on the latter, turn the tuner off when you're in tune. The screen goes dark when nothing is played which made me think it would turn off. Not true! So I went through that first battery mighty fast.

I just love the precision of strobe tuners even if they are emulated in software. Open tunings, bass tuning, transpositions, all are done accurately by selecting the right mode. But I have heard good things about the TC tuners of any kind, although I would like to hear/learn how they do open tuning. I wouldn't really trust any other brand but these two. You need skin in the game to build a good tuner. It cannot be another afterthought just because you perceive there to be a hole in your offering. I am of the opinion having at least 1 high-quality tuner in your arsenal is worth the investment.

- Jos

The TC deals with open tunings just fine, with no mode swtich necessary. In the polyphonic mode, just strume and it shows which pitches are on and which are sharp or flat. Of course, to get there, you do the "one note at a time" thing. The TC does have a emulated strobe mode, as well. What I love about the Petersons, on the other hand, are the "sweetened" (i.e. non- or differently-tempered) tuning modes.

I just love the precision of strobe tuners even if they are emulated in software. Open tunings, bass tuning, transpositions, all are done accurately by selecting the right mode. But I have heard good things about the TC tuners of any kind, although I would like to hear/learn how they do open tuning. I wouldn't really trust any other brand but these two. You need skin in the game to build a good tuner. It cannot be another afterthought just because you perceive there to be a hole in your offering. I am of the opinion having at least 1 high-quality tuner in your arsenal is worth the investment.

- Jos

I have a Korg rackmount for my recording setup and I use a couple of Snarks typically clipped on the headstock of my most frequently used guitars.

I used to employ the, "give me a D," and then use harmonics to tune, but as the big noisy band was setting up, had trouble hearing sometimes. I've used an old Boss TU-2 on my big pedal board for many years, works fine. When I'm playing with a small blues or reggae band and don't have the big board with me, I use a Snark clip on tuner which is butt simple and has a nice round screen, nice graphic. I used to have a clip on korg tuner, but the screen's too small, and it has too many small buttons. I like the Snark much better. My Martin has an on-board tuner in the fishman pre-amp and that's real handy.

After starting with pitch pipe many moons ago I remember buying a "Banana" electronic tuner from Sam Ash mail order. My first mail order purchase that I thought was so cool. Found one on ebay, here's a picture for fun.



Then I went to a Seiko tuner and a few others before going to Boss. Like John, I've gone from a Boss TU-2 to a TU-3 on pedal board which works fine. I have Korg and a Fender clip on tuner when not running through the pedal board. Also have a Snark in a ukulele case. Again like John my little Martin has an on-board tuner in the fishman pre-amp. Have some a Pano tuner app on an iPad that comes out occasionally.

My pedal board has a Boss TU-3. If I'm not using my pedal board then I use a Snark clip on. I think we have a Korg clip on as well that came with my daughter's guitar, but we both like the Snark better. I find the Snark easy to see/read in various light conditions. It also seems more accurate. My Guild acoustic has built in tuner with the preamp.

I'm a big fan of the TC Polytune clip-on tuners, which read all six strings at the same time, so one strum and you can see which string is out and in which direction when in the middle of a set...

One of the reasons for the original post was that I'm not all that familiar with the wide spectrum of tuners out there, and wanted to see what better musicians than myself were using. I'd seen TC Electronic pedals before, including the Polytune, but only in passing and never with any personal testimony. Thanks for putting this on my radar. I looked into the clip on, and though it isn't as accurate as a Peterson (0.5 cents vs. 0.1 cent) it strikes me as very functional and having watched a few review videos - seems reliable and even sensitive (don't have to pluck hard to sound note). I will probably find an excuse to pick one up someday, as that polytune feature (I wanted to say "gimmick" but reasoned that this is more of a very useful function than a gimmick) seems to have started the kind of itch that I usually can't ignore for long. Thanks.

I really am blessed by this community, my wallet ... not so much.

I really am blessed by this community, my wallet ... not so much.

Between communities like this and the fact that I've been in the musical instrument industry, either working for manufacturers or retailers for most of my adult life provides me that same blessing and same curse.

I'm a big fan of the TC Polytune clip-on tuners, which read all six strings at the same time, so one strum and you can see which string is out and in which direction when in the middle of a set...

One of the reasons for the original post was that I'm not all that familiar with the wide spectrum of tuners out there, and wanted to see what better musicians than myself were using. I'd seen TC Electronic pedals before, including the Polytune, but only in passing and never with any personal testimony. Thanks for putting this on my radar. I looked into the clip on, and though it isn't as accurate as a Peterson (0.5 cents vs. 0.1 cent) it strikes me as very functional and having watched a few review videos - seems reliable and even sensitive (don't have to pluck hard to sound note). I will probably find an excuse to pick one up someday, as that polytune feature (I wanted to say "gimmick" but reasoned that this is more of a very useful function than a gimmick) seems to have started the kind of itch that I usually can't ignore for long. Thanks.

I really am blessed by this community, my wallet ... not so much.

If you run the TC Polyclip in strobe mode, its tolerance is actually +/- 0.02 cents; 0.5 is in chromatic mode, and they don't list what the tolerance is in poly mode (I'm guessing it's something along the lines of a Snark). I just keep it in strobe mode which is chromatic and will allow for poly tuning, if desired. That said, the only need for such an accurate tuner is for setting intonation.

I used the Peterson app for over a year - had one of my outputs from my volume pedal driving into my phone. Easily visible, accurate, but didn't like having my phone locked up on stage and using the tuner output on my volume pedal changes the tone, so when the poly came out for $40 I quickly got it.

The only things I don't like about it is it has an auto shut-off at 3 minutes that you can't disable, and there's a 2 second flash screen when you turn on the tuner before it works. Gotta hit the power on before you end a song if you want to quickly tune before the next song is counted off. Annoying.

If you run the TC Polyclip in strobe mode, its tolerance is actually +/- 0.02 cents;

I think you mean +/- 0.2 cents in strobe mode?

I think I'd be keeping it in strobe mode all the time in any case, as that seemed the most impressive feature in the video (strum to see which strings are out, then strobing each string in turn without having to change the settings on the tuner). I could see the 3 minute time out being a bother only once in a while, but the two second flash screen on start would be annoying every time I used it.

Thanks for expanding the info. How sturdy is the clip on these guys? It's hard to say from pics and vids.

[How sturdy is the clip on these guys? It's hard to say from pics and vids.

Metal clip, not plastic, with silicon/rubber padding where it touches the headstock. Haven't had one break on me yet.

GarageBand

GarageBand

I've never used GarageBand to tune. I didn't even know you could!

When I first read this, my brain read "GarageBand" but my mind associated that with Rocksmith - and knowing how awful the RockSmith tuner is I thought this was at first a joke (which even solicited a genuine and hearty chuckle!) Then I remembered, oh yeah! Garageband! That's not Rocksmith! Then I had a second chuckle at my middle aged brain and it's propensity to cross wires in my thinking. ;D

For sure there's more sophisticated ways to use a MacBook as an amp, but nothing beats the versatility (for me) of using an AI into a free piece of software and selecting the appropriate power PA/studio monitor. More settings/options than I need, as well as a tuner

If you run the TC Polyclip in strobe mode, its tolerance is actually +/- 0.02 cents;

I think you mean +/- 0.2 cents in strobe mode?

I think I'd be keeping it in strobe mode all the time in any case, as that seemed the most impressive feature in the video (strum to see which strings are out, then strobing each string in turn without having to change the settings on the tuner). I could see the 3 minute time out being a bother only once in a while, but the two second flash screen on start would be annoying every time I used it.

Thanks for expanding the info. How sturdy is the clip on these guys? It's hard to say from pics and vids.

Nah, it's actually 0.02. Tech specs on last page of manual: http://cdn-downloads.tcelectronic.com/m ... nglish.pdf

Being that sensitive, it is a bit difficult to get all the center dots to stop drawing without Floyd type fine tuners. You still get the two vertical red dots as in chromatic mode, but if you're within 0.5 it shows in tune and you use the center dots to stobe finer than that.

So chromatic (or using the vertical dots in strobe) is 0.5; strobe is 0.02 using the horizontal dots, but for poly they don't even list what the tolerance is, so it's at least +/- 1.0 or even Snark territory, imo, so it's not uncommon to have poly show all strings in tune, yet have a string or more out when you pick it individually. Clip is strong.

If you run the TC Polyclip in strobe mode, its tolerance is actually +/- 0.02 cents;

I think you mean +/- 0.2 cents in strobe mode?

I think I'd be keeping it in strobe mode all the time in any case, as that seemed the most impressive feature in the video (strum to see which strings are out, then strobing each string in turn without having to change the settings on the tuner). I could see the 3 minute time out being a bother only once in a while, but the two second flash screen on start would be annoying every time I used it.

Thanks for expanding the info. How sturdy is the clip on these guys? It's hard to say from pics and vids.

Nah, it's actually 0.02. Tech specs on last page of manual: http://cdn-downloads.tcelectronic.com/m ... nglish.pdf

Being that sensitive, it is a bit difficult to get all the center dots to stop drawing without Floyd type fine tuners. You still get the two vertical red dots as in chromatic mode, but if you're within 0.5 it shows in tune and you use the center dots to stobe finer than that.

So chromatic (or using the vertical dots in strobe) is 0.5; strobe is 0.02 using the horizontal dots, but for poly they don't even list what the tolerance is, so it's at least +/- 1.0 or even Snark territory, imo, so it's not uncommon to have poly show all strings in tune, yet have a string or more out when you pick it individually. Clip is strong.

Thanks for the info - I stand corrected.