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I am looking for a tuner for my cellos. I like the NEC Micro tuner that I clip to the body of my violin. It gets the vibration and has an almost immediate response. I can’t get one like that for my cello.
When I tune my cello, there is such a lag between the string action and the tuner clipped to my tailpiece. It is not one that gets a read from the instrument vibration.
I was looking at the Korg CA-2. It was on the Fiddlerman site, but it was not there this evening. Don’t know why. Guess they don’t sell it any longer. What I was looking at with this was the cable with a clip on mic. The mic and cable comes with it. I figured that little mic could be clipped on the bottom of the bridge so it could pick up vibration and sound quickly. It should show up on the tuner’s screen fairly quickly, in theory. It comes with the cabled mic. The other thing was that since it is not clipped to the tailpiece like the Snark, my bowing will not block the view. The screen part of the tuner will be on the floor, or my music stand (depending on how long the cable is).
Another Korg I just found tonight is the Korg TM60C CmbomTuner Metronome with Contact Microphone. I really could use the metronome with it. The rest is the same deal as the CA-2, I think. I could clip the mic at the bottom of the bridge, where it would be out of the way of bowing, the tuner screen part would be on my music stand, or facing up on the floor. This one is not on the Fiddlerman Shop site, either.
Has anyone used one of these?
Ok, I am not interested whatsoever in any app for my phone for a tuner or metronome. So, please no app recommendations. I am not killing my battery while playing my cello, nor am I interested in updating more apps. I don’t keep my phone on my music stand, or on the floor. I can see it falling off the music stand into the floor. I can see myself putting the cello through endpin through the screen if it is on the floor.
Thanks for any information.
They call me, “Mellow Cello”
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I know you don't want to go the app route, but reconsider it. It really has been the best option for me and the most sensitive. App I use is free, it's called piascore if you decide to try it.
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Thanks, Heinrich, but I am dead set against an app. Really looking for some info on tbe items mentioned or recommenations of similar that will do the trick. Thanks for taking the time, though, really appreciate it.
They call me, “Mellow Cello”
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One can go old school and buy an A tuning fork, then tune the fifths. It's great for training your ears!
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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@Fiddlerman I think they are really expensive, aren’t they? I am not sure I have anything I could ding it against and set it on to have it emit the sound. That is what you do, right? Do you get one for each string? That would even be more $$$’s.
How do they work, meaning how do you do it, not any scientific facts about soundwaves and how they get to my ears. My head would explode.
They call me, “Mellow Cello”
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They are not expensive but the idea is to use one and tune the other strings in relation to the one string. The standard A is not at the same octave as the tuning fork but you would recognize the correct pitch. I might have a hard time explaining but perhaps I can make a video. 🙂
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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@Fiddlerman A video would be great!
They call me, “Mellow Cello”
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Will do Cynthia. You are welcome to remind me later during the week if you like. I have a great memory but it's super short. 😜
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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cid said
@Fiddlerman A video would be great!
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Excellent! Thank you.
I assume this will done the same with a cello, but just no E to tune up to, or do you use a different fork? I should have checked at the violin shop when I brought Evie in to get looked at. Hindsight is great!
They call me, “Mellow Cello”
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Same way with a cello. Every instrument in an orchestra gets the same note from the Oboist. 🙂
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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@cid and others. I took you up on the suggestion and purchased a Korg CM-200 contact microphone and I received it today. The jaw opens to about 1-1/4” and is rubber coated to provide a non-marring surface. It is provided with a five foot cable complete with a 1/4” diameter amp jack. It does not require a battery.
I plugged it into my Korg OT-12 electronic tuner and attempted to tune my electronic 4/4 cello using the following locations: bridge, tail piece, end pin, and peg box. Response was immediate and it worked flawlessly in all locations. Thank you for the suggestion.
Research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I’m doing. —Werner von Braun
Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible. —Frank Zappa
Experience is a difficult teacher, it gives the test first and the lesson after.
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Great review info @Irv
I will be ordering the Korg TM-60C next month. It is the TM-60 with the Korg CM-200. I am also going to order a tuning fork to use to train my ears for tuning.
They call me, “Mellow Cello”
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@cid and others. Do not know if you followed my other thread on tuners. Do not know anything about the Korg TM-60. Strongly advise that you make sure that it has the provision to tune Pythagorean perfect fifths.
Research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I’m doing. —Werner von Braun
Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible. —Frank Zappa
Experience is a difficult teacher, it gives the test first and the lesson after.
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@cid and others. Checked out the user manual for the TM-60. It does not have the capacity to tune in perfect fifths.
Research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I’m doing. —Werner von Braun
Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible. —Frank Zappa
Experience is a difficult teacher, it gives the test first and the lesson after.
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@Irv I have no idea about tuning to perfect fifths. I am not that knowledgable of music theory and was never told anything about tuning to perfect fifths. I tune the strings to the proper octave C, G, D and A. I don’t kniw what tuning to perfect fifths is.
I just emailed Fiddlershop and asked if it can be used in a cello. When I emailed about another Korg with a 50 in the name, but different beginning numbers, they said it would work. I am going with the TM-60C for the metronome. Just a preference for me. I will find out from them. I figured all C, G, D, and A notes were the same, except for their sister octaves.
They call me, “Mellow Cello”
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@cid and others. I have been following your various threads on your quest to find a cello, and it is apparent there is a sound you want to achieve. You can achieve that sound using a tuning fork. But if you rely on a electronic tuner, natural instrument resonance will be compromised if it cannot tune to perfect fifths.
This need not be expensive. Just keep searching the ubiquitous auction site until you see a Korg tuner that looks like the below photo with a bin price of about $20. 
Research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I’m doing. —Werner von Braun
Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible. —Frank Zappa
Experience is a difficult teacher, it gives the test first and the lesson after.
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At the cost of the Korg CM-200, it's a no brainer. LOL
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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Ok, I am lost. I did contact Korg and they said the TM-60c will tune a cello and my viola. I have no idea what you are talking about with a tuner needing to tune in perfect fifths.
I can’t tell from the photograph what Korg model that is. I don’t do auction sites, including eBay.
I can get the Korg TM-60c in white at a reasonable price from Fiddlershop in white and will be ordering it next month.
According to Korg’s response:
“Yes, the TM60 can be used with a very wide range of instruments - including cello and viola. It is a chromatic tuner, so it displays the note of the pitch detected from the instrument at the time. You would simply adjust the tuning for a string until you reach the desired note in the tuner's display, and that the tuner indicates you are properly in tune for that note. Then repeat the process on the other strings.” That sure sounds like my other tuners; Snark and the little D’Addario, and another one I have. None respond well to a cello.
As far as I know, that is how you use a tuner. I could be wrong. I have been improving tuning by ear for my violin (still double check with my tuner sometimes), but have problems with the cello.
Still don’t know why a tuner that does not tune in perfect fifths is an issue. Tried Googling and found nothing. Probably not wording it right.
They call me, “Mellow Cello”
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@cid and others. Given your provided purchasing constraint, I further looked into the problem.
I did not see anything useful in the FM shop. I was initially intrigued with the KLIQ Metropitch since it had individual instrument modes and a metronome, but a telephone call to the company quickly determined that the device electronic algorithm was always chromatic. The Korg OT-120 would be useful for your use and would mate with the Korg microphone, but does not contain a metronome.
It sounds like you are intent on ordering a TM-60c. If you have any interest in trying perfect fifth tuning, I will attempt a hack using my Korg OM12. You would have to recalibrate your tuner frequency setting for three strings (the A string will always be set to 440 herz). Alternately, if you indulge in the use of fingerboard pin stripes, it may be possible to hack the C string and tune the other strings based on the C string. Error using the last method currently unknown.
Research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I’m doing. —Werner von Braun
Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible. —Frank Zappa
Experience is a difficult teacher, it gives the test first and the lesson after.
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