You probably know

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. All my guitarist friends play different chords when checking the tuning. Especially if the guitar isn't familiar to them, to check if the fretboard or string attachments of the body are accurate.
You mean Les Paul had a specific chord that "told" him more than other chords?

I was taught by Barry Galbraith to use played octaves on a guitar, and in the classical world, most people use unison harmonics on the 5-7th fret.  I use a combination:  first tune unison harmonics on the 5-7th fret then check played octaves on the 7th-9th fret.  It's become a moot issue with the introduction of digital tuners.

So sorry

Moshkito

spacey
 
 
It was a question about what Les Paul did. Apparently none of the guitarist that have read this post read the article. 

Would love to read the article. I'm not sure how right it is, but from what I remember, many piano tuners only use one key to setup the tuning, from what I could make out. I remember the "C" being the main one, and then fix the next "C" (Do in my language!), and then in between with the sharps and flats done later.
 
A guitar, is strange for me (bass at least) since I tend to fix one string (usually the E or the G string) and then do 5ths from there to get the others in sync. The digital tuners, are very nice and simpler, but you still check to ensure that the strings are tuned with each other, and the 5ths match with the open string, right?
 
I really do not know about these things ... tuning and un-tunning is totally beyond me. But I remember in Portugal, a tuner work the "C" first and then the other "C's" and then the rest ... and I have no idea if that is right or incorrect.

 
A (440) is usually the best note to tune to, mostly because other instruments will have done the same.  There's all kinds of tunings that are possible.  But, if you want to play with others...the A on 1 string on 5th fret should equal 440.

I will look out the article, as I love working out chords by ear, and also enjoy naming them.  Many a long discussion at rehearsals have revolved around naming of a particularly obscure chord.
 
OT, I suppose, but I find Major 7ths to be useful in this context.  They seem to sound more "off" if the guitar is notin tune..

spacey
Mosh, I've been looking for it but haven't found it yet.
It was cool - it was a challenge presented to figure out the chord by "ear" and then "how would you name it".
 ...

That "Perfect Pitch" guy, seems to associate things with a color ... at least he suggests each person devise their own color for it. He does not really suggest, that I have noticed. that a C is more important than a D or an E, and then goes on later to teach people how to define the chords, by this and that and this and that.
 
All in all, it was a very nice and interesting listen for me, not difficult, though it went wayyyyyyyyyy too fasssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssstttttt for me, to be able to stick with a little longer, and probably would need to do a little each day just to catch up, which would make it difficult to get ahead.
 
In some ways, it was a bit "mechanical" for me, but it should be very good for academics that have no Joe Cocker in them, if you know what I mean! I guess that classical and opera folks are not allowed to get out of the academic scale of emotions?
 
I heard/read somewhere some funny stuff about Stevie Ray Vaughn that cracked me up ... and it was on an evening when they were rehearsing and the bass, for some reason was tuned down by half ... and 2 minutes into it, Stevie goes ... wow ... that's wrong ... but we got a new song!
 
Makes me wonder sometimes ... what people are listening to ... the music or the notes? I still believe there is a massive difference.

have no idea what les paul did..
but my guess is, it's something similar to what i do.
 
 

spacey

Moshkito

spacey
Mosh, I've been looking for it but haven't found it yet.
It was cool - it was a challenge presented to figure out the chord by "ear" and then "how would you name it".
 ...

That "Perfect Pitch" guy, seems to associate things with a color ... at least he suggests each person devise their own color for it. He does not really suggest, that I have noticed. that a C is more important than a D or an E, and then goes on later to teach people how to define the chords, by this and that and this and that.
 
All in all, it was a very nice and interesting listen for me, not difficult, though it went wayyyyyyyyyy too fasssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssstttttt for me, to be able to stick with a little longer, and probably would need to do a little each day just to catch up, which would make it difficult to get ahead.
 
In some ways, it was a bit "mechanical" for me, but it should be very good for academics that have no Joe Cocker in them, if you know what I mean! I guess that classical and opera folks are not allowed to get out of the academic scale of emotions?
 
I heard/read somewhere some funny stuff about Stevie Ray Vaughn that cracked me up ... and it was on an evening when they were rehearsing and the bass, for some reason was tuned down by half ... and 2 minutes into it, Stevie goes ... wow ... that's wrong ... but we got a new song!
 
Makes me wonder sometimes ... what people are listening to ... the music or the notes? I still believe there is a massive difference.

I couldn't agree more Mosh. How people can process information so differently can sure make one wonder.

 
Because we're all *narcissistic sociopaths* like that new composer-guy worried in another thread.  I don't know about sociopaths, but the narcissism sticks.  *Whatever works!*.

The trouble with combining guitars and pianos is that no guitar is absolutely in equal-temperament tune all the way od the neck on every string and every fret. And no guitarist consistently plays the notes spot-on with never varying finger-pressure either.

To make things more interesting, pianos are generally not tuned to equal temperament either, but are tuned using a "stretch" system which makes them out of theoretically correct tune because the theoretically correct intervals result in some horribly harsh sounding chords and intervals. Which is one reason why piano tuners work a lot be ear and start by getting one note spot on then the octaves, then the fifths then the octaves of the fifths and so on, tining for musicality rather than mathematical accuracy. The other reason they use this method is before electronic tuners it was easy to carry one tuning fork but 88 were a bit of a burden.....

So you have two not quite in tune instruments playing together and at times they are going to clash. Fortunately it's easy enough to adjust the guitar a bit if necessary.

tlw
The trouble with combining guitars and pianos is that no guitar is absolutely in equal-temperament tune all the way od the neck on every string and every fret. And no guitarist consistently plays the notes spot-on with never varying finger-pressure either.

To make things more interesting, pianos are generally not tuned to equal temperament either, but are tuned using a "stretch" system which makes them out of theoretically correct tune because the theoretically correct intervals result in some horribly harsh sounding chords and intervals. Which is one reason why piano tuners work a lot be ear and start by getting one note spot on then the octaves, then the fifths then the octaves of the fifths and so on, tining for musicality rather than mathematical accuracy. The other reason they use this method is before electronic tuners it was easy to carry one tuning fork but 88 were a bit of a burden.....

So you have two not quite in tune instruments playing together and at times they are going to clash. Fortunately it's easy enough to adjust the guitar a bit if necessary.

 
 
And I'll add;
 
One can find a range on their guitar that may help. Limited range that works good with the piano part. That's a time it really pays off to know many chord forms as well as "ranges". (not to mention "arrangement skills".)
Most that realize that also realize that it may not take but some well placed chord tones to get the job done...many times two select intervals get more mileage than a "fancy" six string "what's that chord?".
I'd much prefer to re-arrange my thinking than jerk around trying to tune to fit something that keeps changing.
 
I think it's good when a guitarist realizes that many of the notes they play aren't needed and they focus on the ones that are. A simple example to explain my statement is use of full bar chords. Knowing that the bass notes on the guitar may be conflicting with the bass or other instruments working in the lower registers is a good thing.
Triads and less can be your friend. A five and extension may easily take it home. A clean home run...lol , works for me. YMMV.

You're assuming I'm an Earthman?
 
 

spacey
You're assuming I'm an Earthman?
 
 

Phasors on stun, number one!

spacey
 
I have one very close friend. We grew up together and still stay in touch.
 
We were talking about "man" not knowing how so many things done so long ago can't be done today and he told me his theory;
 
He said there was a planet that had the problem of dealing with people that had genetic defects and decided that the best solution was relocation. 
Earthlings are genetically defective descendants of an alien life.
 
 

I bet your friend would like Ridley Scott's 'Prometheus' if he hasn't already seen it.