[Dixielandjazz] A = 440

[Edgerton, Paul A]

Larry Walton wrote:

> Pet peeve: Guitar players that use tuning meters to tune their 
> instruments. This will automatically produce an out of tune
> guitar because it isn't tempered."

What? Which tuning meter *isn't* based on equal temperament? Or are you
complaining that equal temperament is what makes them out of tune?
Because if that's what you say, then pianos are also guaranteed to be
out of tune.  See "The Acoustical Foundations of Music" by John Backus
or any similar treatise on musical acoustics for more detail than anyone
but a geek like me needs.

The pitch of a string is dependant on its length, tension, mass and
stiffness. (Which is why you may have to adjust intonation when changing
to a different brand or gauge of strings.) When you pluck a string, you
slightly increase its tension and thus its pitch. That means the pitch
drops slightly as the note decays, so you should tune while striking the
strings with roughly the same force you will use during performance.

-- Paul Edgerton