Everyone knows how to use a tuner- “play a note and watch the dial”. There are more efficient ways to check your pitch and I will try to list a couple which I have found helpful through the years (decades).
Download free work sheet here- Exercises for Tuning Your Instrument
In order to play your tuning note accurately, you first need a reference point and this is what I will first address.
How to center your tuning note more accurately.
Before you start, you need to know why we use the third space C as the standard tuning note. The note “C” is in tune, is in the middle of the instruments range and is also one of the easiest notes to perform.
1. To guarantee that your instrument is constant in pitch make sure that the air in your instrument is warmed. Play a few notes in order to raise your instrument into its normal playing pitch. Brass instruments cool as they sit and tuning with a cold instrument will give you a pitch that is low. As the instrument warms, it rises in pitch and a warm instrument is where we begin. Exercise #1 on the sheet.
2. Picking a note to tune out of the air is difficult even for a seasoned veteran. The best exercise to center your tuning note is to play a short scale up to your tuning note (third space c). Exercise #2 on the sheet.
How to check the pitch on each note on your instrument.
Begin on the note G followed by A, B and finally C. By playing these notes, you will be certain that the final C has a good reference to be played in tune with your instruments.
3. Once you have tuned your instrument using your main tuning slide to the tuner’s C (concert Bb) it is time to check all of the notes on your instrument. I have included a work sheet to use which lists all of your notes as well as the notes to be used to center your pitch. Exercise #3 on the sheet.
4. Notice on the work sheet that there are three attempts for each note. The reason for using three attempts is that you will have to average the three in order to determine a more accurate conclusion. Check your tuner as you hold the whole notes and mark in the next measure your pitch tendencies (# for sharp/ ## for very sharp/ b for flat/ bb for very flat). After playing all of the patterns, go back and average each note and indicate on your sheet which notes you have to compensate for. Below I have listed some helpful information as to how you can improve your intonation with alternate fingerings and slide extensions.
This is a lot of work but you will enjoy playing more when you play in tune; and so will everyone around you.
5. After you have run through the exercise, you will have to transfer this information to a single sheet (also included) which you should keep in your case for future reference.
How to adjust for out of tune notes.
Now that you have determined which notes are out of tune, the next step is to decide how you will compensate for this problem. Every sharp note must be lowered by either alternate fingerings or extending a valve slide. Every flat note needs to be raised by using an alternate fingering.
I have included material which will show you the pitch tendencies of the various notes and alternate fingerings for many. This will give you many combinations of fingerings and note which will require slide extensions. It is worth the time you spend finding these notes and learning how to compensate for their deficiencies.
Play your instrument well requires attention to many issues on many levels. Unfortunately we are sometimes content to just play the correct note, forgetting that other elements are needed such as a good sound, even tempi, proper counting, control of the dynamic levels, balancing with the musicians around you and, as this posting indicates, good intonation.
