ajisai - Posted - 01/29/2010:  15:18:15

When I'm listening to a recording are there any tricks for figuring out how the player's fiddle is tuned? Any more methodical approaches than just trial and error?

Skunkhound - Posted - 01/29/2010:  16:27:41

First identify the key its in, and if it doesn't sound right playing in standard, try cross tuning to the key.

woodwiz - Posted - 01/29/2010:  17:34:09

Listen for the open strings, and match the pitch. Might need earphones or earbuds. Open strings usually ring a little more.

coelhoe - Posted - 01/29/2010:  19:40:19

For me, it is quicker to use a guitar to determine the key.

Peghead - Posted - 02/03/2010:  10:11:32

It's a bit of chicken and egg, but if you can manage to learn to play a sampling of standard cross tuned songs from books or recorded lesson media, you'll learn to recognize the tunings right away when you hear them in different contexts. You'll have their sound firmly ingrained in your head. They each have their own personalities.

Edited by - Peghead on 02/03/2010 10:25:11

bsed - Posted - 02/03/2010:  17:22:59

I was going to say I pretty much rely on my ears and my experience playing in other tunings. I listen for a "sound", I guess you could say. So I think Peghead hit it right on the peghead. You learn what other tunings sound like by playing in them. True dat!

harwilli55 - Posted - 02/10/2010:  06:49:29

Trial and error plus lots of practice over time. Learning to listen for those open strings, or a particular note that is recognizableThis will not only teach you how to listen, but how to guess at the bowing too. Take one tune you want to learn but don't know. Worry not about making bad notes, you will weed them out as you find the correct ones. Learn it entirely by ear. Then move to another one. etc Each one will challenge you and at the same time educate you.

Once you learn one sound that makes sense, your fingers will automatically go to it each time you hear it. As time goes on with more trying, you will add more sounds that become more automatic. Plus, the more tunes you learn whether from notation, or video, or other media will add to your library. The brain will eventually grab onto these and make them part of your larger skill set.

Peghead - Posted - 02/10/2010:  08:25:05

For me (and I suspect others) unless you have perfect pitch, it's the relative intervals of the strings that you learn to recognize. AEAE will likely sound the same as GDGD at first untill you check for the key. After you've played in standard tuning for a while, you'll also get familiar with the general timbre of the instrument and that will help too. Below standard the sound fattens up and mellows. Higher than standard gets louder and more penetrating. Listen for the sound of open strings. If there is a persistant reoccuring note that is being played along with and between the melody, its most likely an open string. After a short while it will only take a few minutes of experimenting to find the tuning. Learn Benny Thomasson's version of "Midnight on the Water"

Edited by - Peghead on 02/10/2010 08:46:50