How To Tune Your Instrument

What does it mean to “tune your instrument”?  It means to match your sound exactly with either an electronic tuner or an instrument that a person is playing next to you.  You may be playing the same note (like you and another player who plays the same instrument are both playing “C”), but it still sounds a little off or sour.  That is because one instrument may be just slightly higher (sharp) or lower (flat) in pitch.  You instrument has a built in adjustment ability to bring your instrument back “in tune”.

Here is a breakdown of how to adjust each instrument:

• Flute – pull out or push in the head joint. The correct starting point is pulled out about an inch.  You should see a little of the non shiny part of the tube.
• Clarinet – pull or push at the barrel between the barrel and the upper stack (that is the top large piece).  The correct starting point is with all joints pushed together completely.  If you are still flat, work on firming up your embouchure.
• Bass Clarinet – pull or push in at the neck where it goes into the main body of the bass clarinet.
• Saxophone – pull or push the mouthpiece on the cork.  The correct starting point is halfway on the cork (half of cork inside and half outside).
• French Horn – push or pull the main tuning slide. (note: if you have a double French horn, you must tune both the F and Bb sides of the horn using the main tuning slide for each.)
• Trumpet – pull or push the main tuning slide.  Make sure it is lubricated and working.  The correct starting point is about an inch pulled out.
• Trombone/Euphonium – pull or push the main tuning slide at the back of the instrument (not the playing slide).  Make sure to use both hands pushing with the thumbs against the brace to move slide evenly. It should be lubricated and working.  The correct starting point is about an inch pulled out.
• Tuba – pull or push the main tuning slide.  Make sure it is lubricated and working.  The correct starting point is about an inch pulled out.

Why do you push or pull? The longer air travels, the lower the sound.  The shorter air travels, the higher the sound.

It is important that you know how to fine tune your instrument as we want to play the best in tune we can.  Please study and practice the tuning procedure using your tuner every day. 

How do you work with a tuner?

• Here is what the tuner “needle” or "slide" means:
  1. If the needle (straight line on the tuner picture) of the tuner goes to the right, that means you are “sharp”: fix it by “pulling out” the instrument (make it longer).
  2. If the needle is to the left of center, that means your sound is “flat”: you “push in” (make it shorter) the instrument.
  3. The instrument is in tune if the needle on the tuner is in the center (exactly vertical and on zero).
  4. You can use the tuner for any note you play. 

If your brass instrument (trumpet, trombone or tuba) tuning slide is stuck and will not move:  First show it to the band directors to see if they can free the slide.  If not, then it should be taken to the repair shop and fixed.  Please have your parents ask for a ‘loaner’ instrument since it will probably take around two weeks for them to repair the instrument and return it to the store.

Helpful tuning apps:

Tonal Energy - $3.99

BandMate - Free (Apple IOS platform only)