Tuning devices

Just want to report on the latest KORG Tuner...
model OT-12
which just came in to the Studio Friday.

This is the latest version in the series 
which began with the AT-12 many, many moons ago.

(KORG was the first company with an accurate chromatic
tuner under $100... up until that time Strobo types 
were the alternative to tuning forks, but their 
expense and complexity pretty much restricted them 
from amateur use. KORG gave the rest of us a chance 
to get in the game)

I bought my AT-12 as soon as C. Venneman got his 
initial shipment. It still works great, and I use it 
frequently... but the new model added some new wrinkles
that I couldn't resist.

First off, you still have the analog meter, but 
there is also a backlit LCD display now, so your expanded 
information readout has a visual "check and double check"
which is kind of reassuring. Meter speeds 
have added a "medium" to the slow and fast settings.

The built in Mic is hotter now... maybe because their 
software is better at discriminating notes so they could 
amp it up a bit... you can still plug in an external 
line signal (or plug right into your MIC rail output)

You can still calibrate globally, so if you are spot 
tuning a box which is sitting around 442, just set it 
and keep tuning to zero/center (don't forget to set 
it back to 440 before you turn it off so you don't 
leave yourself a "gotcha" next tuning)

the new, really cool thing is that you now have 
a handfull of different tuning temperaments you can 
use... so if you want to experiment with leaning 
your reeds to that extra sweetness in certain keys, 
this tuner will let you do that. 

but the improvment I like most is the slick 
"sound back" mode... the tuner samples the note/reed you 
are trying to tune, and outputs the correct pitch 
from it's speaker.  That's right... you can actually 
tune in real time until the beats disappear...
and you can go from reed to reed without ever having 
to touch your tuner's controls!

I like this puppy!

Of course it still has all the old modes
(manual, auto, sound) 

In short, KORG still, in my opinion, is the 
market leader in under $100 chromatic tuners, 
and any Musician who invests in one will no doubt find 
it to be as good, reliable, and useful a companion to 
them as my AT-12 has been to me... now retired in favor 
of it's direct decendant, the KORG OT-12

Ciao                                         Ventura