2- 12-tone equal temperament is itself fundamentally “out of tune” and a compromise that has the advantage of allowing easy transposition into different keys, but bears little relation to the actual harmonic & mathematical relationships of the soundwaves. of course we’re so culturally conditioned to it that when we hear music in an alternate scale like just intonation or various ethnic tunings (like Indian or Balinese music) it seems to sound out of tune, even though it is actually *perfectly* in tune.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_intonation

that’s one of the (many) things i love about synthesizers: you can make them as precisely in or out of tune as you want. (and i’ve already told you about the monster analog and how it has to warm up for the tuning to stabilize)

of course, like everything humans have ever created, it’s all completely arbitrary anyway, and the Universe keeps on unfolding without giving a shit one way or the other… and when it comes down to it it’s far more important what the music FEELS like than what it sounds like….

When I finally shed several skins and turn into who I am, a post about making music sits here without a comment all day! Until now, that is.

Yes, I know that about guitars and tuning. I LOVE the Boss TU-2, though, and I’ve never had the 335-12 in better shape. What I really need now is a vintage case for it. I bought some silly thing not too long ago that will do the job, but I want the real deal.

Most of my playing is done under conditions of noisy mild chaos, and I rely on electronic tuners to take the guesswork out of it. In the 60′s and 70′s, I came to believe I had a “tin ear,” because I had trouble tuning up, but after decades of playing in perfect tune (thanks to my tuner) I can plainly hear when someone is off, and it sets my teeth on edge.

You might be interested to know that the very design of the guitar makes it an instrument that it is literally not possible to tune. There will always be some note somewhere on the fretboard that will be off, and whatever you settle on is a compromise. But at least with your tuner it’s not a matter of opinion.

And I am still jealous that you have a 335-12.