Re: Intervals enharmony question

[Wols Lists]

On 04/05/18 11:34, Aaron Hill wrote:
> As a piano/keyboards/bass/guitar player here who has only played with an
> "orchestra" for high school musicals many moons ago, you have me
> wondering now:
> 
> From what I thought happened, the oboist tunes to the piano if one is
> used or to a tuner otherwise.  From that point, I assume all the
> woodwinds can match the A and tune themselves.  Strings usually have an
> open A, and then they can tune the rest by fourths/fifths.  When and how
> do the brass typically get their reference pitch?

The majority of brass instruments are Bb instruments, so obviously,
that's the main reference pitch. In my concert band, we tune to the
oboe's Bb, or Eb and F for the Eb and F instruments.

In a brass band we just tune to the principal cornet. Quite what we do
with the Eb instruments, I'm not sure, since I've never played one and
it's never crossed my mind to notice ... :-)

(Oh - and something to watch for with *OLD* brass instruments, if they
were band instruments they are typically tuned to something
approximating Vienna pitch - they are noticeably sharp, something like
A=460. Causes fun when you mix old and new instruments ...)

Cheers,
Wol