Introduction

Players are often concerned as to whether they are playing "in tune", by which they usually mean: are they in tune with another instrument? Take the following steps to deal with tuning problems.

Firstly - is your instrument in tune with itself?

This is referred to as "intonation" and is measured using CENTS - there are a hundred cents in each semitone and an instrument's intonation can be tested against a tuning meter: if the instrument plays A and the meter reads zero then the note is perfectly in tune; if the meter reads 20 then the A is 20 cents sharp; if the meter reads 50 then the instrument is either playing the note A 50 cents sharp, or the note A# 50 cents flat!

All notes on the instrument can be tested this way.

When you test a woodwind instrument this way (trying not to bring the instrument in tune with your embouchure) you will ALWAYS find most notes are a few cents sharp or flat. This is normal and is a result of a compromise between tone, response, volume, and intonation, when the instrument was made (this compromise is what gives each model of instrument its' own characteristics). If the notes within the normal compass of the instrument are each within 20 cents of zero this is acceptable. The player has to use his/her ear and embouchure to bring the instrument exactly in tune. (Note that if the pads are leaking this will affect the intonation.)

The normal compass of the instrument is from all six fingers down without the speaker key(s) or the little finger keys - up to all fingers off but with the speaker key(s) on. Notes below and above this range may deviate more than 20 cents.

Secondly - is your instrument in pitch?

Your instrument may be in tune with itself - i.e. it has reasonable intonation, but the whole instrument (the pitch centre) might be flat or sharp compared to another instrument. Tuning meters are calibrated to A = 440 Hz; this is the internationally agreed frequency for the note A. When a modern orchestral woodwind instrument is designed, the positions of the tone holes are determined by a mathematical formula that multiplies or divides the figure 440.

However some instruments are not tuned to A 440 Hz, this is particularly the case for instruments made before the year 1945. For example some are tuned to A = 435 Hz, the positions of the tone holes are determined using the same mathematical formula but this time based on the figure 435; the instrument is in tune with itself but each note would be flat in comparison with an instrument tuned to A 440 Hz.

An instrument with a lot of leaks will have a lower pitch centre - that is the whole instrument sounds flatter than it should.

Tuning to another player

If you have problems tuning to another player then test your instrument against a tuning meter. Make sure the instrument is well warmed up and test throughout the normal compass. If your instrument is in pitch and has good intonation then the other player's instrument could be out of tune. If your instrument appears to be out of pitch or have bad intonation the first thing to do is have it serviced because leaks on an instrument affect the pitch centre and the intonation.

Further tuning problems

When a woodwind player tunes to a note what she/he is calibrating her/his embouchure. Conventionally the note is A - if your instrument plays an A that is exactly in tune this is fine, but if your instrument plays an A that is, say, 10 cents sharp then you will be manipulating your embouchure to bring this in tune. If you maintain this bias for all the other notes then they will all be 10 cents sharper - if some of these notes are already 15 cents sharp then they will now be 25 cents sharp! It would be better to tune to another note on your instrument that you know is exactly in tune.

Warming up the instrument

Make sure the instrument is thoroughly warmed up before tuning to another player – Do NOT blow into it- this will cause instant condensation at the top of the instrument and affect the tuning. Wooden instruments and flutes can be warmed up by holding the instrument in your hands for a few minutes; Saxophones can be held over a radiator briefly. If there is no time to warm up the instrument then it is best to swab out the instrument at the first opportunity. Instruments are tuned at 20 degrees Celsius, so when playing in a room that is several degrees below 20, the woodwinds need to be kept warm when not being played (hold them rather than put them on a stand).

Playing in tune - solo and ensemble

Having tested your instrument you will know some notes play a bit sharp or flat but you should be able to bring them in tune by means of your embouchure. You subconsciously alter your embouchure to compensate for tuning anomalies when you play. When you are playing along side other players you won't notice a few cents deviation between instruments, but with greater deviations you might consciously sharpen or flatten notes to try to blend with the other players. Obviously the better the intonation and the closer the pitch centres of the individual instruments in an ensemble the easier it is for the whole to play in tune. The more an instrument is in tune the less hard the player's embouchure has to work (either consciously or subconsciously) to bring the instrument in tune, and so the more the player can concentrate on other musical aspects.

Notes for particular instruments

FLUTES - Boehm flutes are usually designed so that the head-joint should be pulled out 2 mm to bring the instrument into correct pitch. The harmonic fingerings can produce notes that are unstable or a bit out of tune.

Bb/A CLARINETS - Intonation suffers particularly at the low bell notes and in the third register. If left hand notes seem sharper or flatter than right hand notes investigate the barrel. Harder reeds play sharper.

ALTO AND TENOR SAXOPHONES - A great deal is dependent on the mouthpiece. Each mouthpiece that you use on the instrument will have its own optimum position on the crook in terms of pitch and intonation, so do NOT move a mouthpiece further on or off the crook to tune to another player. Most saxophones in good condition, with a suitable mouthpiece, play with good intonation and response throughout the normal compass but it is common to alter your embouchure to bring Bell notes and Palm key notes into tune. Harder reeds play sharper.

ALTO AND BASS CLARINETS, AND BARITONE SAXOPHONES - Lower quality instruments are usually reasonably in tune in the lowest register because that is what the instruments are mostly required for, but the middle register and above has poor intonation and tone.

OBOES AND BASSOONS - A great deal depends on the reed. With Bassoons, often pitch and intonation can be made more reliable by reducing leaks.