The European Timpani TUNING
GAUGES
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TUNING
GAUGES : Nick
Woud - ‘Keep the ears open all
the time [on calf skin], also
with plastic. In some fast tuning passages it is better to feel than to
look.’ Many
timpanists see the tuning gauges set to the side of each timpani as a
helpful piece of equipment in their profession – it provides useful
information about the current pitch of each drum, allowing attention to be
put towards other tasks – but ultimately not really necessary. In modern
repertoire, where tuning changes are constant, they provide an important
reminder, but still a reminder only. Even when using these gauges
effectively, the ears must still be in constant use, and the simple
message is : ‘Never trust
them!’; the player must always be ready to make adjustments. If
the tuning gauges are treated as giving only an accurate indication of at
least where the pitch was,
which for many players is their primary purpose, they can also act as an
indicator, with natural skins, of how the skin is reacting to weather
conditions, and perhaps also changes in the pitch of the orchestra or
ensemble as a whole, if the skin itself is stable. But to notice such
changes in pitch, the player must still use their ears. Small changes with
the fine tuning handle can move the pitch up or down as is needed and make
the gauges once again accurate, at least until the next time a discrepancy
is noticed. Back to top On to Timpani Setup Back to home
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