I will be the first to admit that I am not a “techy” kind of person; I am doing well enough to keep up with technology for my every day life, let alone my musical endeavors. That being said, I wanted to pass along some information on some of the tried-and-true tuners and other digital equipment that are best for flute and piccolo players.
Having a good quality and accurate tuner is very important for flute and piccolo players, since many of our notes are in the high registers that cheaply made equipment might not pick up accurately or at all. Over the years, I have found that a clip-on tuner accessory is very useful, as it picks up vibrations directly from the instrument rather than relying on them to be transmitted through the air and transcribed accurately into the tuner. Snark brand tuners are very popular in the guitar and orchestral world, but they also make a very handy all-instrument tuner that clips on to any instrument safely and effectively and has an easy-to-read digital display. For the flute, it is best to attach these types of tuners onto the bottom part of the headjoint or the very top of the body, just below the body tenon.
There are also clip-on cords that can be plugged into most standard tuners with an auxiliary cord. Matrix and Peterson are two brands that come to mind that feature a padded clip to ensure both safety and effectiveness when attaching it to your instrument. As far as actual tuner equipment goes, Paige’s Music has several varieties of Korg tuners that are a great balance between quality and price, depending on how many bells and whistles you want on your equipment.
For more recommendations, equipment testing, or to place an order, please call or email Erin!