RE Electronic tuning aids

[Kenneth Sloane]

                      Subject:                              Time:  10:48 PM
  OFFICE MEMO         RE Electronic tuning aids             Date:  11/14/96

I have been tuning aurally for 25 years and still feel that each year brings
me more finesse at my craft. Granted, the improvement increments at this stage
of the game are subtle but, nonetheless, still exist. I used to marvel 20
years ago how accomplished tuners could tune so quickly and accurately,
sometimes using few if any checks. I know now that it is because they educated
their ears by countless hours of listening closely while using as many checks
as possible to achieve accurate results. By doing this, they developed a sense
for appropriate interval spacing that only comes with years of practice. No
one will convince me that using an electronic tuning aid will have the same
effect on building aural expertise. Don't get me wrong; there are many fine
aural tuners who use electronic tuning aids for very legitimate reasons and
use them very effectively, but I think it just may be at the expense of
refining your aural skills to that ultimate degree.

Ken Sloane, Oberlin Conservatory