Organ tuning question

[Guest]

I have recently added a Yamaha E30 to the collection (M3 &amp; Leslie), I got it for the 25 bass pedals. I was playing with a guitar tuner (A440) and found it to be approximately a semitone sharp, (when I play C# the tuner says D and so on.) The same tuner reads exactly what I play on the M3 and my Yamaha P140 electronic piano. My first question is, does this matter? All the notes on all manuals, pedals, tabs and presets are a semitone sharp of the tuner, so relatively speaking they are in tune with each other. I suppose if I was playing in a band this would be important, but I'm not, and in learning mode, nobody is going to hear me play except the birds and squirrels anyway. </p>

If it does matter, how can it be fixed? It is an LCI IC solid state. Looking under the hood I can see a few tiny chokes and wafer type capacitors such that could be adjusted, but have the appearance of stuff that should not be touched or adjusted once built. I have the service manual but it is no help.</p>

I am aware that not all instruments are tuned to A 440, what are organs normally tuned to?</p>

TIA for all your wisdom.
</p>

[soubasse32]

Re: Organ tuning question



Modern organs around the world are almost always tuned to A440 - especially if they are electronic.</P>


I'm not very familiar with electronic instruments, but I would assume there might be a transposer function that needs to be cancelled. The fact that it is a semitonesharp is a further clue that this is the case. Some electronic keyboards can be detuned a few cents sharp or flat, but that function is sometimes a bit more hidden from the player than would be a transposer.</P>

[Guest]

Re: Organ tuning question

Well, persistence pays off. Using the MOSTLY not helpful schematics I found the magic adjuster that changes the entire pitch of the organ, so now it is right on the money according to my 2 dollar tuner. I am still wondering about this whole pitch thing though, and hope that you musicians can enlighten me as to the why of all this.

[soubasse32]

Re: Organ tuning question



That's good news!</P>


The pitch function is useful when you must play with another instrument that cannot re-tune easily, like a pipe organ or a piano. If you bring your instrument to a cold church, chances are the organ will be really flat but the piano may be sharp. Acoustic instruments are susceptible to temperature and humidity changes, so it may be helpful for you to be able to tune to them if ambient conditions are not stable.</P>


Of course, a transposer can be helpful if you have a soloist that doesn't like to sing in the key of the printed music.</P>