Why perfect tuning can make a pedal steel guitar sound terrible
In short: If you tune every string on a pedal steel guitar to a perfect pitch, you might be disappointed. Because of complex overtones, these instruments can behave more like pianos than traditional guitars, requiring a specialized, tempered approach to tuning to achieve a pleasant sound.
The pedal steel guitar possesses ten strings that create a complex harmonic profile. Because of these overtones, the instrument's acoustic behavior often resembles a piano more than a standard guitar. This phenomenon means that tuning every string and pedal to a mathematically perfect pitch—based on the standard A = 440 Hz—will likely result in a poor sound. This complexity arises because the instrument features ten strings. Such a high string count contributes to the intricate harmonic profile.
To combat these psychoacoustic issues, players must temper their tuning. This process involves adjusting notes away from their 'perfect' frequency to compensate for how the human ear perceives the combined harmonics. This method is similar to how pianos are tuned to manage temperament across their range.
One effective system was developed by the late Jeff Newman, a prominent teacher who created a specific pedal steel guitar method. His approach, which relies on trial and error, uses a tuner capable of displaying 'cents'—the small gradations between standard frequencies. For example, in Newman's system, the E note is tuned to 442.5 Hz, which is sharper than expected, while the G sharp thirds are tuned slightly flat. This creates a significant interval between the root and the third, helping to manage the instrument's unique harmonic character. This specific tuning method was perfected through extensive experimentation. It provides a structured way to navigate these difficult intervals.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: How to Understand Overtones | Pedal Steel Guitar
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