Baroque Tuning Experiment

Baroque tuning makes a violin sound better. Dubious, I made an experiment to see. I have a cruddy-quality violin which I tested in standard (A=440) and baroque (A=415) tuning. Surprisingly, there's a HUGE difference. "Before and after" outtakes. All music either improvised or from Catharsis by Amy Cann.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• baroque
• fiddle
• violin
• tuning
• catharsis
• 440
• 415
• a440
• a415

[chrispyt77]

Very good playing.

I find I like to tune my guitar a touch under 440 and then use a capo to put it into open E flat tuning. It's got a rich juicy sound which is a lot nicer than regular A 440.

PEACE to the music experiments.

[GeometrianGL]

The theoretical reason why this tuning sounds better is because violins were originally designed a long time ago, when the A standard was different (we know this through tuning forks, etc.). The original (baroque) violins are supposed to use A415. Interestingly, this violin (Suzuki) was made in the 80's, but it was built (admittedly shoddily) using baroque designs. My normal violin was made in 1922, but using modern designs, so it's best at A440.

[GeometrianGL]

I'm not sure about guitars, as they're a much more modern invention. I would go with the sound though :P

[PeriodinstrumentfaN]

Hello !!! :)

nice to see you experimenting there... :D

Have you tried the low Baroque French Pitch A=392 Hz ? ...it's interesting too... very different harmonies come out of the instrument. You can refer to the Canon played by Roy Goodman and The Brandenburg Consort for the Tuning and the Baroque Temperament used. :>

5/5 !!! :)

[GeometrianGL]

No, I haven't tried it--maybe I'll try it on this fiddle in another movie :D

Never heard of 392 though . . .

[StradAmatiViolin]

@GeometrianGL You should get a better violin you seem to be a great violin player. Can you post up the noise for baroque tuning I was trying to look for it I can't. :(

[GeometrianGL]

@StradAmatiViolin

Yes, this is my worse fiddle. I have a better one that's moreover a decent size.

"noise"? *Confused* Baroque is A415, if that's what you mean.

[GeometrianGL]

geometrian . com other New%20Potato.mp3

[GeometrianGL]

Hey, thanks.

I definitely do celtic.  Some bluegrass, though not even close to as much. My other videos on youtube (filmed 2004, and 2005 respectively): watch?v=BiNevZqg9Rc and watch?v=vLSa7fltIsg

[olmmbill]

Hey, your fiddling is great. I just discovered your channel. Do you do any bluegrass or celtic traditional music?