Comment on Let me just tune up real quick
ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
For context, bass guitar strings are tuned 3 octaves lower than that. The frequency of the A string is 55 Hz. You can’t even reach 220 Hz using the 12th fret on the highest (G) string. Tuning a bass A string to 8 times the frequency would require increasing its tension almost 3 times. The guitar body should survive such forces but the string will snap long before you reach 110 Hz.
Frozengyro@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Or you can just use harmonics.
ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
I think that would make a standing wave with a series of nodes/antinodes on the string, and how well it works would strongly depend on where the tuning fork is along the string. This has the potential to be more interesting but it’s not as easy.
Frozengyro@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
So the 12th fret is 1 octave up, 5th is 2 octaves, and just past the second fret is 3 octaves.
ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.org 2 weeks ago
Yup. 12 semitones is 1 octave so A2 on the bass guitar’s A string. The frequency ratio to A1 is 2:1.
What? No. That’s 5 semitones or 500 cents from A1, which is D2, close to a perfect fourth from A1 (frequency ratio 4:3 or 498 cents).
Two octaves would be 24 semitones or 24 frets (not available on most fretted instruments) for a frequency ratio of 4:1, or A3.
No! The 2nd fret is 2 semitones or 200 cents above A1, which is B1, close to a major second from A1 (frequency ratio 9:8 or 196 cents).
3 octaves would be 36 semitones or 3600 cents for a frequency ratio of 8:1, or A4.