Improper "ear training"

[mandodebbie]

My first mandolin was completely out of tune with itself. Even after the bridge was adjusted, it was all out.. a real embarrassing situation at jams. So, I had my new mando "set up" properly by the music shop owner. Technically it should be in tune. Anyway, i must be paranoid, because I was used to notes that were too sharp, so now even when my strings are in tune with my electronic tuner or the teach-yerself-Bluegrass CD tuning segment, they do not sound quite right. I am afraid I have trained my ear to recognize "real sharp" notes as correct. Who else has this affliction? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[LKN2MYIS]

mandodebbie -

My problem is that my ears are never in tune.

I truly believe I have the worst ear in the world when I play. Can never tell if I'm in tune or not.

However, it is real easy for me to spot when someone else is out of tune.

I guess it's a curse and a blessing.

[John Flynn]

Yeah, that happens to me also, but I don't think you have trained your ear wrong. I think there are a number of things going on. First off, I have had set ups where the intonation was not re-set properly. I would check for myself. Second, not even properly set up mandolins are completely in tune with themselves at all points on the fretboard. Third, most tuners give you "even tempered" tuning, which winds up being slightly off of what sounds best for any given key or chord, also known as being "well tempered." It could be said that a tuner makes the instrument sound "equally out of tune in all keys." At a workshop, Jody Strecher taught us to get one A string in tune with our tuner and then tune the other strings by ear.