Mandolin tuning

[lkb3rd]

So, i just got a peterson stroboflip tuner which is great. #I was having trouble getting the strings to be perfectly in unison, and this tuner solved that problem. #Now i have a new problem. #I have tried various "sweetened" tunings offered as presets on the peterson, as well as non tempered tuning, and open position chords still sound harsh tuning wise. #Do you guys use "sweetened" tunings or just straight line the tuner arrow up at 440? #On guitar i use slightly sweetened tunings and it makes most chords sound a lot better, and before i sit here spending hours... well i should say *more* hours #trying to figure out a sweetened tuning i figured i'd ask you guys if you had any.
Thanks for any help

[EdSherry]

The Peterson "sweetened" guitar tunings are designed to address the peculiarities of guitars (e.g., tuned in fourths with a third between the G and B, scale length on the order of 25"). #There is no reason to believe that those guitar-sweetened tunings would work for a mando.

I'm sure you could "tweak" your mando tunings until they sounded pleasant to your ears, though a fifths-tuned instrument like a mando "should" automatically do that (at least according to music theory -- if not necessarily according to the physical characteristics of a real-world mando!). #

If I recall correctly, the Peterson allows you to save a number of user-defined tunings.

Have you contacted Peterson to see if they have any suggestions?

I'm not aware of anybody who has posted suggested "tweaks" for mando tunings. #Anyone?

[lkb3rd]

Yea i know that some of the perterson tunings are specifically for guitar, but it also has tunings to "sweeten" various other instruments. I tried the "violin" tuning which gives beatless fifths, and it still didn't sound perfect to my ears. #I read the peterson forum and one of their staff says they have not develeoped a mando sweetenened tuning, and said some were using the violin, some used guitar, and some used the equal temperament tuning.

[delsbrother]

I think Norman Blake discusses "tweaking" tuning in some of his Homespun Videos. At least I know he does for guitar. Can't remember if he also talked about mando.

[EdSherry]

LKB -- Thanks for the info.

[Mike Bunting]

check this link to create your own sweet tuning.Peterson tuner

[Pete Martin]

Investigate the Pythagorean tuning. I use it on fifth instruments on my Peterson Virtual Strobe tuner. Works great.