I've always been stringent on tuning. Everyone knows it sounds better if you are in tune and it's much easier to play. Back in the days before digital tuners, a lot of people had trouble getting and staying in tune. A lot of times, there used to be one person who would tune all of the instruments in the band. To develop a good ear, you have to listen, practice, and be careful about your tuning.
One of the first bands I played with was the Virginia Mountain Boys (myself on fiddle, Joe Sheets on banjo, Smith Greer on guitar, Charlie Sadler on mandolin and vocals, Earl Spencer on guitar and vocals, and from time to time, Dean Sturgill on fiddle, Bud Haga on vocals, & Carson Cooper on guitar and vocals). Most of us were from the Cabin Creek area in Whitetop, VA. Joe Sheets had one of the best tuning ears I ever saw and did all our tuning.
I heard Kyle Creed say that Ernest East was one of the best tuners around also, and could tune all the instruments in a band. Later on, when I played in the Whitetop Mountain Band, I did most of the tuning. When I was kid and getting started, Albert Hash tuned my fiddle, and then when he got older and hard of hearing, I tuned his fiddle.
These days with the new digital tuners, it has helped those bands that didn't have anyone that had a good tuning ear and made it easier on keeping a check on the instruments. But it's still good to be careful and pay attention with your ear, too. That's my bit of advice.
One of the first bands I played with was the Virginia Mountain Boys (myself on fiddle, Joe Sheets on banjo, Smith Greer on guitar, Charlie Sadler on mandolin and vocals, Earl Spencer on guitar and vocals, and from time to time, Dean Sturgill on fiddle, Bud Haga on vocals, & Carson Cooper on guitar and vocals). Most of us were from the Cabin Creek area in Whitetop, VA. Joe Sheets had one of the best tuning ears I ever saw and did all our tuning.
I heard Kyle Creed say that Ernest East was one of the best tuners around also, and could tune all the instruments in a band. Later on, when I played in the Whitetop Mountain Band, I did most of the tuning. When I was kid and getting started, Albert Hash tuned my fiddle, and then when he got older and hard of hearing, I tuned his fiddle.
These days with the new digital tuners, it has helped those bands that didn't have anyone that had a good tuning ear and made it easier on keeping a check on the instruments. But it's still good to be careful and pay attention with your ear, too. That's my bit of advice.
Standing L-R: Claude Powers-mandolin, Thornton Spencer- fiddle, Joe Sheets- banjo, Earl Spencer- guitar
Sitting L-R: Bud Haga, Carson Cooper
Claude Powers & myself worked up the "Loafer's Dream" when this photo was taken. I later recorded it with the Whitetop Mountain Band in 2010.
Sitting L-R: Bud Haga, Carson Cooper
Claude Powers & myself worked up the "Loafer's Dream" when this photo was taken. I later recorded it with the Whitetop Mountain Band in 2010.