Reddit reviews Snark SN-5 Tuner for Guitar, Bass and Violin (Black)
We found 13 Reddit comments about Snark SN-5 Tuner for Guitar, Bass and Violin (Black). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Full Color DisplayDisplay rotates 360 degrees for easy viewingFeatures frequency range tailored to guitar and bassTuner can be used on front of back of headstock
Number 1 tip. Get yourself a clip-on digital tuner. Something like this.
Take the time to make sure you're in tune.
When you tune a stringed instrument, it's generally a good idea to be "tuning up", so you start with a lower pitch and tune up into the correct pitch. It leads to a more stable tuning.
As far as playing, I'd play on just one or two strings for a little while, feel out the notes. Play it pizzicato, which means plucking with your fingers, for now.
Put on some simple and non-cluttered blues or jazz and try to find some notes. It's easier than you think. Have some fun!
Okay, so...
Watching the clip /u/TheJiggersUp posted below, I don't see him playing his mandolin, so I don't have much to offer on style... I would presume he's going to play in a more classical/European style, as opposed to an American, bluegrass-oriented style. He has a bowlback mandolin rather than a flat-back or carved-top style instrument, but I don't know of any playable bowlback models that cost ~$100.
What does exist is the Rogue RM-100A which is a not-great but more-or-less playable mandolin for under $100. (Some individual instruments seem to be better than others, but it's just a luck-of-the-draw thing.) If you were to get one, you'd also do well to get some different strings for it, get a decent pick designed for mandolin (a guitar pick won't work well for this instrument), and maybe consider having it professionally set up (or possibly even trying to do the work yourself... perhaps someone else can point me to the book available on setting up a Rogue to be less awful.) I would also highly recommend getting a chromatic tuner; you spend quite a bit of time tuning this instrument, and as a beginner, it's really helpful to have one of these. If you have a smartphone, a metronome app would also be a good thing to get; otherwise, there are a million cheap, electronic metronomes on the market.
So the Rogue is a cheap, low-quality instrument -- NOT a good instrument, just the least-bad at the sub-$100 price range -- but it can get you started. I know, because that's how I started. It's designed for bluegrass more than traditional mandolin music, but you can learn the rudiments of any/every style on it.
After that, to just start learning how to play, I recommend Don Julin's book. Yes, it's "for Dummies." It's still an excellent beginner's book. He focuses primarily on American styles, but he also covers other mandolin traditions, and when you're first starting out you really just need to learn the basics no matter what style you favor. He also does some nice intro-level youtube lesson videos. There are lots and lots of other mandolin lessons available on youtube, too, and are a decent way to start out if you can't afford private lessons.
Finally, start saving up some money for a better instrument. Sooner than you can imagine, you will reach the point where the Rogue can no longer keep up with you, and begins to hinder your progress, so you need the upgrade to keep learning. The most common recommendations I see are the Eastman 304 or 305 and the Kentucky KM-140. Both are solid student instruments that will serve you well for a long time, and both can be had with professional set-up and a hard case for ~$450. I have an Eastman 305 myself and I adore it. Or perhaps there's a more traditional bowlback model out there that you'd like better, if you aim to play that way. I know very little about those.
It's a great instrument, and fun to learn. And it's entirely possible to come from zero background with stringed instruments and still make good progress. Good luck!
Edit: Oh, also... certainly it would be a good thing to learn (or re-learn) how to read standard musical notation, but a lot of mandolin music is available in tablature (or tab), which is a much easier system to use and doesn't require the ability to read music. The Julin book I linked to above uses both.
Edit 2: Also, here's a recent thread on the Rogue, just so you can see some other people's opinions.
You can stretch the strings a bit to help keep tune. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7DxlcE2A2M
The in game tuner has very forgiving leeway I find. You can be +/- quite a bit and it will let you pass the tuning.
Chromatic tuner apps are OK. I personally use a clip on tuner and check it every day to make sure it's on point. You can pick them up pretty cheaply. This is the one I use but there's better ones out there. I find it better than when I tuned by an app on my phone.
I recommend you check the tuning after each song to see if it's still OK and make any adjustments, until it requires none. Then check every few songs, then every day when you first pick it up to play.
Songs with a lot of bends will pull your guitar out of tune quicker too so that's something to keep in mind.
Singing was not bad but the out-of-tune guitar was so distracting. If you're having trouble tuning by ear, this will help: Snark SN-5 Tuner for Guitar, Bass and Violin
The Snark SN-5 is the one to get. They have more lights/resolution. Buy a few, they are easy to loose, and they are less effective when the rubber foot pops off.
bkev covered mute strings well.
Regarding online tuners, they are fairly accurate.
If you want to buy one, I've been using Snark SN-5 which is easy to see in bright lights, and is only about $10.
but you can get by with the Snark SN-1 which is a little over $8 just fine.
With these, the battery lasts a long time, and you don't have to go online to tune-up. Just clip it onto your guitar and go.
There are plenty of others as well. Check them all out.
yeah, people who are starting out often buy them together along with this [tuner] (http://amzn.to/1oKEfl4) , which seems to be pretty popular. If you are a complete beginner you can also check out [this one] (http://amzn.to/UBcWO2)
I would be very happy if I got this! Quite Interesting
Honestly the best thing you can do is grab a friend who has been playing for a while and have them play anything you're thinking about buying. There should be some takamines and yamahas on your local craigslist, their lower end offerings are good bang for the buck. Then have your friend go to a music shop with you and have a guitar tech set up the guitar. While you're there buy a clip on tuner and a humidifier.
The F310 plays perfectly well, but it definitely sounds like a student instrument. The big difference is the top - the FG800 has a solid spruce top and a sophisticated bracing system, while the F310 uses a laminate top with simpler bracing. The FG800 sounds richer, more balanced and has better sustain.
It's entirely your decision, but I think you'll be happy with the FG800 for longer, particularly if you get into fingerstyle playing. If you're on a tight budget, then there's absolutely nothing wrong with the F310 - it's a perfectly good guitar, you just might outgrow it sooner than the FG800.
If you're just starting out, the only accessories you really need are some picks and a good quality tuner. The tuner is optional, because there are lots of good smartphone apps. Avoid cheap unbranded tuners, because they're inaccurate and unreliable - stick with a Snark clip-on or a smartphone app to avoid frustration.
You'll want a case if you're taking your guitar to lessons or jam sessions, but I'd strongly recommend a hard case rather than a gig bag. Soft padded bags are fine for electrics, but they don't provide enough protection for acoustics. If you're just playing at home, a case is optional as long as you've got somewhere safe to keep your guitar - under the bed is a good choice.
Regarding learning material, everyone around here recommends JustinGuitar and for good reason. He's a fantastic teacher, he covers everything from total novice to expert and it's all completely free.
hmm...This is cheapish, Snark SN5 Tuner I'm a musician and this would come in handy....This contest made giggle because my brain turned it into a song based off of I feel like Dancing.
This oils pad or this guitar tuner.