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Korg CA1 Chromatic Tuner

Description

Korg CA1 Chromatic Tuner--Perfect Pitch Every Time

The Korg CA1 chromatic guitar and bass tuner features an enhanced design with new features based on the best selling Korg CA30 chromatic tuner. High accuracy and superb functionality have made Korg tuners a worldwide favorite. The Korg CA1 tuner packs basic functionality and convenient tuning functions into ultra-compact body with even more features, like a pitch reference tone and marks for pure major thirds and minor thirds.

Small, thin, light and powerful.

Wide Range of Pitch Detection
The Korg CA1 chromatic tuner supports a broad range of C1 (32.70 Hz)-C8 (4186.01 Hz), allowing speedy and high-precision tuning of wind, string, keyboard, and other instruments. This tuner is ideal for tuning even low-register notes containing numerous overtones that are often difficult to tune. A high-sensitivity microphone is built in, allowing easy and accurate tuning of acoustic instruments such as ukuleles.

Ultra-Compact Body with a "Tilt Slit"
Although the Korg CA1 chromatic tuner is small, thin, and light, don't let its pocket-sized body fool you. The CA1 packs the functionality needed for tuning a wide range of instruments. From studio to stage, tuning is easy and convenient. The back of the unit includes a unique arc-shaped tilt slit that lets you insert a plastic card for use as a handy stand.

Features an easy-to-read LCD display.

High-Precision Display and Sound
The meter section uses an LCD needle, combining the accuracy of an LCD with the easy visibility of a needle, and providing a stable display. Additional visual feedback is provided by LEDs that indicate pitch deviation. In addition to visual tuning via meter, the CA-1 can play reference pitches from its internal speaker (Sound Out) for tuning by ear. Each press of the Sound switch will cycle through the A4-Bb4 notes commonly used for tuning wind instruments. Or you can hold down the Sound switch to change the cycle to the semitone intervals from C4 through C5 (one octave), allowing reference pitches for any instrument to be sounded quickly.

Adjustable Calibration
The Calibration function (410-480 Hz) of this chromatic tuner supports a wide range of standard pitches, and can be adjusted in 1 Hz steps for accurate and flexible tuning to any song or key. Thanks to the Memory Backup function, the Calibration and reference pitch are remembered even when the power is turned off. (However, these settings will be initialized when the batteries are replaced.)

Power-Saving Functions
The power will turn off automatically if the unit is left powered-on for 20 minutes without performing any operation, avoiding unnecessary battery consumption. Low-power consumption design allows an amazing 100 hours (approximate) of continuous battery life (A4 continuous input, meter mode, zinc-carbon batteries).

Reviews

Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2010-08-20
Summary: "shortcomings"

I chose this tuner based on the reviews I could find for it and primary because several noted that this unit (hears) harmonicas well.. (TRUE). While I'm sure that the features of this unit are unlikely to change I feel it is worth noting a few blatant oversights.
1. While several reviews state that the display is difficult to read, I find it must have perfect lighting conditions to be at all usable. It seems to be an unlit, reflective lcd which requires soft even lighting and must be viewed absolutely head on straight, partly due to the fact the the display is set deeply in the face. If ever a device could have used indiglo...

2. More importantly this unit does not show either the actual frequency OR even the octave number. I do not know if other Korg units do this but I find its omission ludicrous. Without it one could easily tune a single sting, reed, or entire instrument off by an octave! I would not recommend this as your only reference tuner but rather for field touch ups especially for stringed instruments.

Thoughts:
I gave this unit 4 out of five stars because it does quite well what it should and is accurate. However as is often the case a few very small changes could elevate this product into awesomeness. As others have noted the addition of a metronome could consolidate what you carry in your bag with a choice between blinking or clicking...COOL! As I mentioned INDIGLO back lighting preferably with a choice of timed or constant... Octave number displayed maybe even with the actual tonal frequency... And lastly, since the unit has both a microphone and a speaker a tiny amount of memory would allow recording and playback of voice or sound sample recording and playback.

Note: I found the instructions to be comical stating that when the unit sounds a reference tone it would be one octave higher than the note you were trying to play.... How would it know??? Also I have not seen this unit shut itself off nor seen any mention of an auto off timer so if it is left on or bumped on in your gear bag..............well you know. :<

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Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-07-24
Summary: "A real help learning to play in tune"

This Korg tuner is a real learning tool because it responds to notes fast enough to indicate whether you're playing in tune while you're playing a piece (admittedly, a slow piece).

I play violin and playing in tune has become a real driver for me. Here's how I've used the Korg to help. First, I rip a CD of the piece I'm playing to a wav file using Windows Media Player. Then I import that wav file into Audacity, which is wonderful FREE downloadable sound-editing software. Ok, so now I see the wave diagram of the piece before me on the screen.

Finally, I use headphones to listen to the piece while Audacity plays it, and the Korg sits on my music stand while I play along. There it is... thanks to the Korg, I discovered that I was playing consistently about 15-20 cents sharp almost all the time. I've had to re-educate my ear.

Sometimes I record what I play on a second track in Audacity, while listening to the CD (the first track) through the headphones. Audacity makes that easy. Later I can go back, mute the CD track, and play my recorded track through the speakers -- the Korg picks that up and once again tells me how in tune I was (or not).

Really a useful device! I had it with me today in a quartet rehearsal, and at one point one of the other players stopped everyone and said to me, "You're flat!" I had the Korg on, and I hadn't moved my finger so I played the note -- I was dead on. They were all sharp. Now that is cool...

The only thing the Korg is missing, for me, is a metronome. Oh well.

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Rating: 4 / 5
Date: 2010-07-07
Summary: "Great Tuner, Hard To See Screen"

I really like this tuner. My only complaint is that it's somewhat hard to see the screen. It tunes great though. I tuned my four guitars and my daughter's two guitars all within about 20 minutes. This is the same model that our local guitar repair technician uses on the bench.

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Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-05-13
Summary: "In Tune"

I play the cello, and I used to just tune by harmonics until I came across this. My husband bought it for me for Christmas this last year and I use it every time to get the perfect tuning. It's simple to use and its small convienent size makes it fit perfectly in my music bag.

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Rating: 5 / 5
Date: 2010-04-25
Summary: "Better than I expected"

For this price I was not expecting much. I am using it to tune acoustic string instruments and it is perfect for that use. This is a great little tuner and I don't see any need to get anything more.