Learning to Tune
There are three ways a timpanist can learn to tune.
When we tune the timpani, we want to be sure to tune up from the fundamental note (from the bottom note up to the desired pitch). This is the best for the timpani head.
It is recommended that you learn intervals to tune the timpani.
Below you will find simple tunes and that will help learn the intervals used to tune the timpani.
- By using a tuning fork
- By using a pitch pipe
- By learning to use intervals
When we tune the timpani, we want to be sure to tune up from the fundamental note (from the bottom note up to the desired pitch). This is the best for the timpani head.
It is recommended that you learn intervals to tune the timpani.
Below you will find simple tunes and that will help learn the intervals used to tune the timpani.
Ascending
Minor 2nd -- It's Been a Hard Day's Night (Beatles), Jaws
Major 2nd -- Happy Birthday To You, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Minor 3rd -- So Long, Farewell (Sound of Music)
Major 3rd -- Oh When the Saints Come Marching In
Perfect 4th -- Here Comes the Bride
Tritone -- The Simpsons
Perfect 5th -- Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Minor 6th -- The Entertainer (3rd & 4th notes)
Major 6th -- NBC (tones), Dashing Through the Snow, My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
Minor 7th -- Original Star Trek Theme
Major 7th -- Somewhere Over the Rainbow (1st & 3rd note)
Perfect Octave -- A Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting), Somewhere Over the Rainbow (1st & 2nd notes)
Descending
Minor 2nd -- Fur Elise, Joy to the World
Major 2nd -- Mary Had a Little Lamb, Deck the Halls
Minor 3rd -- Frosty the Snowman, Hey Jude, Star Spangled Banner
Major 3rd -- Beethoven's 5th, Swing Low Sweet Chariot
Perfect 4th --I've Been Working on the Railroad
Tritone -- YYZ (Rush)
Perfect 5th -- Flintstone Theme, Minuet in G (Mozart)
Minor 6th -- Nobody Know the Trouble I've Seen, Love Story
Major 6th -- Over There
Minor 7th -- American in Paris, Watermelon Man
Major 7th -- Hee-Haw from the Grand Canyon (Grofe)
Octave -- There's No Business like Show Business (2nd & 3rd notes)
Minor 2nd -- It's Been a Hard Day's Night (Beatles), Jaws
Major 2nd -- Happy Birthday To You, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Minor 3rd -- So Long, Farewell (Sound of Music)
Major 3rd -- Oh When the Saints Come Marching In
Perfect 4th -- Here Comes the Bride
Tritone -- The Simpsons
Perfect 5th -- Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
Minor 6th -- The Entertainer (3rd & 4th notes)
Major 6th -- NBC (tones), Dashing Through the Snow, My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
Minor 7th -- Original Star Trek Theme
Major 7th -- Somewhere Over the Rainbow (1st & 3rd note)
Perfect Octave -- A Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting), Somewhere Over the Rainbow (1st & 2nd notes)
Descending
Minor 2nd -- Fur Elise, Joy to the World
Major 2nd -- Mary Had a Little Lamb, Deck the Halls
Minor 3rd -- Frosty the Snowman, Hey Jude, Star Spangled Banner
Major 3rd -- Beethoven's 5th, Swing Low Sweet Chariot
Perfect 4th --I've Been Working on the Railroad
Tritone -- YYZ (Rush)
Perfect 5th -- Flintstone Theme, Minuet in G (Mozart)
Minor 6th -- Nobody Know the Trouble I've Seen, Love Story
Major 6th -- Over There
Minor 7th -- American in Paris, Watermelon Man
Major 7th -- Hee-Haw from the Grand Canyon (Grofe)
Octave -- There's No Business like Show Business (2nd & 3rd notes)
Ear Training / Interval Links
http://www.musicalintervalstutor.info/
http://www.musictheory.net/exercises/ear-interval
http://www.teoria.com/exercises/ie.php
http://www.musicalintervalstutor.info/
http://www.musictheory.net/exercises/ear-interval
http://www.teoria.com/exercises/ie.php