A-440 is the NAZI tuning?

  • Thread starter Thread starter TalentlessIdiot
  • Start date Start date
T

TalentlessIdiot

New member
has anybody else heard of this?
that in the 1930s a leading NAZI officer re-programmed the "concert-pitch" of the "A-note" from 432 hertz to 440 Hertz?
I'm seriously thinking to re-tune my guitar to A-432
 
steve@russo":2cjep5bu said:
I tune half a step down for this reason, joking

even if you did tune 1/2 step down, you'd still be generating an A-440 frequency

but seriously, why was the A-note changed?
 
my excuse is I am a drummer, dont know but now that I am reading about 432 it is very interesting
 
TalentlessIdiot":186uj63p said:
steve@russo":186uj63p said:
I tune half a step down for this reason, joking

even if you did tune 1/2 step down, you'd still be generating an A-440 frequency

but seriously, why was the A-note changed?

no, you would not be generating an A-440 a half a step down. A-440 means its a 440Hz signal on the A string, decreasing the tension will alter the frequency, last i checked its a 5 Hz difference 435.
 
TalentlessIdiot":1tdln77a said:
has anybody else heard of this?
that in the 1930s a leading NAZI officer re-programmed the "concert-pitch" of the "A-note" from 432 hertz to 440 Hertz?
I'm seriously thinking to re-tune my guitar to A-432

You go ahead...I'll proudly stay with A-440, even if this is the case.
 
Tone Zone":3dx4g6zm said:
TalentlessIdiot":3dx4g6zm said:
has anybody else heard of this?
that in the 1930s a leading NAZI officer re-programmed the "concert-pitch" of the "A-note" from 432 hertz to 440 Hertz?
I'm seriously thinking to re-tune my guitar to A-432

You go ahead...I'll proudly stay with A-440, even if this is the case.
Worth some research, but at the end of the day, even if it was a Hitler based musical change (DIN, no less), what good would you do to know?? Not like the world is going to stop using it as the base pitch.

Just sayin'... Hell, the VW Bug has its heritage firmly entrenched in the same war era under the same war regime.

V.
 
TalentlessIdiot":18v8qei0 said:
has anybody else heard of this?
that in the 1930s a leading NAZI officer re-programmed the "concert-pitch" of the "A-note" from 432 hertz to 440 Hertz?
I'm seriously thinking to re-tune my guitar to A-432

Nazi Germany made a lot of progress in many areas of technology. A lot of it to bite the rest of the world in the ass, but still...

You'd be an idiot to try and identify all of these scientific advances and cast them aside merely because of the ideology of the person(s) that came up with them. What's next, you're going to pass on a cure for cancer because it was a communist who invented it?

Besides, this story sounds like an urban myth, and not even a good one at that. No person gets something approved worldwide without a very good reason and broad support. From Wikipedia:

In 1939, an international conference recommended that the A above middle C be tuned to 440 Hz, now known as concert pitch. This standard was taken up by the International Organization for Standardization in 1955 and reaffirmed by them in 1975 as ISO 16. The difference between this and the diapason normal is due to confusion over the temperature at which the French standard should be measured. The initial standard was A = 439 Hz (info), but this was superseded by A = 440 Hz after complaints that 439 Hz was difficult to reproduce in a laboratory owing to 439 being a prime number.

There you have it. Read the whole article about Concert pitch, and you'll sleep better.
 
glpg80":1940yv1v said:
TalentlessIdiot":1940yv1v said:
steve@russo":1940yv1v said:
I tune half a step down for this reason, joking

even if you did tune 1/2 step down, you'd still be generating an A-440 frequency

but seriously, why was the A-note changed?

no, you would not be generating an A-440 a half a step down. A-440 means its a 440Hz signal on the A string, decreasing the tension will alter the frequency, last i checked its a 5 Hz difference 435.
I think his point was that tuning a down a half step your reference is still concert pitch your just happen to change the staring and end point of the instruments register. In other words, just because you fret an A chord shape and sound a A#/Ab or close to it that has no bearing on the source.

As for for concert pitch in general, you have to have some kinda standardization with equal temperament, or not as Jimi and Van Halen have shown. :)
 
EXPcustom":ehqjbwid said:
My guitar is racist. :cry:
Frank Zappa's guitar wanted to kill yer mama...

Put that in yer pipe and smoke it :thumbsup:

V.
 
Ventura":22f0dgo2 said:
EXPcustom":22f0dgo2 said:
My guitar is racist. :cry:
Frank Zappa's guitar wanted to kill yer mama...

Put that in yer pipe and smoke it :thumbsup:

V.

what tuning did Woodie Guthrie use?

machine2.jpg






 
wow, by the reaction from many of you, i might swear this particular forum might be a Tavisock data-mining operation.
geez, i didn't realize i hit such a rich gold vein with the "A-440 NAZI connection".
but some of you got your panties all tied up in knots over it.
climb out of mommy's basement every once in a while. the sun is good for you
 
Back
Top