Make a Tuning Fork - ReMaking History

Bill Gurstelle shows you how to make a tuning fork from a piece of aluminum in this video complementing his column in MAKE Volume 29.

[bearpatch]

so what if i wanted middle c? how do i make that?

[jeffbeck]

Note that Make magazine wants you tuning to A = 440hz to take you out of harmony with the earth.

[CampKohler]

What would happen if the two tines, while, say, having been filed to EXACTLY the same pitch by trimming the length as needed, were not the same width, i.e. you have cut one tine wider than the other? Likewise, if instead of using a sheet of metal, you cut the fork from a block of metal, what would be the effect of the two tines not being the same thickness?

What would happen if you, one at a time, clamped the ends of the tines in a vise and twisted them into two identical spirals?

[MAKE]

@onlywhenprovoked There are links and names all up in this video, and in the description!

[joed]

How do you make one for 528 hz? Does size matter? Shape?

[tijuanamarisol]

@commanderdragos Concert Bb IS tuned relative to A440, but they are not the same: concert Bb is a half-step higher in pitch than concert A. Also, if you transpose into Bb maj, you'll find that tuning to A would make the instrument flat, because A is the 3rd note in the order of flats: since you're already in a key with 2 flats (concert Bb, ) than A is naturally the flattest note, as it tries to resolve to Ab (which would then bring you into concert Eb, and then D would be your flat note, etc.)

[kentabenno]

@kjm5448 furthermore, a lot of orchestras use a 442 hz A nowadays, while some ensembles playing baroque and renaissance type of music use 438 hz As or even lower pitches as a reference tone. And not to mention all the non-western kinds of music, where they use completely different tonal systems.

[colemanadamson]

Ridiculous volume changes in video plus very little useful information. Never mind this is just a commercial for a magazine.
FAIL.

[armegeddon]

Why does this have so many dislikes? I actually thought it was interesting to see how easy it was to make one of those while learning a little history about it. You people need to calm down :3

[CampKohler]

@MrROTD Dial tone (at least in the U.S.) consists of two tones, only one of which is 440. What do you do, mentally tune out the other one?

[JoTheVeteran]

Wow! Lots of dislikes. But why in this video, i don't get it?
Did the sound the tunning fork makes annoyed you guys or something?

[onlywhenprovoked]

I'm confused as to why this material and these measurements cause a perfect 440 A. If I file 2mm too much off one corner, is it still true? Why / why not?

Well, off to google to learn something I should have learned long ago. Thanks for the video.

[JoTheVeteran]

@BloKK187 Well, pianos get out of tune by age too you know, it's a strings kinda thingy.

[virgojeep]

I want to make a tuning fork that resonates at a frequency of 432Hz. What dimensions should I use?

[Cory]

@onlywhenprovoked it also says there are such things as tree octopuss

[kjm]

a false fact: "Concert A is the pitch that all musicians tune their instruments to." musicians tune to a couple of different notes, mainly Bb concert and A concert. percussionists tune their snare drums to, depending on size of the drum, Ab concert, F concert or something else for different circumstances.

[pikuorguk]

Hearing it work and seeing how to cut out the middle bit would have been better.

[RemcoRemco]

good video it is very intresting

KIPKAY HAD TO CAME BACK
(or upload more video's on his one channel)

[Kondzio]

where is real makemagasine who is showing people how to make amazing stuff?

[onlywhenprovoked]

wiki says : "Although commercial tuning forks are normally tuned to the correct pitch at the factory, they can be retuned by filing material off the prongs. Filing the ends of the prongs raises the pitch, while filing the inside of the base of the prongs lowers it."

And why is Make SO bad at providing links to the featured guest speakers? Do they think we're going to watch less Make if we subscribe to other channels? Come on, guys. Links. Names. SOMEthing.