| A tuning fork is an acoustic resonator in the form of a two-pronged fork with the tines formed from a U-shaped bar of elastic metal (usually steel). It resonates at a specific constant pitch when set vibrating by striking it against a surface or with an object, and emits a pure musical tone after waiting a moment to allow some high overtones to die out. The pitch that a particular tuning fork generates depends on the length of the two prongs. Currently, the most common tuning fork used by musicians sounds the note of A (440 Hz, international "concert pitch"), which has long been used as a standard tuning note by orchestras, it being the pitch of the violin's second string played open, the first string of the viola played open, and an octave above the first string of the cello, again played open. However, they are also commercially made to vibrate at frequencies corresponding to all musical pitches within the central octave of the piano, and other pitches. |
Tuning the guitar by ear with a tuning fork starting with A440 |
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