Antique Musical Instruments/Victorian tuning forks?

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Expert: - 3/13/2008


Question
Hi!

I am wondering what they used to tune their instruments in Victorian times. A tuning fork? If so, in what amterial? Did it like at all like our present ones?

Thank you,
Petra Hjortsberg

Answer
Certainly the tuning fork was a possibility as it was invented in 1711. But there wasn't a standard pitch then, so all that really mattered was that an instrument was in tune with itself and those that it played with.    It appears that they were made of steel, and are fundamentally unchanged from current models as far as I can tell.

Antique Musical Instruments

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Kenton Scott

Expertise

Please note: My area is BRASS instruments, not other wind, string or percussion instruments. I will provide information on antique, obscure and out of production BRASS instruments. 1) Please don't ask for evaluations, I'll not provide them on this site. 2) I am often asked very similar questions, so I'd invite you to first check on Horn-u-Copia.net. Much of the information I have garnered about this topic, I have posted on this WEB site.

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I perform in several historical bands, have informally researched the area, repair brass instruments, and operate a Forum dedicated to the topic at http://horn-u-copia.net

Education/Credentials
B.S. Ed, M.S.

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