Cents are the way each semi-tone is divided into 100 equal parts, thus each octave is divided into 1200 equal parts. Each cent is the 1200th root of 2, (1.000577).

Back to the octave with 12 notes. The A, one octave above A-440 is A-880. The A below A-440 is A-220. Octaves are 2/1. To get A-880 (2/1) from A-440, using the 12th root of 2, it's the 12th root of 2 to the 12th power, which is 2/1. To get the E above A-440, ( E is the 7th semi-tone above A), multiply A-440 x 12th root of 2 to the 7th power (440 x 1.498 = 659.25), E-659.25.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

quote:

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the basic unit of measurement when calculating the pay scale of the professional country musician

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I "dent" know that!

To add to the very correct and detailed math above. When you are tuning your 3rds flat so they sound right you are tuning to an even harmonic rather than to the equal tempered note, IE, in the key of A 440, you are tuning your C#'s to 550 exactly. When you use the formula, they are tuned to exactly 554.36. Or almost 5 full Cycles flat; (approx 16 cents or so flat.)

In a similar way, you tune your E's to 660 rather than 569.26.

Or an easier way of saying it if you are from Rio Linda; tune dem 5ths just slightly sharp and tune dem toids n' sixes way down flat! The lower tha better bubba!

100% is the distance to the next note.
50 cents is halfway there.

They usually don't refer to more than 50% because
51 cents high is the same as the next note's 49 cents low.

Make sense?

[This message was edited by Joey Ace on 17 July 2004 at 05:57 PM.]

If you folks would like to make a tuner sit there like a rock as the note sustains forever so you can tune all the strings and the changes, procure an Ebow.

Greatest thing since sliced bread for tuning using a meter. Only one caveat, and that is your 1st and last string on any neck. But a little block of would cures that.

Note: the ebow was designed to straddle the string it excites. As such nothing to support it on your first and bottom strings. The wood solves that problem quickly.

I got the idea late last year. It truly does work like a charm. No more having to constantly pick the string. Simply pick it once and the Ebow takes care of the rest. PLUS, by sliding the ebow to the left or right you can pick the ideal level for your tuner for each string.

No more wiggling needles.