A-432 at the Fiddle Camp

While clearing out some stored papers, a page of notes turned up from last year’s Sunshine State Acoustic Music Camp. I thought they would be worth sharing.

Sunday’s session, at the Sunshine State Acoustic Music Camp, is the last one for intermediate to advanced fiddlers. The group joined me in tuning to the natural tuning of the Mozart A-432.

I gave a little explanation of the history of tuning. Then, we just did it.

We went on through the two hour session normally. The time zipped by easily while we played tunes. I put students in the “hot spot” one at a time for individual intense coaching. I answered questions.

All this sounds quite ordinary, but it was not quite the way it normally is. Usually the last session sees the students just about burnt out from all the intense playing and instruction through the weekend. They are only partly there and tend to drift away.

This time the group was definitely more animated and attentive than in past years. The session went strong until the final moment. It was just as solid and focused as the first session.

Did the tuning of A-432 have an effect? I can’t answer that. I can just observe the subtle difference in how things were as compared to last year and previous years. Things were better.