Customer Reviews

Korg TM-40 Large Display Digital Tuner and Metronome

5 star:		(157)
4 star:		(57)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This tuner/metronome is very well built and has a 12 note refrence. It works very well with my violin and I carry it with me to class and when I practice. The metronome has a loud beat. The tuner is loud so you can hear it over what you are playing. It has a large screen and is very easy to use. I recommend this to anyone that plays a string instrument.

I've always had difficulty finding tuners with adequate response, and this one was actually a downgrade from the OT-12 (my favourite pocket-sized tuner), but it surprised me by working better than any previous combined metronome-tuner while not costing much more. The response rate is not adjustable, but sits at about a medium (there has to be at least a second of sustenance, but not more than two if you're steady). The precision is about as good as most will ever need, although it's dubiously delineated between -3 and +3 cents. The rest of the spectrum to fifty is clear-cut (it is fully digital, for better or for worse). The accuracy is also as good as could be asked for at its price-range, but not great - you may want to let it cycle a couple times for the more troublesome notes or if you're of the end-inward school of tuning. There are no temperament settings, but very few musicians will miss that option. There is an input for contact mics, though the impedance choice is commodity. There is a mono-out as well, if memory serves (as opposed to stereo - monochannel is standard). Overall, the tuner is better than any budget-priced combination product I've ever seen (esp. the increasingly popular but rarely satisfactory Sabine MetroTune).

The metronome function is likewise fairly good. 7 beat options and some standard subdivision patterns, the usually discrete-option tempo selection (hence, precision not the most flexible, but not worse than similar combination products). Accuracy is fair enough but not great. It fits the r10 error rating given by the factory, as opposed to the r15/r18 of the very cheapest units or the excellent r2/r1 of purposeful objects like the Dr. Beat. Experienced musicians may wish to trust their instincts after getting the right idea from the metronome. The error is scalar, it will be less troublesome at lower tempos. The state of affairs in small and cheap timing devices is surprisingly bad, but this is certainly not the worst (for that, see Sabine, again).

Unlike most similar products that I've seen, the two primary functions can be used simultaneously (tuner and metronome). I don't use this aspect much but some customers might really like that (esp. instruments that will draw a faster response from the tuning function).

I cannot yet attest to the average battery life of the thing, except to say that it's at least not bad.

This tuner has been a wonderful aid in tuning our violins and cellos. I've found the mic to be too sensitive in our setting as it picks up my young children's voices while I'm trying to tune an instrument. I will be purchasing the pick-up mic accessory in hopes that it will insulate against the background noise. If you are able to tune your instrument in private, then this should not be a problem for you. Also, the tiny flip-out stand doesn't seem to provide adequate support when placed vertically on uneven surfaces like, say various surfaces of a cluttered piano. However, the pick-up mic should eliminate the need to position the tuner optimally in front of the instrument. This is less likely to be a legitimate drawback of the tuner design itself, and more likely to be one of my way of using it. In any event, I cannot imagine not using an electronic tuner for these or any other reason. It is truly a gift for those who play strings.

This Korg TM-40 tuner/metronome combo is a great concept, but its execution may be flawed.

This tuner can't consistently identify the high E on my classical guitar, sometimes showing A instead. Tried with the piano with the same result. Sometimes successive notes would be identified incorrectly (e.g. E-D-C were identified as A-G-F).

The problem seems to be more acute with pitches in a certain range, e.g. notes around A-440. It would show a pitch a 4th or 5th away from the actual note played.

Maybe the tuner I received is faulty. I e-mailed Instrument Store six days ago to request for an RMA, but have not heard back. Buyers beware.

I hadn't realized how useful this device would be until I began exploring its potential. The tuning feature is excellent, as it responds within less than a second and allows me to check my intonation in difficult passages. The volume of the metronome beep has a volume control, and I was able to hear it except when I was playing (the violin) at the loudest level. Of course, the metronome also has a visual indicator (like a little "baton"), and if the ambient sounds are too loud an ear piece option is available. Battery life is excellent (I am still using the original set after nearly a month), and I was able to figure out almost all of the features without even looking at the manual. There are some sophisticated features that are worth reading the manual for, but this unit worked right out of the box.

This tuner metronome has great quality for a wonderful price! I especially like the fact that you can use the tuner and metronome simultaneously as well as separately. The tuner is great, but I haven't used it in a noisy environment yet, and it is quite sensitive. The metronome has a good sound, but it's not as loud as I expected it to be. I play the flute, and I can hear it fairly well over my playing when it is set to the highest volume. The metronome can be set to move by normal metronome increments (108, 112, 116, 120...132, etc.) or by single steps. It also has great subdividing options. I love the tap in button which you can use to get the tempo from something you are listening to by tapping the button to the tempo as you hear it. Overall, the display screen is great, and the small size is really nice. It fits nicely even on a wire folding stand, but it has its own stand that works great for setting it on a table as well. It's just what I was looking for.

I just purchased this tuner metronome. It works great I play both trumpet and french horn, I worried I wouldn't be able to hear the metronome, nut that is not the case it works fine. I have recently purchased the clip on mic so I can use the tuner in a noisy bandroom. It's a great item for the price

This is the best metronome/tuner I have owned. When I was browsing through all the metronomes at Amazon, all I saw was products that look like iPods, birth control containers, and huge watches. However, when I saw this metronome, it was screaming at me to buy. When I saw that there was only one left in stock, I just had to order it.

Pros:
This metronome is the most aesthetic out of the rest. The color scheme is perfect and the buttons are easy to press. You can even output the metronome and reference sounds. The metronome is loud and the display is the very user-friendly and even has a stand. The tuner function is AMAZING and fun. It can sense if your voice (or other instrument) is off tune and if you are singing the correct note. You can even input a mic or instrument via 1/4" cable for tuning. When I started using the tuner I had so much fun and learned at the same time. I am also an organist and choir member and I plan to use it to train the choir and myself in my church.

Cons:
This metronome is somewhat portable (lightweight but buttons are not recessed). I wish there was a sturdy case for it since buttons could be pressed in my bag.

Some improvements:
-A bluish backlit display (like in Camry '07)
-Rubber feet

Bottom Line:
The best budget-priced metronome/tuner for choir, singers, and general instrument players.

Pros: It's a good tuner, it's a good metronome, and it's a great combination package. The flip-out stand on the back makes it easier to see than when it's lying flat. The metronome has excellent selections of different rhythms and is easy to program.

Cons: the buttons on the front are raised on top of other raised areas, and it's too easy to accidentally turn the unit on. The tuning sound activated once in my pocket while I was sitting in the audience at a band contest. Also, unlike the CA-30 tuner, this one favors higher notes strongly over bass and makes it difficult to tune low instruments in a noisy environment.

Also, it quit working suddenly after about a year. Other people I know who've had this tuner have complained about lack of durability.

I am a professional tuba player, and have difficulty finding tuners that will tune my pedal register (lowest notes for a tubist). This tuner tunes all the way down to my pedal F (major 3rd below lowest "A" on piano). It has far exceeded my expectations.

Its also handy having the metronome, which incidentally does not affect the tuner's ability to listen. Usually when you have both going, the tuner will "bump" for every beep of the metronome, this but metronome does not affect the tuner at all.

This metronome/tuner is very handy for long tones throughout the entire range of my instrument. An added bonus is the feature that allows you to tap a beat, and it tells you how fast your tempo is. I have only seen this feature on very expensive metronomes, such as Dr. Beat.

You can't beat the price either.