Korg TM40 Combination Metronome Chromatic Tuner with Tap Beat

Korg tuners and metronomes are acclaimed around the world for their extremely high accuracy and superb features. The new TM-40 combines these two functions into a single compact easy-to-use unit.

A great lesson and practice tool, the TM-40 offers both tuner and metronome functions simultaneously or independently. Its large LCD-type needle delivers both the accuracy of an LCD and the excellent visibility of a needle indicator. It also has LED indicators that show pitch deviation or blink to indicate the tempo, making the TM-40 a highly visual tool.

With a detection range of C1 (32.70 Hz) - C8 (4186.01 Hz), the TM-40 provides quick and accurate coverage of a wide spectrum of notes and pitches for wind, string, keyboard and most other instruments. Even low-pitched instruments with complex overtone structures are detected with the precision you expect from Korg. A built-in high-sensitivity mic allows acoustic instruments such as guitar and ukulele to be tuned easily and accurately, and the separately sold CM-100 contact mic can be used to send the vibrations directly to the tuner for even greater precision.

In addition to the visual tuning guide provided by the meter, you can use the TM-40’s built-in speaker to produce a tuning reference pitch (Sound Out). This is convenient for tuning by ear and also useful for ear training. By pressing the Sound switch you can select the reference pitch from A5 to B?4 (usually used as the tuning standard for wind instruments). And by holding down the Sound switch, you can select a mode in which you step through chromatic pitches from C4 to C5 (one octave).

The TM-40’s Calibration setting is adjustable in a range of 410~480 Hz to accommodate a variety of tuning standards. The calibration can be adjusted in 1 Hz steps, letting you accurately tune to any song or key. Memory backup is also provided so that the Calibration and Sound Out (“12 NOTES” or “ABb”) settings are remembered even when the power is turned off.

When intervals of a third are played out of tune in the context of a brass band, orchestra, or other ensemble, it is particularly noticeable. But those intervals can be made to blend more pleasantly by slightly adjusting them (relative to the equal-tempered pitch) to a pure major or minor third. The TM-40’s meter scale provides markings to indicate pitches of a pure major and pure minor third relative to a selected pitch. By tuning your instrument so that the meter’s indicator needle points to these markings, you can ensure beautiful harmonies when playing in an ensemble. This capability is very useful not only for wind instruments, but also for vocal or a cappella practice. The appropriate note to adjust when tuning to a pure major/minor third will depend on the music you are playing.

The metronome section offers convenient functions for practicing a variety of music.

Choose from preset patterns. Beat mode lets you choose a preset tempo and time signature, and Tap mode lets you specify your own tempo. The compact TM-40’s contains a large speaker that produces a clear and distinct metronome sound.

The TM-40 contains thirteen types of rhythms that cover 0–7 beats per measure as well as doublets, triplets, triplets with center beats omitted, quadruplets, and quadruplets with center beats omitted.* Tempo is easily adjustable in a range of 40–208 beats per minute (bpm). Sophisticated rhythms, such as triplets/quadruplets with center beats omitted, give you the flexibility to cover a wide range of styles from classical to rock and jazz. Since the volume is adjustable, the TM-40 can meet the needs of any situation, from private practice in a small room to sessions in a large studio.

When you adjust the tempo setting, you can choose that the tempo value will increment or decrement either in “full-step” mode (steps of a single unit) or “pendulum-step” mode (steps of several units as on a mechanical metronome). Choose the mode that you prefer.

The TM-40’s Tap Tempo function lets you detect and set the desired tempo simply by pressing the Metronome mode START/STOP button at the desired timing in a range of 40–208 bpm. This makes it easy when practicing to a song that you don’t know the tempo of, such as a recording on CD.

With the Memory Backup feature, the TM-40 remembers your Tempo, Beat, Calibration, and Reference Pitch settings even when powered-off.

After twenty minutes of none use, the TM-40 will automatically turn off to extend battery life.