Re: How Far Out Of Tune Can You Be Before People Start To Notice?
Depends on the listener. Musicians are going to pick up on it a lot faster than the average person. There's bound to be some musicians in the crowd. As far as band mates, depends on how well they can hear you.
I saw Tab Benoit last year, he started off out of tune, and didn't check it for about 5 or 6 sounds. It was obviously out of tune to a musician's ears, but the crowd loved it regardless, of course most had a few drinks by then. When Tab finally realized he was out of tune, he didn't use a tuner. He just checked the guitar to itself, not to the bass player, so he still didn't get it in tune after that. To me it was annoying and a sign f complacency, I left early. Florida's warm/hot most of the year, and usually pretty humid, and you're in and out of a/c, which is cool and dry. That causes wooden stringed instruments to swell and contract. Checking your tuning is mandatory before starting a gig. He knows better.