Getting In Tune

I think we take tuning for granted. Every time I play my guitar or violin, I first make sure it's in tune. When I play or listen to music, I find myself overly aware of intonation...is that piano in tune? Is she/he singing in tune? I don't have perfect pitch, but it's close, which is not something I enjoy.
The act of tuning is part of the performance in the symphonic world. The concertmaster of an orchestra comes out before the conductor, asks for and accepts an "A" from the oboe, and then we hear everyone tuning to that pitch. Your ticket price includes seeing and hearing this ritual.
Tuning is an agreement. We must all agree with the basic idea that this "A" means "A".
Tuning nowadays in the non-symphonic world is no longer a part of the performance. Almost all of today's music is electronic and/or digital. Guitar/bass effects units have a tuner built in that takes the instrument off line so no signal is sent to the speakers/amp whilst tuning. You can even tune in the middle of a song and no one can hear it. It didn't used to be this way of course. Listen to the recording of the Beatles concert at Budokan (Tokyo) from 1966. Before they start playing...fans already screaming...they have to tune their guitars. Same for Cream at their "Farewell Concert" in 1968...Clapton especially...trying to get his guitar in tune in front of everyone in the Royal Albert Hall. And Hendrix at Woodstock...the same. No more. Tuning happens in secret, except in symphony halls. Celebrate this fantastic ritual.
Pete Townshend wrote a great song called Getting in Tune. Amazing lyrics. Great musicianship. Perfect production. And the message still stands.