Before starting any lessons or playing it’s very important that your guitar is in tune. Nothing sounds worse than an out of tune guitar – even the simplest ideas will sound terrible if you are out of tune! Tuning your guitar means that each string will be the correct pitch, and through the lessons you’ll match the sound of the audio examples. Tuning is critical, because it’s your first step to sounding like a pro. And it’s free and easy to always be in tune!
How to Use a Guitar Tuner
The easiest way to tune your guitar is to use an electronic tuner. An electronic tuner picks up the sound of the string and displays the note being played, and whether it is sharp or flat. Sharp means higher in pitch – the tuner in the image below is displaying an A that is too sharp – the tuner needle would be vertical if the A was in tune. Flat means lower in pitch than the note. For electric guitars, you simply plug your guitar into a tuner with a lead. Tuning an acoustic guitar requires a tuner with an inbuilt microphone.
Which String is Which?
The standard guitar tuning is E A D G B E from low to high. We refer to the thickest string as low, bass, or 6th. If you cannot afford a guitar tuner at this stage, there are other options to get you in tune and rocking!
Let’s Hear It
Here’s an audio file for each string in tune. Simply play my sound, then tune your guitar string to sound the same as mine.
E Bass (6th)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
A (5th)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
D (4th)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
G (3rd)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
B (2nd)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
E (1st)
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
You can also tune your guitar from a tuning fork, pitch pipe, a tuned piano, or another tuned guitar.
Tuning By Ear
If you have the E bass string in tune, the tuning by ear technique allows you to tune the guitar from itself.
1. Play the 5 th fret of the 6 th string, then play the open A or 5 th string. These two notes should sound the same if they are in tune. Use the tuning peg to adjust the 5 th string, replay both notes, and continue until the 5 th string sounds like the note you’re playing on the 6 th string. You’re tuning by ear!
2. Now play the 5 th fret of the 5 th string and sound the open 4 th string. The two notes should sound the same so tune the 4 th string until the notes sound identical when played one after the other.
3. Repeat for the next string.
4. As you can see from the diagram, when tuning the 2 nd string you have to play the 4 th fret of the 3 rd string to match the notes.
5. Then head back to the 5 th fret on the 2 nd string to tune the first string. Congratulations, you just tuned your guitar by ear! Hit play to check how it should sound.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Tuning by ear will take a while to master, but don’t get frustrated. Just try and use your ears to listen to the sound and determine the differences in pitch – remember that every time you tune you’ll be training your listening skills.
Pro Tuning Tips
Always tune up to the note
To ensure your guitar is accurately tuned, you should tune “up” to the desired note from below or flat. Tuning up maintains an even tension along the string, on both sides of the nut. The problem with tuning down to a note from sharp or above is that the string tension between the nut and tuning pegs may be different to the rest of the string, so although the string seems in tune initially, when you play the string again the tension will even out along the entire string, and you will be out of tune again. So tighten the string from below the note, and you’ll be playing sweetly in tune. If you go past the note and tune too sharp, loosen the string and try again.
But we’re all tuned up, why does it sound strange?
All guitar tuners use a frequency reference point of 440hZ to tune. However, if you’ve got a couple of guitarists jamming in a room, each with their own tuner, the 440hz reference can differ slightly between tuners. It’s a small difference, but it can make things sound a little bit off. Of course, this is only a problem when playing with other people, or in recording situations. If you notice a difference, then I recommend all tuning off a single tuner. When it comes to accuracy, you get what you pay for – the Boss chromatic series is the industry standard tuner.
Fine tuning to your playing style
When you play the string to tune, the force of striking – known as attack – makes the string a fraction sharper than when the string rings out naturally – which is known as decay. So should you tune to your attack or the decay of the string? This really depends what part you are playing, and how hard you strike the string. If you’re playing long sustaining chords, I recommend tuning to the decay. On the other hand, if you’re playing hard and fast picking, tune to the attack. Just be sure to you tune all the strings the same way.
What? You still can’t get in tune?
So you’ve tried everything but your guitar still sounds out of tune? You may have a guitar set-up issue known as an intonation problem. To check, tune your guitar to the harmonics on the 12 th fret, then compare to the actual notes on the 12 th fret. If they are different, then you have an intonation problem on your hands. The remedy is to move the saddle pieces of your guitar bridge forwards or backwards until correct tuning is possible. It’s a tricky process, and you have to be very patient. I recommend taking your guitar to a professional to have sorted out, and if you’re keen to learn how to solve intonation issues yourself, ask if you can watch them complete the repair.
You must log in to post a comment.