Tune Your Guitar!

Many years ago when I was an active member of #guitar on dalnet I wrote the following lesson for tuning your guitar. I hope you find it helpful.

I can think of nothing more irritating than not being able to get my guitar in tune, unless of course it would be listening to someone else who didn't think it was necessary to even "get close." I suppose this frustration is what prompted the phrase, "Tune it or Die!" I've certainly heard musicians(?) with their instrument so badly out of tune that killing them would have probably been, "Too good for 'em."

I hope the next following paragraphs can help you solve this sometimes simple, often times impossible task of getting in tune.

Tone Deaf? You are kidding right? No? Well, I promise it's likely only a temporary condition. Hearing degrees of pitch is something that you learn over time; the more you do it the better you get.

Here are some simple guidelines to follow:

• When you first pick a string it will tend to be sharp. Allow it two or three seconds to settle to its actual pitch.
• Always tune slowly, and LISTEN to the pitch or beat of the note.
• Always tune UP to the note you're are trying to reach. If necessary loosen the string a bit first and tune up to the pitch. If for some reason you can't seem to find the pitch, chances are you've gone too far, loosen the string 3 or 4 turns and start over.
• Tuning takes practice. Practice tuning every day.

Devices to tune with:

Pitch Pipe - This was probably the first device I recall using to tune with. Basically six cylindrical reed pipes joined together with each representing a string on the guitar. The principle here is to select a note blow it and match the corresponding string to it. This is a tried and true method, but requires practice. Even as a beginner I was able to use a pitch pipe without much difficulty.

Advantages - Small and covers all the notes necessary to tune you guitar to standard pitch.
Disadvantages - As it ages it will likely go out of tune itself and become a very useless dust collector.

Piano - Many times you'll need to tune to a piano, as it's easier to tune your guitar to it as opposed to tuning it to you. Just find the corresponding notes and tune to the piano. If it's an acoustic piano, there is a good chance that it will not be in tune with itself, which means you'll only be close to in tune. So you'll have to make adjustments. If you are tuning to an electronic keyboard then you will likely not have that problem.

Advantages - Keyboards can be very precise.
Disadvantages - Too big to fit in your guitar case.

Tuning Fork - Struck against your knee, the prongs of this fork will vibrate at a predetermined frequency. While it's vibrating you can hold the base of it between your teeth and then match the appropriate string to the tone now resonating through your head.

Advantages - Small and very precise.
Disadvantages - Only good for one note; you're on your own for the rest.

Electronic Tuner - I bought my first electronic tuner in 1978. I still have it. I paid $99.50 for it and you better believe I'm proud to still own it. Electronic tuners have come way down in price since then, as a similar tuner now will cost about $30. Electronic tuners range in price from $10 to several hundred dollars (The one on my repair bench sells for about $300).

Advantages - Tuning with one of these devices is extremely easy and very precise.
Disadvantages - You really never learn how to tune; you become dependent on the device.

On to the Tuning!


TUNING METHODS

Relative Tuning

• If you have a piano or access to one, try to match the 6th string (the biggest one) to the 12th white key to the LEFT of middle C (it's also the 12th white key starting at the far left). Once you have matched these you're ready to go to the next step. If a piano is not available then a pitch pipe can help you with this note. 2. Fret the 6th string at the 5th fret and strike that note (it's an A). Now match the 5th string to that pitch. Remember to tune UP to the pitch, so loosen the 5th string and tune slowly until the pitches match.
• Fret the 5th string at the 5th fret and strike that note (it's a D). Now match the 4th string to that pitch. Remember to tune UP to the pitch, so loosen the 4th string and tune slowly until the pitches match. One of the most common mistake when tuning is tightening the string too much and going past the desired pitch. If you feel this has happened, loosen the string and start over.
• Fret the 4th string at the 5th fret and strike that note (it's a G). Now match the 3rd string to that pitch. Once again remember to tune UP to the pitch, so loosen the string and tune slowly until the pitches match.
• Fret the 3rd string at the 4th fret and strike that note (it's a B). Now match the 2nd string to that pitch. Yes, I'm going to repeat it - Remember to tune UP to the pitch, so loosen the string and tune slowly until the pitches match.
• Fret the 2nd string at the 5th fret and strike that note (it's an E). Now match the 1st string to that pitch. Remember to tune UP to the pitch, so loosen the 1st string and tune slowly until the pitches match. (It's important - that's why I keep saying it.)

Ok... you're almost done. You should go back to the sixth string and check it with the piano or pitch pipe repeating the six steps. It's good to check it a couple of times; try to get it as close to 'in tune' as you can. This method can be reversed and tune from high string to low string. This is handy when using a tuning fork; most common tuning forks used with guitar are E-329.6 (same as the first string) and A-440 (first string fifth fret). So by reversing you start with the high E and fret the 2nd string at the 5th fret and match the fretted note to the open string, etc. etc.

Harmonic Tuning

If you are interested in this method of tuning chances are you've experimented with harmonics. If you've not tried it, try it now at the 12th fret. Just a light touch, (not pressing) directly over the fret, after the string is picked, quickly take your finger off. If you've done it right a bell-like tone will have just sounded (this is called the first overtone).

Other positions create natural harmonics as well, and we can use those positions to tune a guitar.

Here's how:

• Start with your guitar (or at least your 6th string) close to 'in-tune.'
• Match the sound of the harmonic of the 5th string at the 7th fret with the harmonic of the 6th string at the 5th fret.
• Match the sound of the harmonic of the 4th string at the 7th fret with the harmonic of the 5th string at the 5th fret.
• Match the sound of the harmonic of the 3rd string at the 7th fret with the harmonic of the 4th string at the 5th fret.
• Match the sound of the harmonic of the 2nd string at the 5th fret with the harmonic of the 3rd string at the 4th fret. This may be difficult for the beginner, so you can also match the harmonic of the 6th string at the 7th fret to the open 2nd string.
• Match the sound of the harmonic of the 1st string at the 7th fret with the harmonic of the 2nd string at the 5th fret.

You might want to repeat those steps a couple of times to make sure everything is as close as you can get it.

Tuning by Beats

After you've played and practiced tuning for sometime and your ears are more sensitive you may be able to hear what is called beats. Whenever you strike to notes together, if they are not in tune with each other the intensity (or volume) of both notes will pulse at a regular frequency. These are the 'beats' - listen carefully. The number of beats per second is equal to the difference in vibrations per second of the two notes. The slower the beats the closer the pitch of the two notes. When you can't hear the beats then you've succeeded in matching the two tones.

Octave Tuning

I find this to be a handy method of tuning, but even handier in checking your tuning. The following steps can be followed to use this method of tuning.

• Fret the 1st string at the 7th fret (it's a B). This note is an octave higher than the note you'll tune the 2nd string to. Match the 2nd string to the fretted note on the 1st string, but remember you will be an octave from that note.
• Fret the 2nd string at the 8th fret (it's a G). This note is an octave higher than the note you'll tune the 3rd string to. Now, match the 3rd string to the fretted note on the 2nd string, again remembering you will be an octave from that note.
• Fret the 3rd string at the 7th fret (it's a D). This note is an octave higher than the note you'll tune the 4th string to. Like before match the 4th string to the fretted note on the 3rd string, and remember you will be an octave from that note.
• Fret the 4th string at the 7th fret (it's an A). This note is an octave higher than the note you'll tune the 5th string to. Again, match the 5th string to the fretted note on the 4th string, but remember you will be an octave from that note.
• Fret the 5th string at the 7th fret (it's an A). This note is an octave higher than the note you'll tune the 6th string to.
• Finally, match the 6th string to the fretted note on the 5th string, don't forget you will be an octave from that note.

Once again, you should do this procedure a couple of times to make sure you are as close to being in tune as you are presently able.

Closing

I'd like to add here that the condition of your instrument certainly will have an effect on your ability to tune, play in tune, and stay in tune. A fresh set of strings is always a good place to start. Worn frets, nuts, and saddles can also affect tuning along with probably a hundred other things I've failed to mention.

In conclusion, there are certainly other methods of tuning (I've only covered a very few), and I'm sure with some experimentation you will find one that works best for you. I also neglected to discuss Pure Tuning as Opposed to Temperament - which is certainly a subject for later discussion. There is, I suppose, no right or wrong way to tune. There is, however, a standard tuning, and you need to attempt to be as close as you are able, regardless of the method you use to get there.


Bibliography

Mel Bay's EZ Way to Tune Guitar - Roger Filberto - Mel Bay Publications - 1979
Guitar Tuning for the Complete Musical Idiot - Ron Middlebrook - Centerstream Publications - 1981