Learning how to tune a guitar effectively is one of the most basic
skills all guitar players need to learn and one of the most elusive
skills to master. There are two main methods of guitar tuning. (with
several variations) The first of these is by ear, the second is using a
tuner. No matter which you choose, being in tune is essential to your
success.
Tuning a Guitar by Ear
Tuning the guitar by ear is a
way for the musician to ensure that the instrument is in tune with
itself. It does not necessarily mean the guitar will be in tune tonally
with the agreed upon standard that is known as concert pitch. Therefore,
unless the musician is gifted with perfect pitch, it is only really
valuable for practice and solo play. You may of course play with other
musicians if everyone tunes to the same instrument, even if it is not in
concert pitch.
However, if the musician has access to a reference
note, possibly from a pitch pipe or tuning fork, then it is possible to
use this method to tune to concert pitch. The most common method is to
begin with the bottom E string, and tune it to pitch. Then move a finger
to the 5th fret and play the E and A string together, and tune the A
string to the same pitch as the bottom E, repeat this for the D and G
strings, the B string is tuned using the 4th fret of the G string,
instead of the 5th fret, and then back to the 5th fret on the B string
to tune top E. This is the simplest method of tuning a guitar by ear; it
is quick and effective, although it does suffer from inaccuracy if the
intonation of the guitar strings is not adjusted correctly. There are
several more advanced methods, some of which play strings in multiple
positions to overcome intonation imperfections using harmonics.
Tuning a Guitar using a Tuner
The
electronic guitar tuner may be the single most unifying feature for the
everyday guitarists. It enabled even the most apprentice guitar player
to tune with confidence and sound like everybody else. Unless you happen
to be lucky enough to have perfect pitch, then using a guitar tuner is
probably the most reliable way of ensuring your instrument is tuned to
concert pitch. A guitar tuner is a small electrical device, which
measures the electrical current of the guitar output, to judge the
current tuning. The most simple electric guitar tuner will allow the
musician to plug their guitar in to the device, and then choose which
string they wish to tune. There is also a feature for acoustic guitars
that allows you to avoid plugging into the device and only use a built
in microphone. The musician then plucks the string, and the tuner
displays whether the string is sharp (too highly pitched), flat (too low
pitched), or in tune by a number of methods; either a needle display or
LED lights or a combination of both. Once the musician is satisfied
that the current string is in tune, they move on to the next. Note, most
competent musicians prefer to check the tuning by ear afterwards. The
reason for this, is if a string is tuned first, and other strings have
their tensions changed as part of the tuning process, then the first
string (or possibly several strings), will lose their perfect tuning.
Most commonly, a musician will use the tuner to get a rough tuning, then
tune again by ear, then recheck using the tuner, making fine
adjustments.
For those new to playing the guitar, tuning can be a
scary subject. However, it is entirely straightforward, a quick lesson
from any competent guitar instructor is usually sufficient to teach the
new player how to tune a guitar accurately, and quickly. Rest assured
the skill of tuning a guitar can be learned with the use of the right
tools and some good listening. It is a skill that will reward you and
the musicians around you for a lifetime
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