How to Tune the Guitar

HOW TO TUNE THE GUITAR

It is essential for your guitar to be in tune, so that the notes you play will sound correct. The main problem with tuning for most students is that the ear is not able to determine slight differences in pitch. For this reason you should seek the aid of a teacher or an experienced guitarist.

Several methods can be used to tune the guitar. These include:

1.     Tuning to another musical instrument (e.g a piano , or another guitar).

2.     Tuning to pitch pipes or a tuning fork.

3.     Tuning with an electronic tuner.

4.     Tuning the guitar to itself.

The most common and useful of these is the latter; tuning the guitar to itself. This method involves finding notes of the same pitch on different strings . The diagram below outlines the notes used:

The method of tuning is as follows:

1.     Tune the open 6^th string to either:

(a)             The open 6^th string of another guitar.

(b)            A piano

The piano note equivalent of the open 6^th string is indicated on the diagram.

            (c ) Pitch pipes which produces notes that correspond with each of the 6 open strings.

        

                       

(d)            A tuning fork. Most tuning forks give the note A.

To produce sound from the tuning fork, hold it by the stem and tap one of the prongs against something hard. This will set up a vibration, which can be heard clearly when the bass of the stem is then placed on a solid surface, e.g. a guitar body.

2.     Place a finger on the 6 string at the 5^th fret. Now play the open A (5^th string). If the guitar is to be in tune, then these two notes must have the same pitch(i.e. sound the same). If they do not sound the same, the 5^th string must be adjusted to match the note produced on the 6^th string. Thus the 5^th string is tuned in relation to the 6^th string.

3.     Tune the open 4^th string to the note on the 5^th fret of the 5^th string, using the method outlined above.

4.     Tune all other strings using the same procedure ,remembering that the  open B string (2^nd ) is tuned to the 4^th fret while all other strings are tuned to the 5^th fret.

5.     Strum an open E major chord , to check if your guitar is turned correctly. At first you may have some difficulty deciding whether or not the chord sound is correct, but as your ear improves you will become more familiar with correct sound of the chord.

Tuning may take you many months to master, and you should practice it constantly. The guidance of a teacher will be an invaluable aid in the early stages of guitar tuning.