Guitar Tuner

Automatic




Manual



****************************************************************

Main Source: www.howtotuneaguitar.org

****************************************************************

How to Tune a Guitar

Tuning the guitar is vital to sounding good. Here are some simple instructions that explain guitar tuning basics. The open strings of a guitar from the thickest to thinest are as follows:

• E – the thickest or lowest sounding string is known as the 6th string
• A – is the 5th
• D – is the 4th
• G – is the 3rd
• B – is the 2nd
• E – the thinest or highest is the 1st

The most common method for tuning both Electric and Acoustic guitars – and the one you can use when no other instrument or guitar tuner is at hand is:

Standard Guitar Tuning Method

Step 1: The E String

Tune the bottom E, as accurately as you can. Chances are it’s in tune anyways, being the thickest string it’s the least likely to detune itself than any of the others. If you have another instrument such as a Piano (which stays in tune for years), you can tune it to the 2nd E below middle C (aka C4). If you have no device or instrument handy just try to get it as accurate as possible, what really counts when you are playing is that the guitar is in tune with itself and any other instruments you might be playing with.

Step 2: The A String

Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the fifth fret on the bottom Estring. That’s an A note. Keep your finger on that fret. Now pick the fifth and six strings in turn, gently adjusting the fifth string tuning peg until the two notes are the same.

Step 3: The D String

Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the fifth fret on the A string. That’s a D note. Tune the 4th string (the D note) to that.

Step 4: The G String

Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the fifth fret on the D string. That’s a G note. Tune your G string to that note.

Step 5: The B String

Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the forth fret (note the B string is the only one that comes from a different position the forth fret, the rest are from the 5th fret).

Step 6: Tuning the E String

Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the fifth fret on the B string. That’s a E note.

Standard Guitar Tuning Methods

There are many different methods you can use to tune a guitar. The most popular and widely used is the standard method. That is, the strings are tuned from thickest to thinnest E A D G B E. This tuning evolved mainly because it is the best and easiest for fingering the most amount of scales and chords.

Not only are there different tunings, but there are also different techniques to tuning up. I suggest that you experiment and learn different ways to tune. Here are 5 easy methods:

• Using An Online Guitar Tuner
• Tuning With An Electronic Tuner
• Guitar Tuning With A Keyboard or Piano
• Tuning In Octaves
• Tuning With Harmonics

Using an Online Guitar Tuner

Check out this online guitar tuner. This guitar tuner can also do alternated guitar tunings; such as Drop D, Open C, Open G, Open D, Open G, Half Step Down, Full Step Down, Open E or Admiral.

Tuning With an Electronic Tuner

There are many electronic tuners on the market today. An electronic tuner monitors the frequency of each of the six strings. The guitar tuning is adjusted until the correct reading on the tuner is given. These are especially good if you are the visual type of learner.

An electric guitar or acoustic guitar with a pick-up can also be plugged into the tuner. Sound can be picked up by a tiny built in microphone; this allows acoustics without pick-ups to be tuned. There is a visual frequency display that will show you with a needle how close you are to the proper frequency of any given note. Because of the visual display these tuners are especially helpful in noisy environments, i.e., tuning your guitar in a loud concert hall.

Some electronic tuners also come with adjustable or alternate tunings. Electronic Tuners definitely make guitar tuning easier as they are small and therefore portable. But keep in mind it is helpful to you as a musician to learn to tune by ear as it helps develope your ear, making you a more skillful musician.

Guitar Tuning With A Keyboard or Piano

The first step in any guitar tuning is to find a source for reference tones. Since pianos stay in tune for years they are always a good source to use. Using a Piano or Keyboard the strings on the guitar can be tuned to six keys on the keyboard. The diagram below shows the relationship between the open notes of standard tuning on guitar and a piano.

Tuning In Octaves

Another common approach to tuning the guitar makes use of octave intervals. To begin with, the open 1st string should be tuned to the note E (you can use an electronic tuner, a piano, a pitchfork, or just wing it by ear to get the correct pitch).

When it is in tune, the open 2nd string (B) can be tuned an octave below the B played on the 7th fret of the 1st string.

With the 2nd string in tune, the open 3rd string (G) can be tuned to the G an octave above on the 8th fret of the 2nd string. The open 4th string (D) can then be tuned to the D an octave above on the 7th fret of the 3rd string.

Similarly, the 5th and 6th strings may also be tuned using the 7th fret octaves.

All the strings except the 3rd should have an interval of an octave between the open string and the 7th fret of the string below. From the 3rd string though, the octave is heard by playing the 8th fret of the 2nd string.

Tuning with Harmonics

On certain frets, when a string is played while a finger gently touches it directly over the fret, a harmonic is produced. Keep in mind you are not fretting the note directly against the fretboard you are simply touching the string. Placing a finger over one of these points changes the usual pitch of a vibrating open string.

Instead, a related higher-frequency note will be heard. This harmonic is referred to as an upper partial. The technique shown below uses a series of harmonics to tune the guitar. Over the 5th fret, the harmonic occurs two octaves above the pitch of the open string. Over the 7th fret, the harmonic is an octave and a fifth above open-string pitch.

1. Tune the 6th string (E) to a tone reference such as an electronic tuner or other instrument
2. Play the 5th harmonic on the 6th string, let this note ring and play the 7th fret harmonic on the 5th string, adjust the tuning head until they sound the same.
3. Play the 5th harmonic on the 5th string, let this note ring and play the 7th fret harmonic on the 4th string, adjust the tuning head until they sound the same.
4. Play the 5th harmonic on the 4th string, let this note ring and play the 7th fret harmonic on the 3rd string, adjust the tuning head until they sound the same.
5. Play the 7th harmonic on the 6th string, let this note ring and play the open 2nd string, adjust the tuning head until they sound the same.
6. Play the 5th harmonic on the 6th string, let this note ring and play the open 1st string, adjust the tuning head until they sound the same.

That concludes this tutorial on 5 easy guitar tuning methods. Now that your all tuned up you can sit back and strum all night long.

Guitar Tuning Tips and Secrets

1. Tune your guitar every time you pick it up to play, guitars can go out of tune sooner then you think.
2. Avoid leaving your guitar in areas with extreme temperature changes, this will definitely mess up the tuning. Dropping or bumping the guitar will also make it go out of tune. Carry your guitar in a case as any damage to it could effect how well it tunes up.
3. In a noisy environment you will definitely want to use a guitar tuner. You should purchase a quality tuner. You don’t need to spend alot. An inexpensive tuner or tuning fork is definitely good enough to start out. Always bring it to gigs and jam sessions. But, remember try to develop your ear by using the traditional guitar tuning method when you can. In the long run you will be just that much better of a musician. Only use a guitar tuner to tune the Low E string and then tune the rest by ear. This will help develop your ear as a musician.
4. Learn to attach the strings to the machine heads properly.
5. ALWAYS TUNE UP! When you tune a guitar string, always start below the desired note and tune up to pitch not down to pitch. This will help prevent the string from going flat during play. Even if the note is too high you can stretch the string to give it some slack then tighten it.
6. Tuning heads have a certain amount of “play” in them so make a couple of deep bends and then fine tune the string.
   
   Before tuning a suspect string, check it against both adjacent strings to determine which string is actually out of tune. The string you suspect may not even be the culprit.
7. Play a chord that you know well to test the tuning, if it sounds odd or out a bit it probably is, remember always trust you ear.
8. When tuning a guitar with a vibrato arm, tune the string, give the arm a good shake, stretch the string, give the arm another shake and fine tune.
9. When putting new strings on your guitar you must always make sure you stretch them as you tune them to pitch. Try holding them down on the neck around the 24th fret with your right hand while pulling them away from the guitar body with your left hand. You don’t have to use too much muscle, a few firm tugs should do the trick.

Alternate Tunings

Name	Notes in Tuning
Standard	e1	a1	d2	g2	b2	e3
Drop D	d1	a1	d2	g2	b2	e3
Half Step Down	d#1	g#1	c#2	f#2	a#2	d#3
Full Step Down	d1	g1	c2	f2	a2	d3
1 and 1/2 Steps Down	c#1	f#1	b1	e2	g#2	c#3
Double Drop D	d1	a1	d2	g2	b2	d3
Drop C	c1	g1	c2	f2	a2	d3
Drop C#	c#1	g#1	c#2	f#2	a#2	d#3
Drop B	b0	f#1	b1	e2	g#2	c#3
Drop A#	a#0	f1	a#1	d#2	g2	c3
Drop A	a0	e1	a1	d2	f#2	b2
Open D	d1	a1	d2	f#2	a2	d3
Open D Minor	d1	a1	d2	f2	a2	d3
Open G	d1	g1	d2	g2	b2	d3
Open G Minor	d1	g1	d2	g2	a#2	d3
Open C	c1	g1	c2	g2	c3	e3
Open C#	c#1	f#1	b2	e2	g#2	c#3
Open C Minor	c1	g1	c2	g2	c3	d#3
Open E7	e1	g#1	d2	e2	b2	e3
Open E Minor7	e1	b1	d2	g2	b2	e3
Open G Major7	d1	g1	d2	f#2	b2	d3
Open A Minor	e1	a1	e2	a2	c3	e3
Open A Minor7	e1	a1	e2	g2	c3	e3
Open E	e1	b1	e2	g#2	b2	e3
Open A	e1	a1	c#2	e2	a2	e3
C Tuning	c1	f1	a#1	d#2	g2	c3
C# Tuning	c#1	f#1	b1	e2	g#2	c#3
Bb Tuning	a#0	d#1	g#1	c#2	f2	a#2
A to A (Baritone)	a0	d1	g1	c2	e2	a2
D A D D D D	d1	a1	d2	d2	d3	d3
C G D G B D	c1	g1	d2	g2	b2	d3
C G D G B E	c1	g1	d2	g2	b2	e3
D A D E A D	d1	a1	d2	e2	a2	d3
D G D G A D	d1	g1	d2	g2	a2	d3
Open Dsus2	d1	a1	d2	g2	a2	d3
Open Gsus2	d1	g1	d2	g2	c3	d3
G6	d1	g1	d2	g2	b2	e3
Modal G	d1	g1	d2	g2	c3	d3
Overtone	c2	e2	g2	a#2	c3	d3
Pentatonic	a1	c2	d2	e2	g2	a3
Minor Third	c2	d#2	f#2	a2	c3	d#3
Major Third	c2	e2	g#2	c3	e3	g#3
All Fourths	e1	a1	d2	g2	c3	f3
Augmented Fourths	c1	f#1	c2	f#2	c3	f#3
Slow Motion	d1	g1	d2	f2	c3	d3
Admiral	c1	g1	d2	g2	b2	c3
Buzzard	c1	f1	c2	g2	a#2	f3
Face	c1	g1	d2	g2	a2	d3
Four and Twenty	d1	a1	d2	d2	a2	d3
Ostrich	d1	d2	d2	d2	d3	d3
Capo 200	c1	g1	d2	d#2	d3	d#3
Balalaika	e1	a1	d2	e2	e2	a2
Charango		g1	c2	e2	a2	e3
Cittern One	c1	f1	c2	g2	c3	d3
Cittern Two	c1	g1	c2	g2	c3	g3
Dobro	g1	b1	d2	g2	b2	d3
Lefty	e3	b2	g2	d2	a1	e1
Mandoguitar	c1	g1	d2	a2	e3	b3
Rusty Cage	b0	a1	d2	g2	b2	e3

An easy way to memorize the notes of standard guitar tuning

An easy and fun way to remember the open notes of a standard guitar tuning is to come up with an acronym, or use one of the ones below. If you have a guitar tuning acronym that you would like to see added contact me here. Many of these have been sent by other visitors to the site.

• Every August Dog’s Go Biting Elvis
• Even Average Dogs Get Bones Eventually
• Eat All Dead Gophers Before Easter
• Every Acid Dealer Gets Busted Eventually
• Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears
• Every Acolyte Does Get Better Eventually
• Every Body Go Drink And Eat
• Easter Bunny Gets Drunk At Easter
• Every Average Dude Gets Booze Easily
• Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie

Full Step Down: D G C F A D

There are many methods to get into a guitar tuning that is a full step down, so I encourage you after learning this simple 3 Step Method to experiment with your own.

Step 1: Tune your Low E to the D (low E is the thickest string)

Tune the low E to a D. Exactly like Drop D guitar tuning. Pluck the 2 strings together or alternate between them until they sound alike. The low D will be an octave lower then the D you are tuning from, but they are the exact same note.

Step 2: Tune the rest of your guitar as you would regularly tune it

Tune the rest of the strings in relation to the D you just dropped down. Just like you would with Standard Guitar Tuning. The only thing that changes are the note names. So the tuning we are looking for is D G C F A D. If you tune the 2nd thickest string (which is normally A) to the 5th fret of the D string you just tuned, that would be a G.

The Low D String:

-0—1—2—3—4—5
-D—D#–E—F—F#–G

Then once you have the G, the 5th fret of that string becomes a C, which is the next string you need.

-0—1—2—3—4—5
-G—G#–A—A#–B—C

The tuning pattern from the top down for Standard Guitar Tuning is always 5th fret, 5th fret, 5th fret, 4th fret, 5th fret. If you wanted to tune down half a step you would tune your thickest string which is usually a Low E to the 1st fret of the D string. Or otherwise known as D#. A half step is one note below the note you start with, it is also classically referred to as a semi-tone. 2 notes are equal to a full tone or full step.

Just a word of advice to any beginners, if you wanted to tune you guitar higher say up a full step or half-step, you would be wise to use a capo, as your strings may break otherwise.

Types of Guitar Effect Pedals

Distortion and Over Drive

The most popular effects pedal of all time. The type of distortion varies widely depending on the pedal from smooth and fuzzy to coarse and rough. If you are playing heavy metal, punk rock or some type of hard rock a distortion or overdrive pedal is essential.

Most distortion pedals work by emitting a square sound wave at the same frequency as the input from the guitar. The two are then blended together. The proportion of square wave to normal sound is then adjusted by a distortion dial. The more square the wave, the more distorted the guitar will sound. Many guitar amplifiers also come with built in distortion.

Common Controls on Distortion or Overdrive pedals:

• Level – adjusts the amount of volume.
• Presence – Produces bright high frequencies and fat low ones.
• Distortion or Overdrive – Adjusts the amount of distortion.

Phasing and Flanging

A phaser or flanger gives the guitar a rich sound that seems to blend up and down. A phaser works by splitting the sound signal from a guitar pick up into two. The two sound signals are then shifted to be out of phase with each other. This process is also known as phase shifting and is the basis of both flanging and phasing. The signals are put out of phase by altering the speed of one signal, which affects the pitch.

Common Controls on Phaser or Flanger Pedals:

• Manual – sets the delay time
• Depth – adjusts the sweep range; how far the sounds go ‘out of place’.
• Rate – Determines the sweep speed.
• Resonance – Controls the amount of feedback.

Noise Gates

Noise gates cut out background noise and are essential for any type of serious recording. If you use several pedals it is useful to install a noise gate as the last pedal before the guitar amp.

Noise gates have a control called release time. This affects the speed with which the noise gate opens and closes. A fast release could create a more punchy sound by cutting the decay (the time it takes for a sound to fade), giving a brief clipped note.

Chorus

Chorus effects are also accomplished through phase shifting, which can create delay and changes in pitch. Small changes in both can create the sound of one instrument sounding like many in unison. This gives a very full effect if strumming.

Common Controls on Chorus Pedals:

• Rate – varies the intensity.
• Depth – controls sweep width.
• Tone – boosts the treble.

Delay and Sampling

Delay foot pedals create delay digitally. This is a very versatile effect. It is possible to obtain resonant, echoey sounds as with reverb but you can also gain an audible echo. The volume and pit of this echo can be adjusted, as can delay time between echoes.

The echo is a digital recording, held temporary in the pedal’s memory. Many delay pedals take this one step further with a ‘hold’ facility which enables them to record or ’sample’ a riff or chord. It is then possible to play a different riff or chord over the sample as it repeats.

Common Controls on Delay and Sampling Pedals:

• Delay level – affects the volume of the delay.
• Feedback – adjusts the speed at which the signal is repeated.
• Delay Time – adjusts the speed at which the signal is repeated.
• Range – has four pre-set delay ranges which govern how pronounced the echo effect is.
• Hold – has three positions; off, unlatched and latched.

Wah Wah

This device emphasizes a specific band of frequencies. The movements of the pedal control moves the band of frequencies up or down the audio spectrum, so the same note can sound ‘fat’ or ‘thin’.

This pedal was very popular in the late 1960’s, the most famous version called the ‘Cry Baby’, used extensively by Jimi Hendrix. With the ‘Wah Wah’ effect a wide variety of sounds can be achieved.

Compressors and Limiters

Compressors and limiters are used to reduce the dynamic range of a sound signal before it reaches a loudspeaker. An unsubtle form of manual compression would be to pull down a fader control during loud passages in a studio. The advantage of electronic devices is that they respond much quicker than the human ear to variations in volume.

Limiters are used in studios or in situations where excessive volume control could damage the human ear, loudspeakers or other equipment. They enable you to set a maximum volume threshold so that at high volumes the output remains constant. Compressors work along a similar principle. Instead of altering gain to preserve a fixed output level, the compressor changes the amplifier’s ratio. For example, before compression, the ratio is 1 to 1.

This means that if the input voltage rises by one volt. If a compressor changes the ratio to 2:1, the output voltage would only rise by half a volt for each one volt rise in output. In terms of playing, compressors help sustain without distortion and reduce differences in volume between strings, low and high notes, harmonics and real notes. It also gives a very ‘gutsy’ rhythm sound.

Common Controls on Compressor and Limiter Pedals:

• Sustain Control – determines the sustain time
• Tone Control – gives a variety of tone colors on the effect sound.
• Attack Control – determines the time the compressor takes to react to any
• excessive volume, so that even notes of a quick passage can be compressed.
• Level Control – adjusts the volume balance between the effect and normal signals.