I always wanted to write a detailed guitar tuning guide, partially to help beginners, but also to explore the very nature of what it means to be in tune.
Music is a wonderful thing, but behind it, it’s maths, and I wanted to touch upon the mathematical part of harmony to explain why it is important to stay in tune.
Besides that, in this ultimate guide, I will delve deep into the nuances of tuning your instrument, exploring various methods, techniques, and tools to help you achieve optimal sound quality and playability.
The Theory Behind Being in Tune
Harmony in music is like when different notes or chords play together and they sound good. It’s when the music feels balanced and pleasant to listen to because the sounds fit well together. It’s kind of like when you mix different colors to create a beautiful picture, but instead, you’re mixing sounds to create a beautiful melody or song.
When the strings of an instrument are not in tune, it’s like if the colors in your picture didn’t match up right. The notes you play might clash or sound off, making the music sound messy or unpleasant. It’s harder to make nice melodies or chords because the sounds don’t fit together well. So, keeping your instrument in tune is important to make sure the music sounds good and harmonious.
Hertz (Hz) — What Is It and Why Does it Matter for Tuning?
Hertz (Hz) is a unit of measurement used to describe frequency, particularly in the context of sound waves.
In simpler terms, it tells us how many times something vibrates or cycles per second. In music, Hertz is often used to measure the pitch of a note or the frequency of a sound wave.
Imagine you have a guitar string. When you pluck it, it vibrates back and forth. The number of times it vibrates back and forth in one second is what we call Hertz (Hz). So, if a string vibrates 100 times in one second, its frequency is 100 Hz.
Now, each time the string vibrates, it produces a sound wave. This sound wave travels through the air and into our ears. Our brains interpret these vibrations as sound.
In music, each note corresponds to a specific frequency or number of vibrations per second. For example, the note A above middle C typically vibrates at around 440 Hz. When you play different notes on a piano or guitar, you’re actually producing sound waves with different frequencies.
Why does this matter for harmony?
Well, when you play multiple notes together, their frequencies interact. If these frequencies are in harmony, they blend together nicely, creating a pleasing sound. But if they’re out of tune, they clash, creating dissonance, which doesn’t sound good.
So, musicians need to tune their instruments carefully to ensure that the frequencies of the notes they play match up well with each other, creating beautiful harmony in their music.
Introducing Cents
In the context of music, a cent is a unit of measurement used to describe the difference in pitch between two musical notes. It’s a way of quantifying how much one note is higher or lower in pitch compared to another note.
Here’s how it works:
- There are 100 cents in a semitone. A semitone is the smallest interval used in Western music, representing the distance between two adjacent keys on a piano, or two frets on a guitar.
- Since there are 12 semitones in an octave, there are 1200 cents in an octave (12 semitones * 100 cents).
So, if one note is 50 cents higher than another note, it means it’s halfway between that note and the next note up in pitch.
How Does This Work in Practice?
Sure, let’s consider an example:
Imagine you have two notes: Note A and Note A+. I am using A+, because it is a note between A and B, so less than a semitone. It is between the two notes.
- Note A is vibrating at a frequency of 440 Hz (which is the standard pitch for the A above middle C on a piano).
- Note A+ is vibrating at a frequency slightly higher than Note A.
Now, let’s say Note A+ is vibrating at a frequency of 444 Hz.
To calculate the difference in pitch between Note A and Note B in cents, we use the formula:
Where:
Plugging in the values, we get:
So, Note B is approximately 38.4 cents higher in pitch than Note A. This means Note B is slightly sharper than Note A, but it’s still very close in pitch.
In other words, 61.6 cents higher, and A would be B.
Musicians often use cents for tuning and adjusting the pitch of their instruments. It allows them to make precise adjustments to achieve the desired harmony and tuning accuracy.
Cents are important when using guitar tuners.
Guitar tuners often display the pitch of each string in cents. This allows you to make very precise adjustments to each string’s tension until it reaches the correct pitch. For example, if a tuner shows that a string is 5 cents sharp (higher) or flat (lower), you know exactly how much you need to adjust the tuning peg to bring it into tune.
Understanding cents can also be a valuable tool for training your ear. As you become more familiar with the sound of different intervals and their corresponding cents values, you can develop a better sense of pitch and tuning accuracy without relying solely on a tuner.
Guide to Tuning Your Guitar with a Tuner
Tuning your guitar with a tuner is a fundamental skill for every guitarist. It ensures that your instrument produces the correct pitches, allowing you to play in tune with other musicians and enjoy the full richness of your guitar’s sound. Here’s a detailed guide on how to tune your guitar using a tuner:
1. Choose the Right Tuner
There are various types of tuners available, including clip-on tuners, pedal tuners, and smartphone apps. Choose one that suits your preferences and needs. Clip-on tuners are convenient and portable, while pedal tuners are often used for live performances. Check out my detailed guide on guitar tuners.
2. Prepare Your Guitar
Sit or stand comfortably with your guitar. Make sure it’s in a stable position, and there’s enough light for you to see the tuner display clearly. Also, ensure that the tuner is securely attached or positioned where it can pick up the vibrations from the guitar.
3. Turn On the Tuner
Power on the tuner and select the appropriate settings if necessary. Most tuners allow you to choose between different tuning modes such as chromatic, guitar, bass, or ukulele. Make sure you’re in the correct mode for tuning a guitar.
4. Tune One String at a Time
Start with the low E string (the thickest string) and work your way to the high E string (the thinnest string). Tuning in this order helps maintain tension balance on the guitar neck.
Pluck the string you want to tune. Let it ring out clearly and sustain for a few seconds. This ensures that the tuner has enough time to register the pitch accurately.
5. Read the Tuner Display
As you pluck the string, the tuner display will indicate whether the note is in tune or not. There are usually several indicators:
- A needle or arrow pointing to the center indicates that the note is in tune.
- If the needle or arrow points to the left, the note is flat (too low in pitch). If it points to the right, the note is sharp (too high in pitch).
- Some tuners also display the note name (e.g., E, A, D) and the number of cents sharp or flat the note is from the desired pitch.
6. Adjust the Tuning Peg
If the tuner indicates that the string is flat, tighten the string by turning the tuning peg clockwise. If it’s sharp, loosen the string by turning the tuning peg counterclockwise.
Make small adjustments to the tuning peg and check the tuner display frequently to avoid overshooting the correct pitch.
7. Repeat for Each String
After tuning the low E string, move on to the A string, D string, G string, B string, and finally the high E string.
Use the same process of plucking the string, reading the tuner display, and adjusting the tuning peg until each string is in tune.
8. Double-Check Your Tuning
Once you’ve tuned all the strings, go back and double-check each one to ensure they’re still in tune. Sometimes tuning one string can affect the tension on the other strings, so it’s essential to check them all again.
9. Test Your Tuning
Play some chords or scales to test your tuning. Listen carefully to ensure that the notes sound clear and harmonious when played together.
10. Maintain Your Tuner
Keep your tuner in good condition by replacing the batteries regularly (if applicable) and storing it in a safe place when not in use. Clean the tuner display and sensors periodically to ensure accurate readings.
By following these steps and practicing regularly, you’ll become proficient at tuning your guitar with a tuner, allowing you to play confidently and enjoy the full potential of your instrument.
Guide to Tuning Your Guitar Without a Tuner
Sometimes a tuner isn’t nearby, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get your guitar in tune! You can use a method called “relative tuning,” where you tune each string in relation to the strings around it. Here’s how:
Assumptions:
- You have at least one string roughly in tune (we’ll use the low E string as our starting point).
- You know the standard string order of a guitar (low to high): E, A, D, G, B, E.
Let’s head to instructions.
Tune the A String
- Pluck your low E string.
- Press the 5th fret of the low E string—this produces an A note.
- Adjust your open A string until it sounds exactly the same as the 5th fret of the E string.
Tune the D String
- Pluck the A string.
- Press the 5th fret of the A string—this produces a D note.
- Adjust your open D string until it matches the 5th fret of the A string.
Tune the G String
- Pluck the D string.
- Press the 5th fret of the D string—this produces a G note.
- Adjust your open G string until it matches the 5th fret of the D string.
Tune the B String
- Pluck the G string.
- Press the 4th fret of the G string—this produces a B note (this is the exception to the 5th fret rule).
- Adjust your open B string until it matches the 4th fret of the G string.
Tune the E String
- Pluck the B string.
- Press the 5th fret of the B string—this produces an E note.
- Tune your open high E string until it matches the 5th fret of your B string.
Important Notes
If you don’t have a single string in tune, don’t worry! Find a reference pitch from a piano, a tuning fork, or even an online pitch generator.
If you don’t have reference note, Relative tuning gets your guitar in tune with itself, but it may not be perfectly in concert pitch (A=440Hz). Use a tuner for precise tuning if you’re playing with others.
Super Important for Newcomers: Why You Should Use Tuners
The pitch differences between adjacent frets on a guitar are relatively small (approximately a semitone). An untrained ear might struggle to accurately perceive these subtle changes, leading to imprecise tuning where the string ends up slightly sharp (too high) or flat (too low) compared to the intended pitch.
Each string on the guitar has a unique timbre (tone) due to its thickness and material. This can further complicate the process of comparing notes, as the brain might be focusing on the different tonal qualities rather than the pure pitch itself.
String vibrations produce not only the fundamental pitch (the lowest frequency) but also harmonics (higher frequencies). New players might be unconsciously influenced by these harmonics, making it harder to focus on the fundamental pitch needed for accurate tuning.
Because of all of this, newcomers should stick to guitar tuners for starters.
Training Your Ear
There’s other side of the coin: relying only on tuners all the time might make your ear lazy, so you should still try to train your ear whenever possible.
How to do that?
1. Embrace the Power of Singing
- Sing scales and intervals: Regularly practice singing major and minor scales, along with common intervals like major and minor thirds, perfect fourths, and fifths. This internalizes the sound of various musical relationships.
- Sing along with recordings: Choose recordings of familiar melodies and try singing along, focusing on matching the pitch of the instruments or vocals.
- Use a drone app: Download a drone app that produces a sustained single note. Practice singing different pitches against the drone to train your ear to identify relative differences.
2. Leverage Technology
- Ear training apps: Numerous apps and online platforms offer interactive ear training exercises designed to improve pitch recognition in a fun and engaging way.
- Chromatic tuner: While not solely relying on it for tuning, use a chromatic tuner to visually see the pitch of a note while you sing it or play it on your guitar. This helps you associate the sound with its corresponding pitch on the tuner.
3. Engage in Active Listening
- Focus on specific instruments: When listening to music, pay close attention to the melody and bass lines. Try identifying the notes being played and singing along with them.
- Transcribe melodies: Challenge yourself to transcribe simple melodies by ear, either by singing or playing them on your instrument. This actively engages your ear to analyze and remember the sequence of pitches.
- Join a jam session: Playing with other musicians can help you develop your ear in a practical setting. You’ll naturally listen to others and adjust your playing to match their pitch.
4. Be Patient and Consistent
- Start slow and gradually increase difficulty: Don’t overwhelm yourself with complex exercises at the beginning. Start with simple scales and intervals and gradually progress as you gain confidence.
- Practice regularly: Like any skill, ear training requires consistent effort. Dedicate a few minutes daily to ear training exercises, even if it’s just singing scales or using a training app.
- Celebrate your progress: Track your progress and acknowledge your improvements, no matter how small. This will keep you motivated and focused on your long-term goals.
Conclusion
So, there you go! I hope this comprehensive guitar tuning guide will help you get and stay in tune. It’s not rocket science, but the more you know, the better you’ll get. Still, don’t neglect the practical part of it all, so take your guitar, attach a tuner (if you have it), and tune away!