Tuning a Guitar
Tuning a Guitar
If you have even watched people before a performance plucking different strings of the guitar and wondered what they are doing, they are most likely tuning the instrument. If you do not have another instrument or a guitar tuner, the standard tuning method may be used on electric or acoustic guitars.
The open strings on a guitar are the E or sixth string, A or fifth string, D or fourth string, G or third string, B or second string, and E or first string. Tune the bottom E string first. It is the thickest and lowest string and least likely to be out of tune.
If you have a piano available you can tune the E string to the first E below middle C. If you don’t have an instrument or tuning device handy, try to get it as accurate as possible. To tune the A string, place the first finger of your left on hand just behind the fifth fret on the bottom E string to produce the A. Pick the fifth and sixth string sin turn gently adjusting the fifth string tuning peg until the two notes are the same. The D string is tuned in the same manner placing the first finger of your left hand just behind the fifth fret of the A string and follow the same procedure. The G string is tuned by placing your finger behind the fifth fret of the D string. The B string is the only one that is tuned behind a different fret. To tune the B string, use the fourth fret rather than the fifth. The high E string or first string is tuned by placing your finger behind the fifth fret on the B string. Strum a chord you know well to determine if you have been successful.
If all of this seems incredibly complicated to you, guitar tuners are very inexpensive. They can be a simple as a tuning fork or pitch pipe. Digital tuners are very inexpensive and can be clipped directly to head stock. The F Zone digital tuner costs less than twenty dollars. For around thirty dollars you can get the Planet Waves Chromatic Headstock Tuner. It very small and fits right on the guitar. The digital readout is easy to see even in dim light. While you may not have a piano or a tuner, most of us have access to the internet and there are many sites that have interactive guitar tuning applications. Most of them are free.
If you are a beginner, a tuning device will be a great help to you. Once you develop an ear for what is correct, you may have to use it less often. You should tune your guitar every time you play. They go out of tune of a variety of reasons. Avoid temperature extremes when storing your guitar. It’s best to use a guitar case because dropping or bumping the instrument can also cause it to go out of tune. When putting on new strings, make sure to stretch them as you tune them to pitch. Hold them down on the neck around the 24th fret with your right hand and pull them away from the body with your left hand. A few firm tugs will stretch them. Follow these simple tips when tuning a guitar and it will sound great.
