Guitar: How to tune the guitar Correctly so it really sounds in tune.

[TonyB]

Okay I can't resist... How do you keep 2 guitar players in tune?

You shoot one!

Anyway, although I've been playing guitar for over 30 years (yikes), I still cheat and use a digital tuner especially live because, first, you can't be up on stage letting everyone hear you getting rid of those wobbles and two, even if you did, the drummer is usually back there tickering around and you can't hear your notes anyway.

For studio work, yeah, I get in the ball park (i.e., make sure one string is dead on frequency) and try to get rid of the wobbles by ear.

[cjackson111]

I have always been frustrated with tuning problems, although all of my guitars are intonated correctly. I primarily play acoustic now and am wondering if the action of the strings plays a large role in tuning problems (the higher the action, the more the string is stretched when freting it). My actions are not high at all, in fact they are quite comfortable, but I am wondering if lowering it a bit will help with tuning when playing up the neck. Electric guitars are easy to adjust the action, but how would you do that on an acoustic?

[garww]

I wouldn't watch American Idol if they were in tune. I find these shows dissonant in concept.

Going back to Over the Bridge, it's basically that slow pick over the strings after you finish a tuning. you can finger pick style and also play holiday tunes and national anthems with those strings.

[brandondrury]

I wouldn't watch American Idol if they were in tune. I find these shows dissonant in concept.

Yeah, no kidding. There is something utterly disgusting about the entire process and I'd have to think about it for 3 days before I really knew what it was. There is something just as ridiculous about it as professional wrestling (but less fun), but most people don't realize it's fake....or something.

[P.P.T.]

It's physically inpossible to tune a guitar with complete accuracy so that all chord forms sound in tune and stay in tune all up and down the neck.

Even when the bridge is propperly inntonated. Some people just down't have hearing that is subtle enough to notice and other people are driven crazy by it.

The best you can do is get one of those nut replacements that have the string cut off points set in a jagged pattern that helps compensate.
I don't know if even that will make it perfect.

It's partly the construction of guitars and partly the scale system we use which is a compromised scale tuning that makes playing in different keys possible.

Sorry, I don't know the names of the different systems and which one we commonly use.

I've kind of just decided to try to ignore the slight out of tuneness from chord to chord, specially open chords.

[brandondrury]

I've kind of just decided to try to ignore the slight out of tuneness from chord to chord, specially open chords.

For my sanity, I've learned to deal with a certain taint of out-of-tuneness. If I had 6 months to make a record I may not. Regardless, open chords MUST be in tune for me. I can live with out tune chords up higher on the neck.

Brandon

[porcubot]

I used to tune using the 5th fret method until my teacher taught me the harmonic method, which I felt was a lot better. The song In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 by Coheed and Cambria is permanently etched in my mind, so if I needed to tune without any reference I would use that to tune my low string, then use the harmonics method to tune the rest of the guitar. If I'm playing by myself, I don't care if the tuning is perfect, so long as all the strings are tuned relative to one another.
I also noticed that the force of your picking affects whether or not the string is in tune, but especially in the higher frets, how hard you're pressing down on the fret affects the tune too. If I'm in a situation where I can't do anything about it at the moment, I bend the string a little bit if it's too flat.

[Bigduggieface]

There are 3 general guidelines to follow if you want your guitar to stay in tune consistently. Once you follow these guidelines and you get in tune, you will stay in tune no matter what guitar or bass you are using.

1. Stretch the strings. Not just a couple of light pulls, but grab each string and pull them away from the guitar vigorously. Not sharply, but with a good amount of pressure. The goal is to have the strings reach their point of maximum stretch.

2. Use an electronic tuner. You can get 'em cheap, but the more money you spend the happier you'll be. Play a harmonic at the 12th fret and adjust your tuners accordingly.

3. Always tune UPWARDS. That is, always tune upwards in pitch from a flat pitch INTO perfect pitch. NOT from a sharp note DOWN to perfect pitch. The reason is that your strings have a tendency to bind on the nut which can work your string out of tune.

Pull on your strings, tune upwards, and watch your electronic tuner. Keep repeating these steps until the act of pulling on the strings has virtually no effect. Then you know the strings have been stretched out, and all of the bending and picking you do will not affect the strings. I guarantee it!

[frshtrx]

I'm with Tony R on this - any deviation in a guitar being in tune for some chords and out of tune for others is a fault of the guitar that should be corrected if possible.
A superior luthier sets the bridge and cuts or shapes the bridge blank as the guitar is intonation tested... a time consuming iterative process - same true for an electric bridge's individual length settings. Lower end guitars are manufactured without regard for this process and rely on theoretical placement, and so turn out guitars that are flaky as described.
...that's why studios commonly have talent borrow the house instruments instead of letting the talent record on the plywood they bring to the session...yeah?

Also - regarding Brandon's bit about the attack changing the tuning...true that. My tuner instructions were that the most accurate sample for tuning is in the latter half of the note decay, not the beginning or middle, due to the variance the attack gives the string.

Personal, I check my digital tuner against inter-string harmonics, 12th and 7th, 7ths and 5ths, and octaves - 7th low E to 12th B, 7th A to 12th high e, to try blending towards the middle ground for the guitar as needed.

I can't watch America Idol either, unless it's the specials that show the out takes and crazy people. Those are awesome.

[Reversewahwah]

I always use my trusty BOSS TU-2. I always changed strings a few days prior to a recording session, depending on the condition of the strings. I notice if I have to tune up a lot my strings are spent. I have many different guitars and I use certain strings for certain instruments. When I change them, I also take the time to clean the fingerboard and frets and stretch them like crazy before I lock the strings. I also take care in the way I have the wraps going around the post. I have been using a Dean Markley Speed Winder on my drill.
The BOSS TU-2 has been the best tuner I have ever owned. You can see in bright day light as well as in dark conditions.
James
I always use a tuner, my ears can notice when things are slightly off. There is nothing wrong with using harmonics, but I still think a tuner is best way, plus you can mute and everybody doesn't have to hear you while you do it.