Have you ever listened to a band play where the guitar is not quite in tune? You can hear it… it stands out. “Close enough for rock ‘n roll” is a well-worn mantra heard at many a jam session around the globe. “Close enough…” is also code for “I didn’t have time to,” or “couldn’t be bothered with tuning my guitar before I play for you.” “The audience will never know that your guitar is not in tune” is a myth. Ruling out the effects of alcohol or an over-zealous and “Red-Bull induced” drummer, any ear in the crowd can hear when something sounds off. Which leads us to this month’s subject:
Ever since the first human attached a string to a stick we have been in an eternal quest for tone. History shows that as far back as 4 B.C., we have been trying to make sense of musical theory. The modern guitar is a descendant of the classical guitar, which made its debut in medieval Europe some 500 years ago. Standard classical guitar tuning resembles the tuning of a Renaissance-Era lute.
Conventionally-fretted instruments such as guitars are said to be equal-tempered instruments. This means guitars have been engineered to place the frets on the fingerboard at approximate distances to facilitate a chromatic change from note to note. I use the word “approximate” –guitar tuning is not an exact science.
There are many ways to tune your guitar:
- Manual tuning: This is the oldest way of tuning your guitar. You just need a reference point to start from and an ear to hear the note.
o Tuning fork
o Pitch-pipe
o Piano or electric keyboard
One way to manually tune is to start with the low E string (6th) tuned to an E note. Tune the open 5th string to match the note plucked on the 6th string at the 5th fret. Follow the illustration all the way across the neck. Recheck your tuning.
- Digital tuners: There are so many tuners out there today. They are all good at doing what they do (telling you what note your guitar is playing). Here are some of the different types available:
o Old-school or “meter type”: Not seen as much these days. These have been around since the 1970s and have a real needle that moves to show whether your note is flat or sharp. They have a button to switch from one note to another. They have a ¼” jack to plug your guitar into. Most of them have a built-in mic for acoustic guitars.
o Chromatic tuners: These will allow you to tune any note in the spectrum, making them suitable for tuning in whatever key you choose. They are available in lots of different shapes and sizes. Most use lights that pulsate and lock in when the guitar is in tune. Here is a list of the different types of chromatic tuners:
(1) Stand-alone tuner : A portable tuner you can keep in your case or on your bench, which you can just plug your guitar into when you need to tune.
(2) Clip/on tuner: Uses a vibration sensor to tune your guitar. These are very compact, lightweight and accurate. Clip one onto your headstock and you can even tune while you’re playing.
(3) Pedal tuners: Made to be plugged in line with your pedal board. Most of them have a true/by-pass feature, which bypasses the circuit when not in use so it doesn’t affect the sound. They also mute the signal to the amp while tuning. The screen is large so that you can read the note while you’re in a standing position.
(4) Computer tuner: These are very interactive and can do different types of tuning, making them very versatile. Some use a computer mic or USB guitar cable.
(5) I-Pad/i-Phone & Android app: Tune your guitar using your phone or i-Pad. Some even offer a special cable to plug your guitar directly into your phone or i-Pad, which improves accuracy.
(6) Guitar amp: Many modeling or practice guitar amps offer tuners built right in. These work well, but are sometimes hard to see if you’re playing a live venue.
(7) On-board tuners: Built right into your guitar or an after-market add-on. Usually run on battery. Easy to use while playing live. Usually not quite as accurate. Some can be installed with no permanent modification to the guitar.
(8) Strobe tuner: These are the tuners of the professional luthiers and manufacturers. They are also the most accurate and the most expensive. They are said to be 30 times more accurate than chromatic tuners, and can cost hundreds of dollars. However, Peterson has what they call “virtual strobe” tuners, which work very well and cost under $200.
Note on accuracy: the units of tuning accuracy are called “cents.” A cent is a hundredth of a semitone. When we’re using the word cent, we’re actually talking about musical tolerance (flat and sharp) as compared with absolute pitch. You will see tuner manufacturers touting that their tuners will tune as accurately as 0.1 cent. However, the human ear can only hear pitch differences of around 5 cents. So it really doesn’t make a lot of “sense” to spend hundreds of dollars on an expensive tuner with an accuracy of 0.1 cent. One- or two-cent accuracy is all the average guitar player really needs.
As you can see, there are many types of guitar tuners today. Try out several and find one that suits your needs.
A reliable tuner is a must. That being said, I also think every guitar player should be able to tune his/her own guitar by using a piano, pitch-pipe or tuning fork. Tuning by ear will help you to become a better listener. Any known pitch to use as a reference will work. Last year my wife and I were on vacation, visiting friends at a remote cabin. They had a guitar but no tuner and no reference note. They did, however, have a telephone, which I used to tune the guitar. Ma Bell has a dial tone which plays a constant F note. I have read that the buzz of horsefly wings creates an F note as well, but a horsefly might be a little hard to corral.
There are a lot of good reasons to use an electronic tuner. They are far more accurate than any human ear. Tuners only register the actual pitch of the note, unlike the human ear which hears overtones which might cloud our accuracy. Using tuners makes us better-sounding players.
‘Til next time, play hard! (and in tune!)
♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪♪
