Tuning Your Guitar

There are many methods in which you can tune your guitar. Let's look at the two common method that are usually used.

Method 1:


The first one requires a reference pitch on one of the strings, usually from a piano or another guitar. For example, once you manage to get the sixth string (Low E) in tune, place your finger on the fifth fret of the sixth string, pick it, and then pick the 5th string (on open end i.e. without pressing any frets) as well. Compare the two sound. If the 5th string sounds higher or lower than the 6th string, tune accordingly until both sounds the same. Do that on all the strings except when you are tuning the second string. When tuning the second string, press the 4th fret of the 3rd string, then let the 2nd string ring openly. Compare the sound and adjust the machine head accordingly.


Fig. A: Method 1 of tuning your guitar

Method 2:

The second method involves using a guitar tuner. You can get such tuners at any guitar shop. I highly recommend this method because it lets you train your ears, especially in your beginning stage, to hear the notes correctly. Once you've developed such skill, you'll know yourself if your guitar is out of tune or not.

Another reason why I emphasize on this is that when you're going to perform on stage, you'll sound amateurish if you tune your guitar using method 1. This is because when you tune using method 1, you're gonna make a lot of noise and it will give a bad impression on the audience. Furthermore, you need to rely on other instruments to get the pitch right, thus contributing to the noise. And what if other instruments are not tuned correctly as well? Then you'll be tuning your guitar wrongly also. With a tuner, you can tune your guitar quietly, easily and precisely without the need of relying on other instruments as opposed to method 1.

Here's how it works (The functions of every tuner is about the same as what I'm going to show you):




When you pluck your guitar, if you see that the pointer is not pointing forward or the red light is flashing, just like in Fig. A, then you know that the guitar is out of tune. All you have to do is adjust accordingly. If your pointer is pointing more to the left, just like in Fig. A, then it means that your note is flat. If you find that the pointer is pointing more to the right, it means that your note is high. So adjust the machine head accordingly. Tighten it if the note is flat and loosen it if the not is high.




Fig. A: Indication of guitar string not in tune


This is how the tuner is gonna show you when your string is in tune. The green light indicates that the guitar string is now in tune.









Fig. B: Indication of guitar string that is tune


That's it. Kinda easy to use the tuner. Again, I emphasize you to use the tuner instead of using method 1. Hope that helps.