It is essential for your guitar to be in tune, so that the chords and notes you play will sound correct. The main problem with tuning for most beginning students is that the ear is not able to determine slight differences in pitch. For this reason you should seek the aid of a teacher or an experienced guitarist. Several methods can be used to tune the guitar. These include:
- Tuning to another musical instrument such as a piano or another guitar.
- Tuning to pitch pipes or a tuning fork
- Tuning the guitar to itself.
- Using an electronic tuner.
The most common and useful of these is tuning the guitar to itself. This method involves finding notes of the same pitch on different strings. The adjacent diagram outlines the notes used:
The method of tuning is as follows:
1. Tune the open sixth string to either:
(a) The open sixth string of another guitar.
(b) A piano.
The piano key equivalent to the open 6th string is indicated on the previous diagram.
(c) Pitch pipes, which produce notes that correspond with each of the 6 open strings.
(d) A tuning fork. Most tuning forks give the note A.
To produce sound from the tuning fork, hold it by the stem and tap one of the prongs against something hard. This will set up a vibration, which can be heard clearly when the bass of the stem is then placed on a solid surface, e.g., a guitar body.
2. Place a finger on the 6th string at the fifth fret. Now play the open A (5th string). If the guitar is to be in tune, then these two notes must have the same pitch (i.e., they sound the same). If they do not sound the same, the 5th string must be adjusted to match the note produced on the 6th string, i.e., it is tuned in relation to the 6th string.
3. Tune the open 4th string to the note on the fifth fret of the 5th string, using the method previously outlined.
4. Tune all other strings using the same procedure, remembering that the open B string (2nd) is tuned to the 4th fret (check diagram) while all other strings are tuned to the 5th fret.
5. Strum an open E major chord, to check if your guitar is tuned correctly. At first may have some difficulty deciding whether or not the chord sound is correct, but as your ear improves you will become more familiar with the correct sound of the chord.
Tuning may take you many months to master, and you should practice it constantly. The guidance of a teacher will be an invaluable aid in the early stages of guitar tuning.
