In your opinion, what is the best way to tune a guitar?

[FattMusiek]

Many players have their own way of tuning, such as what string they start with. I was wondering what methods you've come to rely on to ensure spot on intonation (given that the guitar is set up properly).

What are your preferred ways to tune?

[Stringbean]

Not very practical, but I like to tune up to a record. For instance: today I was working on some Hubert Sumlin, from an old Howlin Wolf recording. I was tuned up to A440...but it just wasn't sounding right. Spent as whole lot of time adjusting my strings to the record....and when I finally got them all in , it sounded great.

[bkdavidson]

Stringbean's method definitely works, especially if you were going to work on transcribing. I used to use that method a lot. Metallica's 'Nothing Else Matters' and Dream Theater's 'Pull Me Under' are really good for that. What I do now looks a bit drawn out, but it seems to work better than anything.

Here goes: I get the high E stg. in tune, either with a tuner or an A=440 tuning fork (yes, I do use a fretted note to tune the stg.) then tune the B stg. against it by ear, getting that perfect 4th settled in. After that, I tune each descending open string against the fretted octave closest to the nut. I don't know how to word that concisely and have it make sense, so here's the long version: I tune the open G to the 3rd fret of the high E stg., the open D to the 3rd fret of the B stg., the open A to the 2nd fret of the G stg., and the open E to the 2nd fret of the D stg.

This is the method my classical teacher in college recommended, although he said to use a tuning fork or some other 'good A' and tune the 5th fret A on the high E to that, and possibly also to use the 5th & 7th fret harmonic trick for the B stg. His justification for this method was that if you tune the open strings to an electronic tuner, you have the open strings tuned to the even-tempered notes, and fretted notes and especially chords will sound out of tune. This way, you're tuning it to A=440, but you tune the open strings to fretted notes, and this makes fretted notes (and especially chords) much more in tune with themselves. This might seem long and drawn out, but I promise it isn't; just my explanation. Once you get used to it, it's really quick and you won't go back. It really makes the guitar the most in tune with itself and other instruments of any method I've tried.

[FattMusiek]

Thank you for the responses.

Bk- I'll definitely try this. I'll post back and tell you how it goes.

[JohnW400]

I read somewhere that Eric Johnson tunes in this order

6,1,4,2,5,3.

I think the reason has to do with balancing the tension. It guess it must work. I've used this method now and find that I have don't have to go to go back and re-adjust any previously tuned strings.

I use a tuner so one thing I do is to mute the other strings not being tuned to avoid sympathetic vibrations.

On a classical guitar or guitars with unwound G strings sometimes I'll also check the D-G strings using harmonics.

[mr. beaumont]

That Eric Johnson method really works wonders on a guitar with a non-locking trem, like a strat.

for me, it depends on how anal i'm feeling...sometimes i'll just tune the guitar to whatever "E" happens to be, usually using the 5th/7th fret harmonic biz (and the open B versus both the B harmonic on the sixth string and the fretted B note on the fifth)

Sometimes, I'll sit down at the (digital) piano and do it that way.

but most of the time, i'm lazy. i reach for the korg tuner.

the one thing i always do is tune "up" to pitch. So if a string is sharp, i'll lower it too much first and then bring it back up to tune.

[ingreen]

When I want the best sound: A to 440 pitch fork.

Then fifth position harmonics (frets 5 & 7).

•••

But to be honest, for everyday practice I usually do it the quick, easy way using an electronic tuner.

[derek]

I have a Boss TU-2 in my signal chain. That way I don't have to think about it.

[Stringbean]

Originally Posted by bkdavidson

It really makes the guitar the most in tune with itself and other instruments of any method I've tried.

Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about. My chords sound like pro! I'm taking this method out to the beach house, where the humid summer saltaire and the dry winter wood stove, make piano jam an always challenge. THANKS.

[wizard3739]

I have always used 1-6-2-5-3-4 sequence for new strings. As matter of curiosity, how often do you guys change the strings on your archtops?

wiz

[randyc]

I like electronic tuners but don't use the open string tuning method, I usually fret each string at the 7th fret and tune, 8th fret for the second string. (This works even for basic 6-note electronic tuners.)

It may be my imagination but tuning in this manner seems more accurate - most of my playing takes place between the third fret and the fifteenth. I use an open string tuning method only for accoustic guitars, bottleneck, dulcimers and the like ...

[JimBobWay]

Different guitars, different strings, different environments, different playing habits...what works for one may cripple another. It's not well-tempered. I've tried all of the above, plus modal tunings, as well as Just Intonation (dobro & dotar); also earvana and Buzzy's shtick. In the end I always manage to find a happy medium that does not offend the audience. Then last year I saw John McLaughlin live again, and thought my eyes were going - his fretboard looked twisted. That's when I found out about these folks:
http://www.truetemperament.com

So that's where I'm headed...I'll let you know how it works out.

ps 4the Wiz I change my strings when they start to 'slip' at the harmonics, and that varies by string set.

[Jake Hanlon]

I use a Tuner to get my 5th string then tune the rest with harmonics. When the gig is on I use the tuner to correct issues as we progress.

In Gigs or playing situations with a legit Piano, I tune to the piano.

[derek]

Originally Posted by wizard3739

I have always used 1-6-2-5-3-4 sequence for new strings. As matter of curiosity, how often do you guys change the strings on your archtops?

wiz

I get about 6 months of almost daily playing off TI flats.

[daveg]

Octaves.

It was good enough for Wes!

DG

[SamBooka]

Originally Posted by derek

I get about 6 months of almost daily playing off TI flats.

I am lucky if I get two months. They sound great for about a week.
After 2 months I cant stand them any more. I am not a pro and dont play more than 7-10 hours a week (and at that, not always on the same guitar.. but mostly)

I finally break down and replace the strings when the bridge looks like this for intonation

EDIT: Oh.. I use a tuner and tune to the attack.

[Fritzjazz]

Tune? Yah mean yah gotta tune these things!!?? They told me they tuned it in the store when I got it!

Honestly I took quite a bit of classical guitar in college and we were taught to tune the open A to a tuning fork (or the A string 12th fret or 12 fret harmonic to the fork) and the rest by octaves. I generaly "tweak" the tuning by ear after the band has been plaing for a few minutes. I tune to the prevailing tonality in the room. If the group seems off I call for a retune after the first number.

Fritzjazz

[henry b]

Originally Posted by Fritzjazz

Tune? Yah mean yah gotta tune these things!!?? They told me they tuned it in the store when I got it!

Honestly I took quite a bit of classical guitar in college and we were taught to tune the open A to a tuning fork (or the A string 12th fret or 12 fret harmonic to the fork) and the rest by octaves. I generaly "tweak" the tuning by ear after the band has been plaing for a few minutes. I tune to the prevailing tonality in the room. If the group seems off I call for a retune after the first number.

Fritzjazz

Have you ever checked the guitar using a tuner after using this method.

[FattMusiek]

bkdavid- I tried this. It seems like a pretty darn good way to tune. As long as you can be sure that the previous string is pretty spot on, you can then tune from there confidently. Thanks for sharing everyone.

[rosabuzard]

good point!

[cosmic gumbo]

Originally Posted by FattMusiek

What are your preferred ways to tune?

By ear.

[abracadabra]

Originally Posted by daveg

Octaves.

It was good enough for Wes!

That's the way I do it too. At least it's one of the ways. I tend to just make sure the guitar is in tune with itself most of the time, unless I'm playing against a backing track.

The on-board tuner on my Cube20 is a great tool though too.

[Hoopskidoodle]

Hitherto reading this thread: Korg CA-30, open strings, E,A,D,G,B,E, then check them all.

The suggestions to tune the outside strings and work in seems like it should make sense... as does tuning in the middle of the neck, since that's where I play mostly.

[bluemood]

I have started using the Eric Johnson method (6,1,4,2,5,3) like someone had mention on this thread, with a lot of skepticism at first after a short time, I notice that my tension is alot more even and it does stay in tune longer.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

I thought tuning by harmonics got you into trouble because of equal temperament. For example, suppose you tune so that the 6th sting's harmonic at the fifth fret equals the 5th string's harmonic at the seventh fret; E=E, eh?

Not exactly. The harmonic at the fifth fret is four times the frequency, or two octaves, above the open string. The harmonic at the seventh fret is three times the frequency, but is that really an octave and a fifth above the open string? In a just temperament it is, but in equal temperament, fifths are a bit flat. That is because equal temperament is defined by taking the ratio of two notes a half step apart to be the twelfth root of 2. A and E are seven half steps apart and 2 ^ (7/12) = 1.498307, not 1.5! As I said, a bit flat.

[randyc]

Cool post, BDLH, I remember reading that many years ago but didn't retain the information. So what is your preferred method? (Not suggesting that your '38 L-5 ever goes out of tune, of course.)

cheers,
randyc

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

These days I'm either playing by myself and then tuning by ear is good enough or playing with the piano and then I tune to the piano. Pretty low tech.

[hot ford coupe]

I used to send the guitar back to the factory to be tuned until I figured out how to use the faucettes at the end of the guitar. You learn new things every day and it's a lot cheaper.

In all seriousness, I use a Seiko tuner I got about 20 years ago. It still works great. I tune up all the striings open and then adjust it while playing octaves. Herb Ellis described the method in one of his videos. I also check the intonation each time as well. When things don't seem to be coordinated anymore, it's time for a string change. Usually I also get about 6 months out of my D'Addario. 013 chromes.

[SamBooka]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

... equal temperament is defined by taking the ratio of two notes a half step apart to be the twelfth root of 2. A and E are seven half steps apart and 2 ^ (7/12) = 1.498307, not 1.5! As I said, a bit flat.

I heard it put succinctly as this "Db and C# are NOT the same pitch"

[Fritzjazz]

We had learned in college with respect to pitch that a good violinist (or any other instrument for that matter that can alter pitch micro-tonally) will play a leading tone sharp. For instance a violinist playing in G minor will play the F# extra sharp so that it "craves" to resolve home to G.

I suspect we guitarist may do this too by bending the string unconsciously.

I heard this tendency is particularly true in minor keys for some reason.

Fritz