Newcomers to the guitar want to get started so quickly that they often neglect to learn the art of tuning. It can be wise to learn to tune your guitar by ear for a lot of reasons. One is the fact that tuners are not always accessible. Tuning by ear alone is not difficult at all and helps with tuning speed too. When small changes in pitch are required on the fly, ear tuning is the answer. It is easy to learn and might even be referred to as a necessary skill.
After playing the instrument for a while, most people get pretty good at using their ear to determine whether or not a string is in tune. Of course tuning each string based on its expected tone for a given tuning can be a bit much to ask at first. Instead, getting the low E tuned is a good place to start, and most newcomers are pleased to find they can get pretty close, even without a tuner.
When basing standard tuning off the sixth string, the rest of the strings can be adjusted based on the sound of the string directly above it on the neck. Start with string five. This is the A string and should sound like the low E string played on the fifth fret. When the fifth string matches this sound, it is in tune relative to the sixth string.
Follow this same procedure for the fourth string. Its pitch is the D note, and it should sound the same as the fifth string played in the fifth fret when strummed open. Moving down again, the third string, when played open, is G. This is the note the fourth string produces when played on the fifth fret.
Now, the second string is a B. To get the B note on the third string it should be played on the fourth fret. This is the only exception to the pattern. The G string plays a B note on the fourth fret, and this is the tone the second string should be matched to.
Move back up to the fifth fret for the first string. This is high E and should match the tone that results from playing the second string on fret five. Finally, play the first and sixth strings. They should match. Remember the sixth string is Low E and the first string is the same note only one octave higher.
This tuning process will become quite easy with time. It can be an excellent way to learn to tune your guitar by ear and can help get you tuned up in a hurry. Since tuning is based off the pitch of the sixth string, the entire guitar will sound correct even if it is not perfectly in tune as a whole.
After playing the instrument for a while, most people get pretty good at using their ear to determine whether or not a string is in tune. Of course tuning each string based on its expected tone for a given tuning can be a bit much to ask at first. Instead, getting the low E tuned is a good place to start, and most newcomers are pleased to find they can get pretty close, even without a tuner.
When basing standard tuning off the sixth string, the rest of the strings can be adjusted based on the sound of the string directly above it on the neck. Start with string five. This is the A string and should sound like the low E string played on the fifth fret. When the fifth string matches this sound, it is in tune relative to the sixth string.
Follow this same procedure for the fourth string. Its pitch is the D note, and it should sound the same as the fifth string played in the fifth fret when strummed open. Moving down again, the third string, when played open, is G. This is the note the fourth string produces when played on the fifth fret.
Now, the second string is a B. To get the B note on the third string it should be played on the fourth fret. This is the only exception to the pattern. The G string plays a B note on the fourth fret, and this is the tone the second string should be matched to.
Move back up to the fifth fret for the first string. This is high E and should match the tone that results from playing the second string on fret five. Finally, play the first and sixth strings. They should match. Remember the sixth string is Low E and the first string is the same note only one octave higher.
This tuning process will become quite easy with time. It can be an excellent way to learn to tune your guitar by ear and can help get you tuned up in a hurry. Since tuning is based off the pitch of the sixth string, the entire guitar will sound correct even if it is not perfectly in tune as a whole.
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