Electric guitar tuning Compared to an acoustic guitar, the procedure is more delicate and requires special attention. This article will tell you about how to tune an electric guitar the best way.

Build guitars.

First, I’ll tell you a little about the guitar’s tuning. In general, there are many guitar tunings, I will give the most popular ones here.
The first letter is the thin bottom string, the last letter is the thick top string.
Decoding of letters: A - la, B - si, C - do, D - re, E - mi, F - fa, G - salt.

Standard tuning (used in 90% of cases):
E B G D A E

Drop-D tuning:
E B G D A D

Double Drop-D tuning:
D B G D A D

Open D tuning:
D A F# D A D

Open G tuning:
D B G D G D

Drop-G tuning:
E B G D G D

Most often they play in standard formation. And guitarists who play heavy music love the Drop-D tuning, which is lowered by one note compared to the standard one.

Electric guitar tuning.

Now let's move on to the setup itself electric guitars .
We will tune to standard tuning (E B G D A E).

Electric guitar tuning method No. 1 (using external devices):

We buy a tuner (for example such ) or look on the Internet for a program for tuning a guitar.
Tuner is electronic device with a built-in microphone that picks up sound and identifies its pitch. The information is reflected on the screen with a slider. The slider moves when you tighten the pegs, allowing you to fine-tune the instrument even on the go.
Computer programs: usually represent a set of 6 sounds, each of which corresponds to a guitar string. All you have to do is adjust each string to the finished sound.

Electric guitar tuning method No. 2 (classic):

You will need a tuning fork/piano/tuned guitar.
1st string - Tuned by tuning fork (guitar, piano) - "E";
The 2nd string, clamped at the 5th fret, sounds in unison with the 1st open;
The 3rd string, clamped on the 4th fret, sounds in unison with the 2nd open;
The 4th string, clamped at the 5th fret, sounds in unison with the 3rd open;
The 5th string, clamped at the 5th fret, sounds in unison with the 4th open;
The 6th string, clamped at the 5th fret, sounds in unison with the 5th open.

Help: Unison is the complete consonance of two or more sounds of the same pitch.

Method of tuning an electric guitar No. 3 (by harmonics):

The harmonics are taken on the 5th fret of the 6th and on the 7th fret of the 5th string (there should be no sound vibrations). Other strings are tuned using the same principle, except for the third and second strings, because the interval between them is different from the intervals between the other strings.

Method of tuning an electric guitar No. 4 (by ear):

This is not so much a method as advice to beginning musicians on how to tune an electric guitar by ear :) Every time you tune a guitar, listen carefully to the sound of each open string, as well as the difference between the sound of nearby strings. Over time, you will develop an auditory memory, and you will be able to tune an electric guitar by ear :)

Adjusting the scale length of an electric guitar.

The scale is the distance from the top saddle to the bottom string holder of the guitar. On electric guitars, the scale most often comes in two sizes: 629 mm (22 frets) or 648 mm (24 frets).
Scale tuning is a sequential change in the length of each string. It is best to use a tuner to adjust the scale length of an electric guitar, but if you are the lucky owner of a good ear for music, you can do without “tricky” electronics.

Setting the scale length of an electric guitar using a tuner:

Press the string at the 12th fret, its note should be exactly an octave higher than the note of the same open string. If the note on the 12th fret is higher than the note of the open string, then the scale needs to be increased, and if the note is lower, then the scale needs to be decreased. The tuning itself is done by rotating special bolts on the guitar's tailpiece.

Adjusting the scale length of an electric guitar by ear:

Performed using harmonics. The sound of a harmonic obtained over the 12th fret should be identical to the sound of the same string, but clamped at the 12th fret.

Adjusting the deflection of the guitar neck.

You need to be very careful when adjusting the deflection of the bar yourself. If you overdo it, you can ruin the instrument.
Before you begin adjusting the deflection, you must set up the tool. Then you need to clamp the 6th string on the first and last frets. Check the distance from the 8th fret to the string, it should be approximately 0.2-0.3 mm. Read more about adjusting bar deflection here: Guitar Truss Tuning: Truss Rod.

Adjusting the height of the guitar strings.

The height of the strings should be adjusted after adjusting the deflection of the neck. Although there is no perfect formula, most adhere to the following rule: the distance from the string to the top surface of the 17th fret on strings 1-3 should be 2 mm plus or minus 0.4 mm, on strings 4-6 2.4 mm plus or minus 0.4 mm.

Distance from pickups to strings.

Customized individually for each instrument, strings, sensors. Adjustable by rotating the bolts securing the pickup to the body. The distance from thin strings to the sensor should be less than the same distance from thick strings. If the pickup is too far away, the sound will be quiet and dull, too close and the strings may touch it. Look for a middle ground.

Tuning your electric guitar can generally be done by following these guidelines. However, do not forget that each tool is individual and requires a special approach to it. Experiment :)

For a clear example of tuning an electric guitar, we offer a good video lesson:

If you are just starting to learn such a wonderful instrument as the guitar, then undoubtedly (unless, of course, you have good hearing and experience in tuning instruments) you will encounter the problem of tuning it. The sound of the guitar directly depends on the tuning of the guitar; if you allow the slightest inaccuracy, then the songs and chords you have already learned will not “sound”.

Just a few years ago, there was no alternative to tuning a guitar by ear. With the development of electronics, tuning any guitar has become a simple and quick matter, with the help of a tuner this can be done in one minute, at first it was an ordinary device, an electronic tuner, with the development computer technology software tuners appeared, with the development world wide web(Internet) online tuners have appeared that allow you to tune your guitar without leaving the web page. On this page you will also find an online tuner.

Software tuner

If you have a working microphone, then you can tune the instrument through it using a software tuner. This device is, in essence, a regular program for a computer that records the sound of strings from a microphone connected to a PC.

Below you can find similar programs. In order to download this or that software tuner, simply click on the “Download” button next to the screenshot of the program.

Most consider this program to be the best for guitar. It is difficult to say how justified this is; for everyone, the best program will be the one that is most convenient to use. The tool is very easy to use, recommended for beginners.

Not a bad tuner for tuning. If for some reason the previous program is not suitable for you, then you can use this one.

Online

If you are too lazy to download additional programs, then you can tune the guitar without leaving this page. To do this, just use an online tuner. Be sure to click the “Allow” button so that the application can access sounds through your microphone. To make it easier for you to make adjustments, let me remind you which letter represents which string (standard tuning):

1st string – designated by the letter “E”;
2nd string – Latin letter “B”;
3rd string – designated “G”;
4th string – letter “D”;
5th string – indicated as “A”;
6th string – designated by the letter “E”.

Electronic device

If you need to constantly have a device with you for tuning, then I recommend purchasing a regular electronic tuner; it costs approximately 300-1000 rubles, depending on the brand of the manufacturer and the quality of the tuner itself. You can buy such a device at any music store in your city, they definitely have them there.

The tuner can be:

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Hello to all readers of our site! Today is a hot topic for all guitarists. In this article I want to talk to you about guitar tuners. This device makes life much easier for musicians. Tuners meet different types. Next we will look at these types and talk about the pros and cons of each. I hope that this article will help someone when choosing of this device. So let's start with the definition. Guitar tuner is a device for tuning a guitar. With it, you can find out exactly what note each string of your guitar produces. That is why it is important for every guitarist to have this device in his arsenal.
Let's look at the types of guitar tuners.

Portable Guitar Tuner

Typically, such tuners have several types of settings. To tune an electric guitar, you connect it using a cord to the tuner connector. Check the sound of each string. The display will show the note the string is tuned to. The arrow indication, as well as the tuner LEDs, will indicate deviations from the exact sound. When fine-tuning the guitar through this tuner, the arrow should be centered and the green LED will light up.

To tune an acoustic guitar, you can use the tuner’s ability to produce sounds of different notes and tune like a tuning fork. Or put the tuner closer to the guitar to extract sound from each string, and the tuner will pick up the vibrations of the strings and show what note it really is (some tuners have this option).

Such tuners have a disadvantage. When using it at a concert, you tuned the guitar before the performance, but at the performance itself, connecting to it again will be problematic and will take some time.

Clip-on tuner

This tuner, as you can see, has a screen and a clothespin. We attach it to the head of the neck. It picks up the vibration of each string and shows us what note it is. Also, the screen will light up in different colors when the settings are fine or not. When you have tuned the string, the screen usually lights up green.

This device is suitable for both acoustic guitars and electric guitars.

The advantages of this clip-on guitar tuner are its low weight and size, ease of use at home, at a rehearsal, or at a concert. You attach this device to your guitar at the beginning of the concert and at any convenient time you can quickly check the tuning of your instrument.

Tuner – guitar pedal

These guitar tuners are designed like any effects pedal. It is placed on the pedalboard, included in the effects chain. The operating principle is similar to a portable guitar tuner. We connect the electric guitar, pluck the desired string and look at the readings. LEDs indicate abnormalities and you can see which note is being played.

The advantage of this type is the ability to adjust the instrument at any appropriate moment during the performance. The disadvantages are the impossibility of tuning an acoustic guitar using it, as well as the large dimensions and weight relative to the examples described above.

Tuner program

Greetings, dear friend! I can congratulate you if you have become the happy owner. Your dream has come true, you have this cool thing at home and you dream of surprising all your friends and acquaintances, and maybe your girlfriend, with some cool song.

But all these are still plans for the future, which will definitely come true when you learn to play the guitar, and this will be very soon, believe me. If you are serious about becoming a great maestro and conquering women’s hearts, and maybe even the stage with your talent, then you need to gradually, step by step, develop your playing technique and replenish your knowledge with new and new material.

Since you have landed on this page, you will definitely need my help. And since this article is called “How to properly tune an acoustic guitar?”, this is exactly what we will talk about next. Believe me, not only you, but also many beginners have problems tuning the guitar. After studying this material, you will learn:

How to learn how to quickly and easily tune a guitar by ear?
How to perfectly tune a guitar through a computer and a tuner at home?

I will answer all these questions in this article. So get your guitar ready, sit back and get into it.

How did I learn?

Unfortunately, not many people have ear for music. In this regard, it was somehow easier for me when I got my first guitar, and I was just starting to learn how to play it. Maybe this was somehow passed down by inheritance, because my family consists of almost only musicians. I learned how to tune a guitar quickly, since it didn’t seem that difficult to me from the very beginning.

Now I can easily tune my guitar by ear and can do without any tuners. But if I need to record something on a computer, then I can still use the help of a guitar tuner to make the tuning more accurately (tightly, so to speak). So today I want to look at two ways to tune a guitar, so to speak " aurally" And " using a tuner».

How to tune a guitar by ear?

Since I’m not a fan of looking for easy ways, I’ll now tell you about the first tuning method that will stick in your head for the rest of your life. You need to be able to tune by ear first, and then get acquainted with all sorts of tuners. This is an old method that will always come in handy even when traveling, and will never let you down, because even if you string the strings on a bare guitar, you can easily tune it in 5-10 minutes.

I’ll say right away that we will be tuning the guitar in standard classical (“Spanish”) system E(Mi). Here's a chart of the classic standard guitar tuning for reference.

Classic tuning method (5th fret)

This method is considered the most popular and widespread among beginners because of its clarity and relative simplicity. So first of all we need to know how to tune 1 string?

String No. 1(the thinnest without winding, which is at the bottom). The most important thing is that the tuning of the entire guitar begins with it. It is tuned by note E(E) of the first octave. You can take the sound of another already tuned instrument as a standard (a piano or some program on a PC or smartphone is ideal).

The note E can be recognized by the dial tone on your telephone. You can also use a tuning fork for greater accuracy.

Fork- this is a portable small device in the form of a whistle tube (maybe even in the form of a keychain), which clearly reproduces the note A(La). By holding string No. 1 at the 5th fret, we get A, and in the open state it is E.

String No. 2. This string will be tuned based on the first one. That is, the second string must be clamped at the 5th fret and tuned so that it sounds in unison (the same) with the first open (not clamped) E string.
String No. 3. This is the only string that is tuned when pressed, not at the 5th fret, like all the others, but at the 4th fret. That is, we clamp the third string at the 4th fret and tune it in unison with the second open one.
String No. 4. Here we again need to press the string at the 5th fret so that it sounds like an open third. Further, even easier.
String No. 5. We tune the fifth string in the same way - press it to the 5th fret and turn the peg until we achieve unison with the fourth string.
String No. 6(the thickest one is in the winding, which is at the top). We tune it according to the same scheme - press it on the 5th fret and make unison with the fifth string. The sixth string will sound the same as the first, only with a difference of 2 octaves.

After you have tuned all the strings in turn, I recommend going through them again and making a small adjustment, since some strings may weaken and become a little out of tune due to the tension of others. This must be done until all the strings sound in unison. After this, your guitar will be almost perfectly tuned.

You can tune a six-string acoustic guitar more accurately and correctly using harmonics, since sometimes it is not always enough to tune it by frets. Flajolet- this is a technique when you need to lightly touch (not pinch) the strings with your finger in the middle of the fret and extract the sound with your right hand and at this moment remove your finger from the string. The setup sequence here will be slightly different.

String No. 1. First string in in this case configured in the same way as in the classical way, i.e. by the sound of another properly tuned instrument.
String No. 6. The sixth is the thickest string, which is tuned with a harmonic at the 5th fret in unison with first open string.
String No. 5. The fifth string should be tuned so that the harmonic at the 7th fret sounds the same as first open string.
String No. 4. Tighten the 4th string until the 7th fret harmonic is in tune with the 5th fret harmonic.
String No. 3. We tune the third string so that the harmonic at the 7th fret sounds in unison with the harmonic fourth string, taken at the 5th fret.
String No. 2. Tune the second string so that the harmonic on the 5th fret sounds in unison with the harmonic on the 7th fret on the first string.

How to tune a guitar using a tuner?

You can almost perfectly tune a guitar quite simply either through a computer (for example, from Mooseland or in the program), or using a regular electronic portable tuner, since this is the most easy way instrument settings. If you don’t have it installed on an acoustic guitar, then you can use a regular microphone, which, I think, will definitely be at hand.

To do this, the microphone (or pickup, if any) must be connected to a regular tuner or to a virtual one on the computer. If it is a tuner like the one shown in the image above, then fix it on the headstock - vibrations from the strings will be transmitted to the tuner.

Everything is quite simple here! All you have to do is pull the string (for example, it will be 1st) and tune it until the letter appears on the display E, i.e. note E. If it is a tuner with an arrow, then it (the arrow) should be in the center. This will indicate that the setup is correct. Similar actions must also be performed with the rest. This will be the most accurate and quick way settings.

How to check the tuning of a guitar?

The peculiarity of all stringed instruments, including the acoustic guitar, is that it is quite difficult to tune it perfectly. This is mainly due to the design features of the instrument itself, as well as to the sound production technique. After properly tuning the strings in the classical way, there is still no guarantee that the guitar will play 100% well overall. Some chords may not sound quite clear. It’s not that the guitars there are of poor quality or bad, but even new and good tools They don't always build perfectly. That's why all guitarists try to periodically carefully check and tune their guitar using various techniques.

The easiest way- This is tuning the guitar according to chords. After some time, when you gain more experience, and your hearing becomes more developed and is sensitive to any falseness, then you will only need to play any chord on the guitar and determine which string is out of tune. Once you determine which string needs tuning, you can easily fix it with a peg. After this, a few more chord checks and adjustments will be required. As a result, you will achieve the desired result and optimal guitar tuning.

In conclusion, I would like to say this. Be sure to check the sound of the first and sixth open strings. The sound from them must be extracted simultaneously - it must merge and be smooth, and it will be heard that the sound consists of two voices - high and low.

I guess that's all for today, dear friend! I hope this article helped solve your problem, and now you already know how to properly tune a six-string acoustic guitar quickly and easily. Write in the comments how quickly you were able to tune your guitar? If you have a friend who is also learning to play, send him this article, I will be very grateful to you. I hope this way I can help other people. Yes, and finally, be sure to watch the video tutorials on how to tune a guitar right below the article, I recommend it.

We will not discover America by saying that playing an instrument out of tune is the last thing to do. And it doesn’t matter what level you are at, whether you’re just starting to study or packing stadiums, a deviation of even a semitone in the first case will lead to pointless attempts to find out why the chord that seems to be played correctly does not sound, and in the second - to general disappointment. Of course, there are lovers of old, proven tuning forks and specimens with absolute pitch who tune the guitar by ear, but we are sure that such people are in the minority. This article will not be interesting to them. For those who want to quickly and accurately, and most importantly, very easily, tune a guitar, we will try to answer the main questions related to a guitar tuner, because without one it will not be possible.

The principle of operation of all electronic tuners is the same: they recognize the sound that an instrument makes (in our case, the open string of a guitar) and display how well it matches a certain note. The first guitar tuners (by the way, the first household music tuner, Stroboconn, went on sale in the United States in 1936) displayed information using a scale, the middle position of the arrow on which indicated that the instrument was correctly displaying the specified note. Modern tuners are equipped with LED/ LCD screens, but on most of them the style of displaying information remains the same: the arrow on the scale indicates how much lower or higher the sound is compared to the desired note and in which direction the peg should be turned. The middle position of the arrow is the ideal way to hit the note, while in many models the color of the backlight changes.

What types of guitar tuners are there?

Guitar tuners are divided into types based on the principle of receiving the incoming signal.

First of all, let's understand the concept of a chromatic (Chromatic) or non-chromatic (non-chromatic) tuner. A non-chromatic guitar tuner can only determine compliance with the standard tuning of a 6-string guitar - EADGBE, that is, 6 notes. It cannot detect other notes, so it is not suitable for tuning non-standard guitars or other stringed instruments. The correct tuning in such tuners is displayed either in the form of a scale or using three LEDs for each string: the middle one lights up when the sound of the string matches the given note, the left one when it is lower, the right one when it is higher.

The chromatic tuner can determine the correspondence to any semitone of the chromatic scale - there are 12 of them in total. Therefore, it is suitable for tuning any stringed instrument: bass guitar, 12-string classical, ukulele, cello, violin, etc.

Strobe tuners, also called “pocket” tuners, are smaller versions of the first music tuners and are considered the most accurate. They determine the vibration frequency of the sound wave and compare it with the reference value of the corresponding note. They are connected to the guitar using a regular jack.

Pedal tuners are a modernized analogue of stroboscopic tuners. They operate on the same principle, but in addition to an input jack for connecting to an instrument, they have an output jack for connecting to an amplifier, processor, etc. This is very convenient because it does not require unconnecting the equipment to tune the guitar - when the tuner is turned off, the signal from the instrument goes further along the circuit. The pedal can be used for other purposes (for example, as a mute). The design of the tuner pedals is designed for use on stage, they have a sturdy body, the on/off button is made in the form of a pedal, and the indication is bright enough and large enough for easy playing while standing. Note that many processors also have a tuner function.

Acoustic Tuners, or tuners with a built-in microphone, can actually “hear” the sound of your instrument, as if it were being tuned by ear by a professional musician. The obvious disadvantage of this type of tuner is the sensitivity of the built-in microphone to external noise, which greatly complicates the process of tuning with other musicians or in noisy places. To solve this problem, there are models that are mounted directly on the soundboard, and the sound pickup is placed inside it, but if this is not provided for in the design of the guitar itself, then installing it yourself is quite problematic. Although this technology is outdated, acoustic tuners are the most versatile, as they do not require a connection and can be used to tune almost any instrument.

Clip-on tuners or Piezo Tuners, unlike acoustic tuners, do not capture sound, but vibration emanating from the strings. They also do not require connection to the instrument and are attached to the top of the deck using a clothespin. There are models of piezo tuners that are attached to the top of the resonator hole (socket), the so-called SoundHole Tuners. The design of SoundHoleTuners allows you to leave them on when transporting the guitar in a case, but in electric guitars there is simply nowhere to attach them. Since the operating principle of piezo tuners is based on comparing the vibration frequency with a specific note, extraneous noise does not in any way affect the tuning accuracy.

Virtual tuners and online tuners allow you to tune the instrument using the microphone of your gadget and the corresponding application. Undoubtedly this type Tuners are more than available, but there are many complaints about the accuracy of such tuning, since the microphone, which is primarily designed for voice recognition, is not always able to accurately capture the sound.

How to tune a guitar using a guitar tuner

First, a short solfeggio lesson. As we know, there are 12 basic notes; they make up the chromatic scale. One chromatic scale forms an octave. If you look at the neck of a guitar, you will see that there are different inlays on the 12th fret compared to the 3rd, 5th or 7th fret. The two dots on the 12th fret indicate the end of an octave and the beginning of the next. Standard setting for a 6 string guitar E A D G B E, that is, the open strings correspond to these notes. Reducing the length of a string by one fret corresponds to raising its sound by half a tone. Thus, if the thickest 6th string is tuned to E (E), then when it is clamped on the first fret it will give F (F), on the second - F# (F#), etc. The fifth string, tuned to A (A), when pressed on the first fret will give A# (A#), then B (B), etc. This principle underlies correct settings guitars.

After connecting the tuner to the guitar (installing it on the guitar) and turning it on, you pluck each string one by one and tighten or loosen it by turning the corresponding peg until the tuner shows an exact match of its sound to a certain note of the standard EADGBE tuning or the one you have chosen. Most modern tuners display the semitone closest to the sound of the string, knowing how much higher or lower it is in the chromatic scale of the required note, you either tighten (if you need to raise the tone) or weaken (if you lower the tone) the string. The correct tuning can be checked by pressing the string along the frets - with each fret the note should change according to the chromatic scale.

Why can't I tune my guitar using a tuner?

The most banal thing is that you got a useless tuner. If the tuner is not chromatic, it will not show you notes other than EADGBE.

The second reason is the strings. Due to oxidation of the material, old strings are not able to stretch evenly, or, conversely, do not hold the appropriate tension. Remember that new nylon strings need to be stretched, that is, tightened several times before finally tuning the guitar.

It is very sad when the guitar simply does not play, that is, the distance between the frets is incorrect and does not correspond to the scale length - the length of the open string from the top to the bottom. Then you will not be able to achieve compliance with the chromatic scale.

How to choose a guitar tuner

When choosing a tuner, you should first focus on your instrument. As we already know, there are tuners that require a connection to the guitar via a jack to work. We are talking about a stroboscopic “pocket” tuner and a pedal tuner. Therefore, they can only be used for tuning electric and acoustic guitars. Pocket tuner is more budget option both for home use and rep. It will be quite enough points for you. But if you have already climbed onto the stage, a tuner pedal is indeed more convenient in many respects.

For acoustic guitar, there are also two types of tuners to choose from. If you choose between an acoustic tuner with a built-in microphone and a piezo clip-on tuner, we unconditionally choose the latter option. It is compact, conveniently and securely mounted on the headstock, and does not react to extraneous noise. This is an excellent option for electric guitars, since its operating principle is the most universal.

Nowadays the market offers the widest selection of guitar tuners for every budget and every taste, so staying on the sidelines and using an old tuning fork is simply a crime. Tuning by ear is also not a panacea; all professional guitarists, regardless of their genius, still use it.

An expensive leather belt or fancy strings can wait, the tuner is a real must have for anyone who is serious about playing the guitar!

How to use the cherub guitar tuner. Guitar tuner