Beginners Guide on How to Tune a Guitar
Janvi Arora
- 23 August, 2024
- 10 min read
Table of Contents
Do you ever strum a guitar and hear a sound that makes you wince, like a fork scraping against a plate? That is the unpleasant reality of an out-of-tune guitar. Though crucial for a good sound, tuning your guitar can seem daunting. But fear not! This guide will walk you through the simple process of transforming your screeching strings into a melodic masterpiece.
In this blog, we will discuss the importance of tuning, when to tune, and various ways to tune your magnificent instrument. So, let us begin!
What is Guitar Tuning and its Basics?
If you are new to the world of guitar, you must have questions like what is guitar tuning and why is it so important?! So, as the name says, guitar tuning is the process of tuning your guitar strings to their correct pitch. Tuning ensures that your guitar produces an accurate and euphonious sound that soothes your mind. The strings are tuned by rotating the tuning pegs on the guitar’s headstock. Turning the pegs changes the pitch of the strings up or down; tightening the guitar strings makes the pitch go up, and loosening the strings makes the pitch go down.
When to Tune Your Guitar?
I know a lot of beginners pose the question- How do you tune a guitar? But, another popular question is- When to tune your guitar? We will come to the former question later, let’s first discuss the second question. So, there is no rigid formula to it. However, it is better to tune your guitar every time you play it. Tuning a guitar before every practice session is advisable because guitars go out of tune more often than you think. There are several reasons why this happens-
- Changing temperature or humidity may cause your guitar’s neck to deform slightly, affecting the string tension and pitch.
- When strings are new, they tend to stretch a bit and require frequent tuning to settle down.
- If your strings have aged, they lose their ability to hold tension and become more prone to going out of tune.
- Strumming aggressively or bending strings while playing results in strings going out of tune.
Tuning your guitar might seem like a chore, but it’s quick and keeps your music sounding awesome! No sweat – bad chords are a clear sign it’s time to tune up. Grab your tuner and let’s get playing! Knowing the guitar names is important before you begin tuning them. You can find ways to remember the Guitar String Names in this blog!
How to Tune Your Guitar in Standard Tuning?
There are quite a few guitar tuning profiles, but the most popular is the standard tuning profile. In this pattern, the notes of the strings are in the order- E, A, D, G, B, and E- from thickest to thinnest. The thickest E string is also called the low E, whereas, the thinnest E string is called the high E.
Now that you are familiar with the standard tuning pattern, let’s also explore the tools that can help keep your guitar perfectly in tune. These tools that enable you to tune your guitar are called guitar tuners. There are several ways to how to tune a guitar – with the help of electric tuners, online guitar tuners, or by your ears, to name some!
Technological advancements have surely made the whole process of tuning very convenient. However, we must recognise the importance of developing a musical ear. Suppose you’re aspiring to be a professional guitarist. In that case, you must train your ears to tune the guitar without the assistance of a tuner as sometimes you may face situations where you don’t have a tuner handy. So, now, we will discuss a way in which you can tune the guitar strings in standard tuning, without a tuner.
How to Tune a Guitar Without a Tuner?
The process we will discuss involves tuning your guitar strings to the reference pitch using your ear. In this method, we listen to the reference pitch and try to replicate the same note on the guitar. Let us discuss how.
In this way, you can tune each string without carrying a tuner. This technique is especially useful for people who travel a lot.
How to Tune a Guitar With a Tuner?
Tuning a guitar with your ears is a comparatively difficult task. Thus, many people use an electronic tuner to tune their guitar conveniently. An even more convenient option is an online guitar tuner. There are several mobile applications for a guitar tuner- some are even free You can use this tuner anytime you want without the hassle of carrying a physical tuner around!
As a matter of fact, all tuners work by assessing the vibrations of the guitar. When the tuner listens to the signals of the guitar, it registers the pitch and presents the note it estimates that you’re playing. If the note you’re playing is not perfect, it shows how far you’re from achieving an accurate note by moving the needle. With the help of needles, it tells whether the note you’re playing is too sharp or too flat.
So, while tuning the guitar, follow this procedure: A) turn the tuner on, B) pluck a string, and C) look whether the needle is in the middle of the tuner; if not, turn the machine heads one way or the other to attain the perfect pitch. Keep repeating this process until all the strings are perfectly tuned. Remember to pluck a lot for the tuner to understand the note you are trying to achieve- it won’t catch the note if you strum just once.
Let us discuss some popular types of guitar tuners and how they work.
- Clip-on tuners: These are some of the most used tuners, all thanks to their compact size and efficiency. As the name suggests, they are clipped onto the headstock of the guitar in order to work. Their response time is low and these tuners work by detecting string vibration through the guitar neck. Therefore, they are ideal for tuning in noisy environments.
2. Hand-held tuners: Hand-held tuners are traditionally popular because they are compact and thus a favourite amongst buskers and freelancers. One of the key advantages of this kind of tuner is that many have a jack allowing for plugged-in tuning and also a built-in microphone. These tuners are not electric-based and work on batteries. Another advantage is that many hand-held tuners have a built-in metronome, ensuring a comprehensive practice session.
3. Pedal tuners: As the name says, these tuners come in the form of a pedal suited for guitars. They function when you plug your electric guitar into the pedal with the help of an instrument cable. The tuner then identifies the pitch with the help of electrical signals coming in through the cable inserted into the jack of the tuner. These tuners are considered the most reliable as there are no external factors that may hamper the tuning. They are more accurate than the clip-on tuners and their distinctive advantage is that they can mute the signals, which in turn allows the player to tune the guitar without the audience hearing. How useful is that!
4. Rockmount tuners: These types of tuners are popular for their large display, allowing you to read the output from a significant distance. These tuners are on the expensive side and are commonly used in studios by professionals. These tuners are highly accurate and incorporate features such as true bypass, allowing the signals from the guitar to pass through the tuner without affecting the tone.
5. Smartphone apps and online platforms: With the increasing popularity of online guitar lessons, there’s also an increase in dependency on online tools. Many people today use smartphone applications to tune their guitars since it is the cheapest option out of all other tuners. They are very convenient to use since everyone has a smartphone today, but the trade-off is that you can not rely on them for 100% accuracy as they work on built-in microphones of the device- therefore, they are not as accurate as other tuners. Thus, they are better suited for home use or for hobbyists.
Check out Torrins’ lesson on Tuning the guitar to solve all your tuning queries!
How to Keep Your Guitar Tuned for a Longer Time?
Understandably, it can be frustrating to tune your guitar time and again, and even worse- tuning it during your performances! So, I have jotted down some tips on how to keep your guitar in tune for a longer time- allowing you to enjoy your harmonious performances without interruptions!
- Change your strings whenever required- If your guitar strings have started sounding lifeless or are not getting tuned at all, it is time to get a new set of strings. There is no way you can make old rusty strings sound perfect.
- Invest in good quality strings- Make sure you buy good quality strings that are not bent or kinked. Also, ensure that the strings you buy are the same size as the strings that originally came with your guitar. You might need an intonation adjustment if the size of the new strings varies significantly.
- Do not apply too much pressure while playing- Applying too much pressure results in the bending of the strings.
- Stretch your strings- Stretching your strings can help them stay tuned for longer durations. You can stretch your strings by pulling them gently or playing them slowly. Make sure you spread your fingers to spread the pressure evenly.
- Do not expose your guitar to fluctuating temperatures: Your guitar can go out of tune more often if you travel a lot with your guitar. The detuning happens because of fluctuations in temperature and humidity.
- Keep it clean- Wipe the strings properly with a light cloth after playing and store your guitar in its case or bag. Dust accumulates on your guitar if not cleaned. It can severely impact your playing since it prevents your guitar from producing high-pitched notes and excellent Guitar Chords.
This wraps up our guide on how do you tune a guitar, where we focussed on fundamental problems each beginner faces when they get introduced to the concept of tuning. I hope this guide helped you understand how to tune a guitar with a tuner and its importance. If you need guidance on other guitar techniques and want to play thousands of guitar songs from various guitar styles or genres, you can check out the guitar lessons on our platform, Torrins. The topics are taught by Torrins’ experts who have decades of experience and ensure each learner gains the necessary skills to be well on their way to musical mastery.
