TB-002 • How To Tune Your Guitar (advanced)

[justinguitar]

Questions...

Lesson Link: http://www.justinguitar.com/en/TB-002-TuneGuitar-adv.php

[Sashadandylion]

I can't find your lesson on natural harmonics, could you please post a link to it?

[close2u]

Use the lesson index
look for TB-002
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/AA-000-LessonIndex.php
 

[henry b]

Get a  " Snark " tuner .

[perfopt]

I use Garage Band to tune my guitar about once every 2-3 weeks. I am a beginner and still working on chor changes so I giess I dont do fancy things like bends that can cause strings to go out of tune quickly.

When I tune the guitar sometimes I need to tighten strings and sometimes to loosen them. I was under the impression that playing the strings can only loosen them and get them out of tune. Is there any possible way the strings tighten when played? Thereby requiring them to be loosened when tuning.

Note: I live in temperate climate where the temperature swings between 12-36 deg C thorough the year. I dont thin kthe strings are "contracting" due to cold.

[close2u]

I ... tune my guitar about once every 2-3 weeks.

Please, please, please, tune it every single time before you begin to play ... even if it sounds like it is in tune ... you are training your ears to hear a propely tuned instrument and training your ears to recognise the sounds of the 6 open string notes ... and most importantly guaranteeing that when you play your guitar is in tune...

I am a beginner and still working on chord changes so I guess I dont do fancy things like bends that can cause strings to go out of tune quickly.

It's not just bends that can do that ... in fact a properly stretched out string will not necessarily go out of tune just due to bending

When I tune the guitar sometimes I need to tighten strings and sometimes to loosen them. I was under the impression that playing the strings can only loosen them and get them out of tune. Is there any possible way the strings tighten when played? Thereby requiring them to be loosened when tuning.

Yes, temerature and humidity affecting the metal and the wood.

Note: I live in temperate climate where the temperature swings between 12-36 deg C thorough the year. I dont think the strings are "contracting" due to cold.

Aha!

Metal expands and contracts with a change in temperature.
Wood reacts to humidity.
These small changes in the structire of the two can make your guitars tuning go out, up, down etc.

 

[tigertrone]

hi there . I have few questions about tuning with tuners . I use a " Boss TU-80 " and my first question is :
when I'm using Guitar mode , there is one correct note for each string . for example 1E or 3G . of course that's the factory setting . but when I'm using Chromatic mode , there are different octaves for each note . for example D3 or D4 or ... . now I wanna know , what's the reference octave for each string in normal EADGBE tuning ? for example 1E ( the E on the first string in Guitar mode ) , corresponds to which octave of E in Chromatic mode ? I need it for all the strings , plz

[Baldheady]

I recently came across people telling me to tune the guitar after fixing the capo(assuming a capo is to be used) & also Justin mentioning this point in the Romeo & Juliet riff lesson. I am really confused about how to go about doing it after fixing the capo.

My doubt is that when the capo is on, the open notes are no more the same as they change accordingly as to where the capo is placed. so, i would want to know how  i can tune my guitar after placing the capo.

Thanks in advance 

[misterg]

hi there . I have few questions about tuning with tuners . I use a " Boss TU-80 " and my first question is :
when I'm using Guitar mode , there is one correct note for each string . for example 1E or 3G . of course that's the factory setting . but when I'm using Chromatic mode , there are different octaves for each note . for example D3 or D4 or ... . now I wanna know , what's the reference octave for each string in normal EADGBE tuning ? for example 1E ( the E on the first string in Guitar mode ) , corresponds to which octave of E in Chromatic mode ? I need it for all the strings , plz

String    Note    Frequency    Scientific pitch notation 1            e'        329.63 Hz            E4 2            b        246.94 Hz            B3 3            g        196.00 Hz            G3 4            d        146.83 Hz            D3 5            A        110.00 Hz            A2 6            E         82.41 Hz                E2

From:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_tunings

Hello & welcome

Andy

[misterg]

My doubt is that when the capo is on, the open notes are no more the same as they change accordingly as to where the capo is placed. so, i would want to know how  i can tune my guitar after placing the capo.

Thanks in advance  

Hi,

You need to add one semitone (half step) to the open string note for each fret under / behind the capo:

Capo on the 3rd fret? Standard tuning becomes 3 semitones higher (watch me make a mistake... ):

e -> G
B -> D
G -> A# (a.k.a. Bb)
D -> F
A -> C
E -> G

etc.

For Romeo & Juliet, the open G tuning with capo on the 3rd fret becomes:

D -> F
B -> D
G -> A# / Bb
D -> F
G -> A# / Bb
D -> F

I'm assuming you know the chromatic scale... (if not, look at the fretboard diagram in the wikipedia link I just posted)

Andy

[Baldheady]

I understand what notes they change to on placing the capo, my doubt isn't that.
I usually use the guitar tuners available online. How do i refer to the new open string notes that are formed on placing the capo for tuning the guitar?

[jerronimo3000]

you could tune before you put the capo on

[Cue Zephyr]

What jerronimo said, and a proper capo.

[misterg]

I understand what notes they change to on placing the capo, my doubt isn't that.
I usually use the guitar tuners available online. How do i refer to the new open string notes that are formed on placing the capo for tuning the guitar?

That probably depends on the tuner. If you use a chromatic tuner then you just look for the correct "new" note.

Andy

[CSIII]

Actually, I couldn't find the lesson on harmonics either. After some searching, this is what I found. Lesson TB-002 teaches how to tune your guitar using natural harmonics but doesn't teach you about natural harmonics (ie: what are they, how they work, and most importantly, how to produce them on the guitar). Justin makes a reference in the TB-002 video to refer to the website lesson (TB-002) for more info on harmonics but it's not there. Therein lies the confusion and probably the reason for Sashadandylion's inquiry.

Justin does discuss harmonics in detail; there is actually an entire Harmonics section. You can get there by going to the Technique section (http://www.justinguitar.com/en/TE-000-Technique.php). Go to TE-010 to learn about harmonics and how to produce them. However, Justin's video lesson is missing from the TE-010 lesson page. This video really helps. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j2AxGGmT-g&feature=relmfu

Justin, I think that someone forgot to add this video to the TE-010 page. It would be great if you could add it so that other students could benefit from your video. Also a reference link to TE-010 or the Technique page from TE-002 would also be beneficial.

Cheers!

[tigertrone]

hi again . this is my 2nd q :
sometimes when I'm trying to tune up the 2nd string , the tuner in guitar mode shows 7B ( instead of 2B ) and in chromatic mode shows B2 ( instead of B3 ) . I have the same problem with 1st string . the guitar mode shows 6E ( instead of 1E ) and the chromatic mode shows E2 ( instead of E4 ) ! what shall I do then ? loosening the string ? tightening the string ? what's the problem ?

[Cue Zephyr]

I'd get a new tuner.

Just try tuning to what the tuner says - does that sound OK when you do?

[Overclasshero]

Hi, I'm using an acoustic guitar here and these harmonics of 5th fret to 7th doesn't seem to sound strong enough on my guitar. I heard about using 12 fret(6th string harmonic) to 7thfret(5th string note itself..)for acoustic.. Could i be able to count on this way of tuning too? Or is that the "scientificly inaccurate stuff.." TY

[jacksroadhouse]

The harmonic at the 12th fret (open string) just gives you the same note one octave higher (12th fret is roughly the center of the string). So 6th string 12th fret harmonic (in standard tuning) gives you an E3, as if you play the 4th string 2nd fret.

[mouser9169]

hi again . this is my 2nd q :
sometimes when I'm trying to tune up the 2nd string , the tuner in guitar mode shows 7B ( instead of 2B ) and in chromatic mode shows B2 ( instead of B3 ) . I have the same problem with 1st string . the guitar mode shows 6E ( instead of 1E ) and the chromatic mode shows E2 ( instead of E4 ) ! what shall I do then ? loosening the string ? tightening the string ? what's the problem ?

1) make sure you're interpreting what the tuner says correctly. 2B is a very low note (the 2nd B on a piano keyboard).

2) Some strings cause harmonics to ring out in the others, so you may want to try muting the other strings while you're tuning.