Tuning your guitar...are you doing it wrong?

[esandes]

I use harmonics to tune. Who else knows what I mean? 5th fret 7th fret and 4th fret G.

I was jamming with some old friends who've been playing as long as I have and when they saw/heard me tune with harmonics they were stunned.

You know..a quick tune without a tuner where you and your bros tune to each other.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

I know that way, but don't use it. I have a bunch of D'Addario clip on tuners, so there's almost always one on whichever guitar I'm playing. I can tune by ear close enough if using the tuner is too much of a hassle.

 

[zionstrat]

Harmonic to harmonic used to be the most accurate tuning for me however I'm never without a digital tuner since they came on the stage..

And stage might be the best reason why.. I'll never forget ear to an amp trying to tune amongst the noise in a bar other instruments etc...

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk

 

[Bogner]

I used to tune that way until I discovered guitar tuners and went for ease and accuracy.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

I tuned that way for decades.

 

[CaptainWhizz]

That thing when you’re trying to tune by ear, and your drummer gets bored and starts hammering their kit…

 

[NegativeEase]

I have tuned using harmonics since the late 80s, except with performing -then I use a stage tuner.

 

[PFDarkside]

Harmonics then adjust… I seems more accurate than 0/5, 0/5, etc.

 

[jeremy]

at home, sure. on stage? never. this isnt 1972 and no one wants to hear you tune your guitar on stage.

 

[Mincer]

Yeah, no one should use any method but an electronic one to tune onstage (silently).

 

[GuitarDoc]

Yeah, there's really no excuse not to tune your guitar accurately and quickly...using a digital tuner. I use the newest Korg Pitchblack which is extremely accurate and quicker to use than by ear, harmonics, 5th frets, beat vibrations, etc.

 

[solspirit]

I know that way, but don't use it. I have a bunch of D'Addario clip on tuners, so there's almost always one on whichever guitar I'm playing. I can tune by ear close enough if using the tuner is too much of a hassle.

Same here

 

[beaubrummels]

There are so many serviceable tuners available; low-profile headstock (D'Addario), built-in to guitars (Shadow?), silent floor pedal ones (BOSS, Line 6, Zoom, Korg, Peterson), even rackmount (Peterson), I find little need to tune by harmonics anymore. I did that in the 70's/80's when everyone referenced one note on a piano or pitch harp and had to tune the rest of their instrument to that. The only time I'll do something like that now is to deliberately change the vibe of a song, e.g. tweak for certain chords or fret positions for a recording or discrete performance - a la the EVH thing Thorn pointed out.

 

[playas]

It's good to learn how to tune by ear and be comfortable with it, even if it's not necessary these days.

 

[Mincer]

It's good to learn how to tune by ear and be comfortable with it, even if it's not necessary these days.

Sure it is. I agree. You might not always have a tuner or a tuner app around. But this sort of thing is less important than it was 20 years ago.

 

[LLL]

Yes.

Unless you're using a Peterson Strobe with the Sweetened preset.

This "evens out" the wonky B string so it sounds good with chording anywhere on the neck.

 

[pskorz]

Seems like nobody uses the old-school pitch pipe nowadays.

 

[Securb]

Seems like nobody uses the old-school pitch pipe nowadays.

I remember using a 440 tuning fork and touching it to my bridge.

 

[NegativeEase]

I should add - after I tune with harmonics, I check the 3rds by doing Yes' Wurm riffs to make sure the temperment is good -as tuning in 4th intervals can lie to you with 3rds and 7s

this riff exposes tonality problems after tuning in 4ths:

 

[Securb]

When I use harmonics I use the 7trh fret harmonic on the low E and the oct harmonic on the B string to pull the B in. I do the same with the 12 frets on both E strings.