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guitar tuning question...


snarfmaster C

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I use a harmonic on the 7th fret of the low E string. This is an interesting conversation. How does everyone tune by ear? Here's what I do.

Start with the low E (preferably tuning to someone else - piano is ideal) ( I guess it should actually be the A that I tune to the piano right? That's not how I do it though.)

Tune the A string 7th fret harmonic with a 5th fret harmonic from the low E.

Tune the D string 7th fret harmonic with a 5th fret harmonic from the A.

Tune the G string 7th fret harmonic with a 5th fret harmonic from the D.

Tune the open B string with a 7th fret harmonic from the low E.

Tune the open high E string with a 5th fret harmonic from the low E.

I think that's how I do it anyway (I'm at work - hence no guitar).

What about everyone else?

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actually... i kinda guess at the open E.. usually within a Hz.

then i hit the e-a open and listen for the 'worble' and tune acordingly to get rid of it.

then a-d

..so on..

in technical terms (har-har) i think i'm playing a root and it's fifth. when its out, you know.

sometimes i tell the drummer to make sure his snare is 'on' so i can hear the 'worble' even better.

on a side note... does anyone else here call the little grooves on the side of most hiways the 'blamph'?

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Good thread here. I'm kind of with 6ft on this because I've always felt that tuning to the open string, particularly by ear, is more reflective of the natural sound of the guitar. It's certainly easier and more accurate sonically to use harmonics or a tuner but if you're just playing by yourself and you don't own a top-notch guitar, the phrasing of your chords sounds warmer to the ear.

In group situations I tend to use a tuner inline between guitar and amp. Simplicity.

Incidentally, you can download an instrument tuner here

(sidenote: this site used to be great but it now blows)

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you can't tune the B with harmonics.

Just use the fourth fret on your G-string (chuckle chuckle) to tune the B. Then you can go back to harmonics to tune the E from the harmonic on the fifth string of the B.

Don't forget to ask someone to pluck your G-string when you're done [Wink]

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Though the 4th fret g string harmonic is supposed to be a 'b', it's horribly out-of-tune (damn Pythagorus).

The 7th fret harmonic of your low 'e' string = the open 'b' string, and the 7th fret harmonic of the 'a' string (or the 5th fret harmonic of the low 'e', makes sense donnit?) = the open hi 'e' string.

You're welcome.

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