Guitar Lovers

 

 

by Gerald Klickstein

Introduction
Most of us have heard the old joke: “A guitarist spends half his life tuning and the other half playing out of tune.” Could it be that we’ve earned this reputation? Although every guitarist aims to tune as quickly and accurately as possible, most students and many professionals have significant difficulty tuning by ear. Why are tuning problems so common? There are two fundamental reasons:

1. Conventional tuning methods are difficult to use accurately. 
2. Few materials have been available for learning and mastering essential tuning skills. As a result, numerous guitarists lack these skills.

To address these problems, I began formulating a new tuning system in 1983. My work culminated in 1996 when Mel Bay Publications released my 61-page book Tuning the Guitar by Ear. In this article, I’ll summarize the contents of the book and explain how any guitarist can learn to tune with ease.Tuning Skills
Tuning involves three skills:

• Playing clearly.
• Listening astutely.
• Adjusting strings precisely.

To play clearly, we should sound the strings with a vivid, sustaining tone, damping unplayed strings to prevent sympathetic vibrations.Listening astutely involves hearing the pulsating sounds called beats. Beats occur when two sustaining pitches differ slightly. Listening for beats is the easiest and most precise way to tune.

Adjusting strings precisely encompasses having sensitive control of each tuning knob.

For a guitarist to tune quickly and accurately, he or she must know exactly how to play, listen and adjust.

The 5th-Fret Method
Although it works perfectly in theory, the 5th-fret approach seldom produces swift, accurate results. This is partly due to errors being compounded as we tune from string to string. It’s also because the 5th-fret method doesn’t allow us to easily listen for beats while adjusting strings; so instead, we listen for changes in pitch. Accuracy suffers because it’s tricky to recognize very small differences in pitch.

A Better Way To Tune
The 5th-fret method is easy to play, but like other conventional methods, it makes listening and adjusting difficult. A better tuning strategy is to facilitate listening and adjusting since they are the focus of tuning. I designed my tuning system accordingly and also eliminated problems of error compounding. It’s a bit more difficult to play than other systems because it involves playing harmonics and damping unplayed strings with the right-hand fingers. However, by clarifying listening and adjusting, this trade-off enables you to tune with utmost speed and accuracy.

My approach integrates “tuning” and “testing”, much like common piano tuning methods. “Tuning” is the act of adjusting a string’s pitch. “Testing” evaluates tuning accuracy. To listen for beats while “tuning,” the left hand must be free to turn the tuning knobs. Consequently, for “tuning” I use only harmonics and open strings since these will sustain without left hand involvement. Fretted pitches are used for “testing.” Compound errors are avoided by testing each string against a single reference string. This combination of tuning and testing yields optimum accuracy and speed.

Tuning synopsis
Here’s a very brief overview of the tuning procedures. First, the 5th-fret harmonic of the fifth string is tuned to the A-440 from an electronic metronome. We sound the A-440 and the harmonic, damping the unplayed strings with the right-hand fingers to prevent confusing sympathetic vibrations. We lower the fifth string to where beating is clearly heard, then raise it to beatless. When beatless against the A-440, the string is in tune. The fifth string then becomes the reference for testing the other strings.

Next, the fourth string is tuned and tested. We sound the 5th-fret harmonic of the fifth string and the 7th-fret harmonic of the fourth string, damping the unplayed strings. The fourth string is lowered, then raised slightly sharp of beatless to beat at a rate indicated in the instructions by a metronome marking (if you tune the two harmonics identically, the 4th string will play flat—see FAQs below for more information). We then test the 4th string by playing the 12th-fret harmonic of the fifth string and the 7th-fret note (not harmonic) of the fourth string, damping the unplayed strings. If the fourth string is in tune, this test will be beatless. The remaining strings are tuned in a similar manner and each is tested against the fifth string. Finally, all strings are evaluated with test chords. Guitarists who master this method tune accurately in one minute or less.

Learning to Tune
When most of us first learned tuning by ear, we were shown a diagram with the 5th-fret method and told to practice—few of us were ever taught how to play, listen and adjust. Thus, most guitarists have underdeveloped tuning skills and insecure tuning habits. To enable reliable skill development, Tuning the Guitar by Ear includes ten preparatory exercises. The initial five exercises address playing harmonics and damping unplayed strings, the rest develop listening and adjusting skills; string-by-string tuning and testing instructions follow. All procedures are shown in easy-to-read graphic notation and include precise instructions for playing, listening and adjusting. A two-page summary is included to aid in memorizing the system. To fully master the standard tuning procedures, it takes anywhere from a few hours to several weeks, depending on the individual guitarist.

Guitar Fitness
The effectiveness of this tuning system depends not only on the guitarist who uses it, but also on the guitar itself. If an instrument is not properly set up, it will be impossible to tune with any method. In fact, setup flaws are quite common, even with expensive instruments. What’s more, all guitars need occasional adjustment. Because of this, Tuning the Guitar by Ear begins with guitar fitness guidelines. These include directions for replacing strings, maintaining tuning gears, controlling humidity levels and performing a general evaluation of your guitar’s condition. A simple test is also included to check for accurate intonation. Most setup flaws are easily repaired, so if you’re ever uncertain whether your guitar plays in tune, have it evaluated by a technician—avoid attempting repairs yourself unless you’re fully qualified.

Tuning Theory
Guitars are fretted in equal temperament. As a result, the twelve half steps that make up an octave are equally sized and all keys sound equally in tune. This equality is achieved through compromise, that is, some intervals are more in tune than others. For example, octaves and unisons are perfectly in tune and sound beatless. Major thirds, however, are quite sharp and beat noticeably. That’s why when we play an E-major chord in open position, the G# on the third string sounds sharp—it IS sharp and it’s supposed to be. If we lower the third string to make the G# less sharp, the third string will sound flat for other intervals.

The inherent complexities and compromises of equal temperament add to the widespread confusion about guitar tuning. In order to tune well, however, it isn’t necessary to fully understand tuning theory, you only need to know how to tune. Tuning the Guitar by Ear is designed as a practical manual that focuses on how to tune, while at the same time providing sensible, easy-to-understand explanations of why guitar tuning works the way it does. This blending “how” and “why” contributes toward building the secure tuning habits that every guitarist needs.

Conclusion
Rapid, accurate tuning requires reliable tuning habits. Tuning the Guitar by Ear is designed as a comprehensive resource for guitarists to learn and master precise tuning skills. It was created to address the pervasive need for better tuning and thereby fill a gaping hole in guitar education. The book includes instructions for standard tuning and three alternate tunings plus tuning methods for beginners, guidelines for tuning on stage, and more.