Tuners

Everything you ever need or want to know about how to tune a guitar!

(and how to use them)

PRELUDE

WHAT ARE THE LETTER AND NUMBER NAMES OF THE GUITAR STRINGS ?

Types of Tuners

Tuners don’t tune the Guitar, YOU do !

• 3 Types• Tuning Fork

• Electronic Tuners

• Relative Tuning (YOUR EARS ! ! ! )

Types of Tuners

Tuning Forks:

1. Prongs

2. Stem

3. Ball

Types of Tuners

Tuning Forks:

• The Prongs vibrate to create a constant pitch (note)

• The tuning fork should always be held by the stem

• When the ball of a vibrating tuning fork is pressed against a hard surface (like the bridge of your guitar), the pitch will be amplified

Types of Tuners

Electronic Tuner:Different types, but operate on the same principle

Strobe

Acoustic/Electronic

Clip-on/Electronic

Types of Tuners

Electronic Tuner:• Make sure that the tuner has batteries in it and is turned “on”

• If tuner has a guitar/bass setting make sure it is set to GUITAR

• Make sure the room is silent, tuner with a built-in mic will pick up EVERY sound

• Make sure the string you are turning is attached to the tuning key you are turning ! ! !

• Make sure that the tuner displays the note that you want to tune. For example, if you’re tuning the 6th string (E) the tuner should say 6E or E.

Types of Tuners

Electronic Tuner:If your tuner displays a note other than the string/note you want to tune (or if the tuner just freaks out and won’t register anything!) try the following:

1. Make sure the room is silent.

2. Make sure that the string you want to tune is the only one ringing

3. Your string may be so out of tune that it is not even sounding the correct note. Loosen it until the you are certain it is too loose. Next, RAISE it to the correct note.

continued . . .

Types of Tuners

Electronic Tuner: After your tuner displays the correct string/note, adjust the tuning peg until you get a green light and/or the needle is centered.

1. If the needle is left of center, or you have a red or amber light, or a flat (b) to the left of the green light then you need to tighten the string.

2. If the needle is right of center, or you have a red or amber light, or a sharp (#) to the right of the green light, then you need to loosen the string.

Relative Tuning

• If you don’t have an electronic tuner you should:

A) Rush to a music store and buy one

B) Contact Mr. Sayle and beg him to tune your guitar

C) Pay Mr. Sayle $$$ to tune your guitar

D) Tune the guitar to itself

• The 5th fret tuning method

1. A number in a circle means . . . 2. The number underneath the number inside a circle means . . .

Which string to play

Which fret to play at, 0 means “open” string

RELATIVE TUNING