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Guitar Lesson Two– Tuning
Your Guitar to Itself
This is probably the most
important piece of knowledge
that you can learn when it
comes to tuning your guitar.
The process of tuning your
guitar to itself is one by
which you tune each string to
another string on the guitar.
Basically, it means that you
can tune the guitar without
having to use a tuner or pitch
tool. The only set back about
using this method is that your
guitar may not end up in exact
concert pitch. What I mean by
that is that the strings may
not run E, A, D, G, B, E as
they would if they were in
correct concert pitch (you
would need a tuner or pitch
tool to do that), rather they
will all be tuned to whatever
note the top string happens to
be at the time of tuning.
The first step is to get your
fifth string in tune with your
sixth string. Place a finger on
your left hand on the fifth
fret of the sixth string. The
note that you are holding down
is the pitch that string five
should be tuned to. Keep your
finger in position and pluck
the sixth string and let that
note ring. As you let the sixth
string ring, pluck the fifth
string. If the fifth string
sounds exactly like the note
you are holding on the sixth
string, it is in tune. If it is
higher, you need to tune down
below the note on the sixth
string and then bring it back
up to match with the fifth fret
note on the sixth string. If
the fifth string note is lower,
you need to tighten the string
and bring its pitch up to the
fifth fret note on the sixth
string. It may take you a while
to match pitches exactly but
the more practice you get at
this, the faster you will be
able to do it.
The
second step is to get your
forth string in tune with your
fifth string. Place a finger on
your left hand on the fifth
fret of the fifth string. The
note that you are holding down
is the pitch that string four
should be tuned to. Keep your
finger in position and pluck
the fifth string and let that
note ring. As you let the fifth
string ring, pluck the forth
string. If the forth string
sounds exactly like the note
you are holding on the fifth
string, it is in tune. If it is
higher, you need to tune down
below the note on the fifth
string and then bring it back
up to match with the fifth fret
note on the fifth string. If
the forth string note is lower,
you need to tighten the string
and bring its pitch up to the
fifth fret note on the fifth
string. Keep tuning the string
until you get an exact match
for pitch.
The
third step is to get your third
string in tune with your forth
string. Place a finger on your
left hand on the fifth fret of
the forth string. The note that
you are holding down is the
pitch that string three should
be tuned to. Keep your finger
in position and pluck the forth
string and let that note ring.
As you let the forth string
ring, pluck the third string.
If the third string sounds
exactly like the note you are
holding on the forth string, it
is in tune. If it is higher,
you need to tune down below the
note on the forth string and
then bring it back up to match
with the fifth fret note on the
forth string. If the third
string note is lower, you need
to tighten the string and bring
its pitch up to the fifth fret
note on the forth string. Keep
tuning the string until you get
an exact match for
pitch.
The
forth step is to get your
second string in tune with your
third string. Place a finger on
your left hand on the forth
fret of the third string. The
note that you are holding down
is the pitch that string two
should be tuned to. Keep your
finger in position and pluck
the third string and let that
note ring. As you let the third
string ring, pluck the second
string. If the second string
sounds exactly like the note
you are holding on the third
string, it is in tune. If it is
higher, you need to tune down
below the note on the third
string and then bring it back
up to match with the forth fret
note on the third string. If
the second string note is
lower, you need to tighten the
string and bring its pitch up
to the forth fret note on the
third string. Keep tuning the
string until you get an exact
match for pitch.
The
last step is to get your first
string in tune with your second
string. Place a finger on your
left hand on the fifth fret of
the second string. The note
that you are holding down is
the pitch that string one
should be tuned to. Keep your
finger in position and pluck
the second string and let that
note ring. As you let the
second string ring, pluck the
first string. If the first
string sounds exactly like the
note you are holding on the
second string, it is in tune.
If it is higher, you need to
tune down below the note on the
second string and then bring it
back up to match with the fifth
fret note on the second string.
If the first string note is
lower, you need to tighten the
string and bring its pitch up
to the fifth fret note on the
second string. Keep tuning the
string until you get an exact
match for pitch and you will
have tuned the guitar to its
own strings.
You
have just tuned your guitar to
itself. If the guitar sounds a
little out, you should go back
and repeat the process – it is
a little hard to master for a
start but you should stick to
it as it is a very useful skill
to have.
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Progress and
Motivation
An old piano
teacher of mine
used to record
my playing at
different times
throughout my
terms work. At
the end of the
term she would
give me a tape
that contained
a selection of
pieces that I
had played
running from
work that I had
completed early
in the term to
the things that
I was working
on at the end
of the term. I
would take this
tape home and I
would play it
to my friends
and family.
People
listening to
the tape would
say, “Man,
you’re getting
good”.
This did two
things for me.
First of all,
it made me go
back to my
teacher for
more lessons.
Secondly, it
made me
practice more
because I could
see the
benefits of
working on
something over
time.
Basically, the
progress that I
could hear on
the tape
motivated me to
progress
further.
I strongly
recommend that
you begin to
record your
practice
sessions for
future
reference.
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