How to tune a guitar using a tuner. New guitar tuner Guitar tuner what is it for

If you are a beginner guitarist, then it is unlikely that you will be able to tune the guitar by ear. To do this you need to have a lot of experience and skill, so most beginners use simpler methods, for example, through a tuner.

However, professionals also use such devices when they need to quickly and silently tune a musical instrument at a concert. Read about using a tuner in our article today.

Device characteristics

This element is a separate device or a program installed on a laptop or smartphone. In principle, there are no significant differences between these tuners - the principle of their operation is the same, and the only differences are in the display method. For work, you can take the simplest and cheapest tool, which has a display with an arrow and a scale. Thanks to this tuner, you can tune your guitar as accurately as possible with a minimum of effort.

by tuner?

First of all, you should start with the first string, clamping it at the 5th fret, which should correspond to the note “A”. Sometimes beginners make mistakes by starting to tighten the string of a musical instrument while looking at the tuner monitor. However, it must be remembered that the guitar will not always be in tune if the device shows the letter “E” when struck. The string can then sound in a completely different octave.

How to tune a guitar using a tuner correctly, without making such mistakes? Everything is very simple - when tightening the strings, just use an instrument such as a tuning fork. Then you will definitely be able to set the notes of the musical instrument correctly. Although you can tune your guitar using a tuner without this device.

A few words about tuning forks

At the moment, there are several types of these instruments - in the form of a whistle or a fork. Experts recommend using electronic tuning forks that produce the note “E” (the sound of the open first string). You can also use an online tuner that can reproduce the sounds of all open strings.

It should be noted that the tuning fork allows you to compare and produce only one note - “A” of the first octave. The frequency of the reproduced sound is 440 Hz. The tuner determines the vibration frequency of both the note and the sound that corresponds to it.

How to further tune the guitar through the tuner? After you have tuned the note “A”, using the same tuner you need to “tune” this string. Make sure that when you strike the first open string, the needle is at the middle of the “0” scale. The letter “E” will appear on the display.

How to tune a six string guitar? Displaying the remaining elements

When the first string is tuned, proceed in the same way with all the others (adjust to it). To do this, the 2nd string is clamped at the 5th fret. Here you need to make sure that it sounds the same note as the first open one, i.e. in unison. Next, a tuner is taken and the remaining strings are “tuned” using the same rules. Thus, when hitting the 2nd unclamped part, the display arrow will show the letter “B”.

Having tuned the top strings (the first two), proceed to the third. It should be clamped on the 4th fret, pulling it up to the sound of the note as on the second open one. After this, the string is precisely tuned using the tuner. Unlike all previous cases, here the letter “G” should appear on the device display.

How to tune a guitar using a tuner next? In the next step, the IV element is clamped again at the 5th fret. Here the tension to the note should be adjusted as you did on the previous open string. On the tuner, the open sound should correspond to the letter “D”. The next string is also clamped at the fifth fret and adjusted to the fourth open one. The tuner display should show the letter “A”. And finally, the last sixth string is tuned to the previous one so that the symbol “E” is displayed on the scale. That's probably all. This process may seem difficult at first, but over time, beginning guitarists become accustomed to the task and approach it with inspiration.

What do you need to remember based on this?

First of all, you need to learn to understand the standard scale. It includes several notes:

Knowing how to tune a guitar is not so bad - a real guitarist should know how to correctly correct all the shortcomings that arise. When exhibiting a musical instrument and its strings, it is important to remember the errors that beginners can make at any time. How to prevent this? Unfortunately, even a professional cannot avoid errors, so the only way out of the situation is to check the accuracy of the tuning of the strings of a musical instrument. Ideally, the unclamped first and sixth strings should sound in sync with the third, clamped at the 3rd fret.

Alternative Methods

There are also other ways. For example, to check if your guitar is tuned correctly, you can try another option - hold down the first string at the 5th fret and compare its sound with the note “A”. The sound in this case should merge, that is, be reproduced in unison. If the melodies are very different from each other, try plucking the first string at the 4th or 6th fret and compare again. If the plucked string sounds like an A at the fourth fret, the element is tuned too high and needs to be loosened. If this happened on the sixth, then here the part needs to be tightened, on the contrary. Thus, by varying the tension of the strings, you will achieve the most synchronous sound of the guitar on all notes.

Also, one of the signs of fine tuning is the vibration of the first string when the second string is clamped at the 5th fret (this produces sound).

Knowing all these rules, you will know exactly how to tune your guitar using a tuner.

Hi all! Today I have a wonderful and useful article for you, in which I will tell you how to choose a tuner for tuning a six-string guitar. Here you will learn about the main types of these devices, as well as for which guitars certain tuners are suitable. This device should be in every guitarist’s arsenal, so let’s take a closer look at it.

But before we look at the main types of guitar tuners, I would like to shed light, so to speak, on novice guitarists on the full significance and necessity of this device.

When playing the guitar, its correct tuning is undoubtedly of great importance. Often, even musicians with fairly good hearing still use a guitar tuner. What can we say about newcomers! This device will also be especially useful for them at the initial stage of learning and beyond.

It's no secret that the guitar should always be clear in order for the performed composition to sound correct and melodic. More experienced guitarists can easily tune by ear in minutes or even seconds. Despite these skills, they still have to use the tuner, especially in conditions of extraneous noise or during a performance on stage, and this allows tuning to be done most efficiently and quickly.

When you come to a music store, you may come across various models of guitar tuners, but you still don’t know which one to choose. Many professionals advise first of all to opt for a tuner with a mechanical dial indicator. Despite its apparent primitiveness, such an indicator provides the most accurate tuning of the guitar, unlike a tuner with an electronic indicator.

Some models of guitar tuners have an additional built-in one, which on the one hand seems convenient, but at the same time, professionals do not recommend buying combined devices, but advise it is better to take everything separately. Often, manufacturers have to make certain compromises, combining several functions in one device, which worsen the parameters of the device as a whole.

Now let's look at the design features of guitar tuners. Depending on their design, they are divided into two main types.

The first type includes clip-on tuners, which are fixed on and remove the sound from vibrating strings. Such devices are very convenient, compact and can easily fit in your pocket or. Most often used for tuning acoustic guitars.

The second type includes portable tuners, which are located in close proximity to the instrument or are connected to it using a cable. Such a device, of course, is a little larger, but its adjustment accuracy is much higher, so it is preferable to use this option. Let's take a closer look at each type of tuner.

Such devices in most cases have several types of tuning, allowing you to tune both an electric guitar and an acoustic guitar. How to use a portable tuner? It couldn't be easier!

Electric guitar tuning with such a device is quite simple. To do this, you need to connect the instrument with a cable to the jack connector on the tuner body and then check the sound of each string by looking at the display, which will display a specific note. The readings of the arrow and LEDs will indicate a deviation in one direction or another from the exact value. If you have tuned the string correctly, the green LED will light up on the display and the arrow will be located in the center.

Acoustic Guitar Tuning allows you to enable the tuning fork function, in which the tuner will produce sounds of a certain key for each string. You can also put it near the guitar, then the tuner will pick up the vibrations of the string through the microphone and show on the display what note it really is. Here you already choose what is easier for you, although the second option will be more accurate.

The advantage of such a tuner is its light weight and size, which makes it convenient to use both at home and at rehearsals. Using this device at a concert is quite inconvenient and this is its main disadvantage, because... You will have to tune the guitar before the concert, but it will be extremely inconvenient to use during the performance itself. You will need to connect your guitar to it every time, which will take some time. But in order not to suffer, there is an easier option!

As can be seen in the image, such a tuner is made in the form of a clothespin, at the top of which there is a screen, i.e. the device itself. It is attached to the headstock. During tuning, such a tuner detects the vibration of each string and then displays the current note. And with an accurate or inaccurate setting, the screen backlight will change its color to green and red, respectively.

This type of tuner is great for use with acoustic and electric guitars. Its advantages are obvious - small size and weight, ease of tuning the guitar, whether at home, at a rehearsal or at a concert. As for performing on stage, before the concert starts, take a tuner-clothespin and attach it to the headstock and then, at any convenient moment, you can quickly check the tuning of your guitar and, if necessary, adjust it. This is such a useful thing and, most importantly, it’s not expensive.

You are probably already familiar with guitar gadgets, so this type of tuner is designed like a guitar effects pedal. Structurally, everything is the same, only instead of an effect you have a digital tuner in the box.

The principle of its operation is similar to the portable tuner described above. How to use? We connect the electric guitar to the “Input” connector, turn on the device, pluck the string we need and look at what the display shows us. Thanks to LEDs that indicate deviations from precise tuning, you can see in real time what note is currently being played. As you can see, everything is easy and simple!

The main advantage of such a tuner is that you have the opportunity to tune your guitar right while performing on stage, at any appropriate moment, so that practically no one will even notice it. Well, the disadvantage, I think, is not so significant - the impossibility of customization with its help, greater weight and dimensions compared to the two copies described above.

Well, now we have discussed this important topic with you, and now you will know exactly which guitar tuner to buy in a musical instrument store. In this article I did not touch upon virtual tuners, i.e. programs on a PC, you can find them in the “Software” section. I hope you found the article interesting and useful, I look forward to your feedback and comments. See you soon on the blog pages, bye!

Tuning a guitar online is done using a special tuner application, which you can see on our website. What are its advantages? You don't need to spend money to buy a “real” device, just open the website and you can already tune an acoustic or electric guitar at home.

But before you figure out how to tune a six-string guitar, you need to know what we get at the finish line. The standard guitar tuning looks like this: MI - A - D - G - SI - MI, in the tuner it is designated as E - A - D - G - H - E.

The list goes from the top (thick) string to the bottom (thin) string. Just in case, I’ll note that the extreme “mi” are not the same sound; together they make up the “octave” interval, that is, they sound at different pitches. The guitar has this little paradox: the higher the string is located on the neck, the lower it sounds.

Standard guitar tuning

	Note		Frequency Hz
	E	Mi	329.63



5	A	La
6	E	Mi

Tuning a guitar using an online tuner

How to use the tuner:

Click the “Allow” button.
We pull the string.
We tighten or lower it in accordance with the table above.
If nothing is clear, then read the text below :).

If you do not see the guitar tuner above this inscription and the services below, then you need to download and install Adobe Flash Player and refresh the page after installation.

So, the necessary minimum of knowledge has been obtained, now let’s figure out how to tune a guitar using a tuner. It is available in two modes: by ear and using a microphone.

Tuning by ear

How to tune a guitar by ear? Select the appropriate mode in the tuner and specify the scale, for example, standard. You see strings with note letters. Click on the one you want to tune, listen to how it sounds and get the string on your guitar to sound exactly the same.

Smartphone applications

Are you logged in from a mobile device and the tuners are not displayed? Then we recommend downloading a good, proven tuner to your smartphone or tablet.

A conditionally free tuner with great functionality (expandable for money, but the standard tune is free). Among the features of the tuner, I would like to note the higher tuning accuracy and simplicity. We recommend for those who play in the standard system you can.

A free but limited version of the online tuner is available at this link.

How do you know if they sound the same? There are two methods. First, click on the corresponding string on the tuner, listen, and then pick it up on your guitar. If the sound has not changed, it means the string is tuned. Second, find on the Internet what the “unison” interval sounds like, listen to it, remember it and compare what you get with it.

If you still don't understand how to do this, we have prepared a visual video for you. But be that as it may, this is not an easy method for beginners. Then how to tune a guitar for a beginner?

To do this, the tuner has a second mode, select it and indicate the required scale. Now select the string you want to tune and at this stage you will need a microphone from your computer. Bring it to the instrument (or the instrument to it, if the device is built into, for example, a laptop) and pull the string.

Now look at what the device shows. You see an arrow - if the string is tuned correctly it will be in the middle. If it deviates to the left, then you did not reach it, i.e. the sound is lower than necessary, if it’s on the right, it means it’s been overdone.

What to do if the arrow jumps chaotically or does not react to you at all? Try moving the microphone closer or further away. Remember, you don't need to bring it close to the strings, but at the same time, don't hold it too far away. The ideal location is 30-50 cm from the socket (the round hole under the strings on the body).

It seems that everything is simple, but just in case, we recorded a video for you.

You may have wondered, why the first mode if there is a second one, which is much easier to use? Well, firstly, not everyone has a microphone, and it’s impossible to use a tuner without one, and secondly, tuning a guitar by ear is very developing. So, if you are a beginner guitarist, the ideal option is to first tune the instrument by ear, and then check the correctness through the tuner.

In short, tuning a guitar at home is a simple process, but at first it can be difficult for a beginner. But, as practice shows, each time you will succeed in doing this faster and faster, and after just a few attempts the question “How to properly tune a guitar” will not worry you.

Types of guitar tuning

In addition, we decided to indicate alternative types of guitar tuning. they are used in different directions. For example, Drop D is used more in rock or hardrock styles. a Drop C In the heavy metal and metalcore directions.

Drop C tuning

			Frequency Hz

Every time you pick up a guitar, even if it's not plugged in, there's nothing worth playing before you tune it.

Beginners try to ignore this simple rule, and then they wonder why they cannot distinguish the difference in the sound of a minor and major triad. The answer here, of course, is obvious, because all our lessons with the instrument are also ear training. So you shouldn’t spoil it with “non-combatant”.

They often ask which tuner is best for a beginner, so I decided to express my thoughts a little on this topic. I don't claim to be an expert, but I have some experience. I’ll say right away that my choice will always revolve around Polytune from TC electronic in various formats.

Our grandparents could not use electronic tuners to tune their seven-strings (to blame Vysotsky, not Korn!), then only tuning forks or a tuned piano were available. But we were incredibly lucky. There are now many tuners on the market in various formats, from rack units to pedals and clip-on tuners.

All these devices differ in ease of use and accuracy of adjustment.

Guitarists around the world are in fits of G.A.S. they are trying to find the best devices for themselves, it was the same with tuners, some like BOSS, some like old Fenders with arrows, and here the Chinese nonname has arrived.

The tuner market continued to exist little by little until the first Polytune from TC Electronic appeared on it. The main idea of Polytune was on the surface, if a guitar has 6 strings, then let guitarists test 6 strings at once.

The first generation of Polytunes are said to not always work accurately, have a not very good display and have problems with assembly. It was replaced by Polytune 2 and its smaller copy mini in different colors.

This is where it became clear that all these rack, floor and portable tuners are just a compromise in comparison with Polytune.

TC quickly realized that they had no competitors in the pedal format, and this year they introduced a new product, Polytune Clip. This is a tuner in the format of a clip on the neck of a guitar with a color display, which also allows you to determine the tuning of the guitar both for all 6 strings and for each one individually.

Let's return to choosing a tuner. Our alternatives are:

Software tuners for MAC/PC/iOS/Android
Tuners built into guitar processors
Tuner in pedal format
Tuner in clip format

When choosing, decide what you need a tuner for, for playing at home; programs for a computer or phone may be enough. There are many options here, but since I previously wrote about Polytune, pay attention to it. Tuners are often produced in the same housing as a metronome, for example, the BOSS TU-80, which has a built-in microphone for tuning acoustic instruments.

Tuners in pedal/clip format are suitable for rehearsals and concerts. The pedal is always more convenient, since when in active mode, it blocks the sound, so all your strumming will not be heard in the hall. With clips, you will have to unscrew the volume knob yourself. Many people have experience working with Chinese non-name clips at concerts and complain that in the presence of outside noise, they do not work accurately. In such conditions, Polytune Clip behaves much more confidently, plus it works with lower tunings right out of the box without manipulation (tested in C#).

In general, if your finances allow you, look towards TC Electronic, they offer the most convenient tuners; if your budget is limited, do not hesitate to buy inexpensive BOSS tuners or Chinese clip-on tuners, just remember their limitations.

Well, as they say on English-language resources, stay tuned!

This article will tell you why you need guitar tuner and how it can make life easier for a beginning guitarist.

In general, you need to be able to tune a guitar by ear, this will help in learning and train your ear for music. But it is difficult for beginners to quickly learn how to tune a guitar; this is understandable; experience is required for this. Since it is highly undesirable to play an instrument out of tune, you can use a tuner to tune the guitar.

There are many of them, and they are divided into several categories and types. By category, there are electronic tuners for tuning a guitar and tuners, which are a special device.

This article will discuss electronic tuners, and special devices work in a similar way.

The first type among electronic ones is a tuner for tuning a guitar by ear. It is a program designed graphically and with an interface in the form of buttons. There are only six buttons (according to the number of strings), and when you press the button, the sound (a specific note) of the correctly tuned string is played. This guitar tuner is an analogue of another, tuned guitar.

AP Guitar tuner for guitar tuning

Brief description of AP Guitar: a tuner for tuning a guitar, characterized by a special technology for determining the pitch of the sound, and for stability it is optimized for the operation of the processor. The program has a simple interface and a sufficient number of tools.

AP Guitar works on all Windows platforms. To install the program, download the archive, run the installation and follow the instructions.

After installation, launch AP Guitar tuner to tune your guitar. Now you need to set it up to work. To do this, we need a microphone, any one we have at hand.

Connect the microphone to the jack on the sound card (mic) and test it by saying a few words, if you hear your voice in the speakers, then do the following.

Double-click on the speaker icon (near the clock), in the window that appears, click: parameters - properties - playback - in the lower area, check the box next to the microphone - ok. Now there is a new scale - microphone, check off.

After these steps, say a few words into the microphone, the voice should not sound from the speakers, and the arrow in the window - 5 - AP Guitar tuner for tuning the guitar should fluctuate, if it does not respond, then do the following:

Double-click on the speaker icon (near the clock), in the window click: parameters - properties - recording - in the lower area, check the box next to the microphone - ok. Now a new scale has appeared - microphone, check the select box and drag the slider up. That's it, microphone setup is complete.

Guitar tuner or AP Guitar manual

Let's look at the tuner interface for tuning a guitar:

1 – type of tuning or type of tuning. The default tuning is for a six-string guitar. Here you can see six strings with a Latin letter and a number. The letter denotes a note, the number denotes the octave number (but not the designation of octaves in music in general)

2 – the second window of the tuner for tuning the guitar is called present or tuning modes.

3 – the third window of AP Guitar shows the actual sensitivity of the microphone; in a quiet position, the bar should oscillate around the center.

4 – preliminary tuning using a tuner for tuning the guitar.

5 – fine tuning, also known as the final stage of AP Guitar.

There are also seven buttons in the interface, but figuring them out won’t be difficult.

So, let's move on to tuning the guitar using the AP Guitar guitar tuner.

We will carry out the setup in two stages. The first stage is a rough setup, you only need window number 4.

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