How to use built in tuner to tune half step down?

[JackB1]

Is there an easy way to use your guitar's built in tuner to tune a half step down? The only way I can think of would be to put a capo on the 1st fret and then tune to standard. Then take it off and you should be half step down, but it probably won't be 100% accurate.

When I play live I always play 1/2 step down and I don't like to tune up onstage with a audible clip on tuner. Any solutions that I could plug into or use silently? What I've been doing is tuning up at home before I leave and then checking it when I get onstage.

Also....Any clip on tuners that let you tune 1/2 step down?

[L20A]

Just have it in the position that picks up all notes.
Not in any one key.
Now just tune your guitar 1/2 step down.
Starting with Eb.
I'm not sure if all built in tuners will allow this though.
Mine does.

[Liam77]

it depends on the tuner.


Does yours see only Eadgbe ? it cant display any other note?


The way around is to plug-in another more versatile tuner (in order to reduce other ambiant noise).

[Rosewood99]

I put the capo on the first fret and tune to standard. Seems to work for me as long as you don't have a capo with extreme pressure.

[Skarsaune]

The only onboard tuner I have is on a rescued Yamaha, and it lets me tune directly to D# / Eb.

[JackB1]

Any clip on tuners let you tune 1/2 step down?

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Any clip on tuners let you tune 1/2 step down?

Any chromatic tuner will allow you to tune to any notes you wish. I have Peterson, TC Electronics, PW, Korg, Snark clip-ons, all chromatic, all permit free-tuning.

[Sonics]

These are maybe overkill and expensive if you just need a tuner. However you should consider them 'investments' as they feature extra functionality, which you either need now or will need later.

In ascending price order:

[j3ffr0]

Any chromatic tuner (or almost any modern tuner) will let you tune 1/2 step down including the cheap little snarks. For folks who don't know what 1/2 step is:

1-D#
2-A#
3-F#
4-C#
5-G#
6-D#

It also would never hurt to learn a little music theory.

[robj144]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Any clip on tuners let you tune 1/2 step down?

Just about all of them... just tune to the strings.

[Nick S]

Theory-wise, if you are thinking "half step down," you might want to think of the notes as flats ("e flat, b flat, g flat, etc.").

[joelhunn]

I curious, you folks who play 1/2 step down. Do you use the same fingers and play everything flat or do you learn new fingering for every chord?

Other than perhaps being a bit easier on your fingers, I'm not sure that I understand the point.

[Wade Hampton]

Joel, one of the usual reasons players tune down a half step is to make it easier to sing songs that otherwise might be a bit out of reach. For example, when I’m in good voice and fully warmed up I can sing the Turtles’ old hit song “Happy Together,” in the original key of A minor, but it’s easier to sing it in Ab minor. (Easier still a full step down in G minor.) Instead of playing it in Ab minor (everyone’s favorite key, right?) if you tune down a half step you can play it in A minor formation and also play the instrumental riff much more easily.

What I tend to do with that song is capo at the third fret and play it in E minor formation, but it’s fun to play it in the original chord formations while actually being Ab or G minor natural.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Wade Hampton]

Just to make sure you understand, if you tune down a half step your chord formations will be the same as they’d be tuned to concert pitch, but they’re a half step lower. As I wrote in my previous post, this allows the songs to be sung slightly lower but preserves the original fingerings.


whm

[s2y]

My first tuner in the early 90's only tuned to standard and it could only read one string before flipping the switch to pick up the next string. Chromatic tuners ever since.