Tuning Techniques

[redir]

I still use tuning forks sometimes too. Have you ever put on on a tooth?

[RussellHawaii]

Originally Posted by redir

I still use tuning forks sometimes too. Have you ever put on on a tooth?

My kind of comment! I took a slack key (open tuning) workshop once, and the teacher said to really understand open tunings, put your teeth on the headstock and strum the open strings. It’s remarkable. Don’t bite too hard!

[rllink]

Originally Posted by redir

I still use tuning forks sometimes too. Have you ever put on on a tooth?

Is that something like peeing on an electric fence?

I have a friend, yes, he is still a friend, who refuses to play with me because I won't give him time to tune up by ear and a tuning fork. I'm an old man, so is he. I told him, we are old, we don't have time for piddling, but he's been doing it that way forty years and he's not going to change. I bought him an electric tuner but it just made him mad and he threw it away. Just saying, he still claims he can tune by ear better. He can't, I don't care what he thinks. I've sat there waiting on him.. I still like him. Honestly, I could tune a guitar by ear if my life depended on it. I used to when there was no other options, but luckily since cheap clip on tuners came on the scene it has never gotten to that point.

[Robin, Wales]

Come on...... tuning a guitar is such a basic skill, and with the assistance of modern clip on tuners it is really easy to get your tuning right even in environments with background noise.

I can tune with a tuning fork; I can tune with another guitar or other instrument; I can tune without any external reference; but it is easiest to start with a good clip on like the TC Unitune.

Tune up the open strings (or capo'd strings) with the tuner, play the I, IV, V chords of the key of the song you are about to sing. Tweek the tuning by ear to get those chords singing sweet. Play the darn song! What could be easier, or more accurate.