All guitarists know that one of the most important maintenance tips they can learn is how to change and tune guitar strings. Depending on usage, guitar strings should be changed at regular intervals before they become worn out, difficult or impossible to maintain in tune, or the quality is noticeably affected.
Tuning the acoustic or electric guitar without a tuner is a good method for a musician to practice and, once learned, can be done quickly and relatively easily. Start with a reference string, which is necessary because all other strings will be tuned from here.
The 5th fret method needs a reference to start
Low E is normally the reference point to start with. It is the thickest of the strings and usually stays in tune the longest. Another guitarist can give you the reference E note to tune, or you can use a piano, keyboard (the first E below middle C) or a tuning tube that you can buy relatively cheaply at a music store. In a pinch, use a landline dial tone. It’s on the A frequency. This way, the A note or 5th string will be your reference point.
- When using an E as a reference point, move to the 5th fret and hold the E string, pluck the E string, then the A string, and adjust the tuners so that the E on the 5th fret and the A string sound the same .
- Use the harmonics and listen to the vibrations as they fade together. If properly tuned, they will sound exactly the same.
- When they do, try the next set of strings. Hold the A string at the 5th fret and pull it, then pull the D string. Let the harmonics disappear and tune the D string. The G string is done the same way using the D string to tune.
- To tune the B string, use the G string, but on the 4th fret instead of the 5th. For the high E string, use the B string on the 5th fret again to finish. Play some chords. Try to tune the guitar before playing every time you pick it up. It’s good practice.
Of all the guitar tuning tips, this one is the quick, easy, and reliable one for standard guitar tuning.
Always tune the guitar before playing. Start below the tone and work with the tuner to find the proper guitar tone. This will prevent the guitar strings from falling out. The player should use a very familiar chord as a reference to determine when the guitar is starting to go out of tune.
Practice detailed listening, exercising your ear to pick up subtle changes in the notes you play. When changing strings, always stretch the new ones as you tune them to pitch. There are a few ways to do this. One way is to pull the string away from the fretboard at the ninth and twelfth frets. Then adjust back to the tone.
They are able to stay in tune longer with this method. There are many online chromatic guitar tuners or portable electronic tuners for standard or alternate tunings for sale. But for a quick way to tune a guitar or acoustic guitar, this hands-on method is an exercise that will train the player to listen carefully to what they’re playing as well as play it – in tune.
