Electric Guitar Tuning Tips

Players just starting out quickly learn that they could use some electric guitar tuning tips. Tuning a guitar is one of the least fun parts of learning to play. In fact, next to changing your guitar's strings, tuning your guitar is by for the biggest drag that gets in the way of you really having a great time rocking out. Like most things in life, the more you practice and the more you know about something, the easier things get. This is certainly true for tuning your electric guitar. Learn some great electric guitar tuning tips so you can get past the appetizer - getting in tune - and get on to the main course - making music - as quickly and painlessly as possible.

All these tips won't apply to you all of the time, but knowing the many different things you can do to make tuning easier will only benefit you as a player.

If your guitar has strings that are older than you are, it's time to change them out for a fresh set. Guitar strings are basically pieces of metal, typically nickel, and they wear out. They rust, get worn through in areas where they come in contact with the frets, and lose their overall elasticity. When all three of these things happen, there is almost no way to get your guitar in tune as the strings can't hold a pitch for any length of time. Once you put on new strings, you'll be amazed at how much easier it is to get your guitar in tune.

The greatest invention in the last few decades for electric guitar players is the electric tuner. These tuners are powered by battery and allow you to plug your guitar directly into them. Several types are available. Some are simple tuners that you would set on a table or put in your lap to use, while others are actual pedals that you can use on stage. These pedals even have a feature where when you step on them to tune your guitar, they will cut your signal off so the whole audience doesn't have to sit and listen to you tuning. Both are very effective, although the pedal tuners are typically the most expensive.

If you are in a situation where you don't have an electric tuner available, you will need some quiet in order to get your guitar in tune. If you're playing in a band, this usually involves telling the drummer to stop making noise so you can think!

Electric guitar players often like to use a lot of effects like distortion, delay, reverb, flanger and phasers that color their sound. While these can make your guitar sound cool, they make it very difficult to tune. When it comes time to tune your guitar, turn off all your fancy pedals and make sure you are hearing a clean, bright tone.

Using harmonics is one of the best electric guitar tuning tips. For many players, this is the best method for helping them really hear how to get their strings in tune. Follow these steps:

• First, use your guitar's bridge pickup. This is the pickup closest to the bridge of the guitar, or the furthest away from the headstock. Starting on your low E string, the string with the lowest pitch, place your finger lightly on the string right above the fifth fret. Don't press the string all the way to the fretboard, just lightly rest your finger directly above the fret and pluck the string. Right when you pluck the string, remove your finger from above the fifth fret. You should hear a high-pitched ringing tone called a harmonic.
• Next, use the same technique on the A string (the next string down), although on the A string you put your finger directly above the seventh fret and create another harmonic. The trick is to create both harmonics fast enough so they are both ringing at the same time. If the strings are out of tune, you will clearly hear what are called overtones that are a warbling kind of sound. Your task is to tune the A string using the tuning peg until the warbling sound disappears. This means the two strings are in tune.
• You can continue that technique heading down the guitar's strings (The fifth fret harmonic on the A string can be tuned to the Seventh fret harmonic on the D string, etc.). This works until you get to the B string. To tune the B string you must play the note on the fourth fret of the G string (the traditional note, not a harmonic) and tune your B string to that note. You can then use your harmonic technique again to tune your high E string to the B string.

The more you tune your guitar, the better you get. Be patient at first. Take your time and make sure you get the guitar in tune no matter how long it takes. You will enjoy playing much more if your guitar is in tune. You will certainly get faster at tuning the more you practice.

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