Guitar
Tuning
Listen for one second. Are you in tune? Are you
sure?
Guitar tuning is probably the single most
important action a
guitarist can take before actually start playing and one upon which all
other musical activities depend.
Tuning up is also the easiest action for most
instruments (the piano being a notable exception)
No inspiring piece of music can ever spring from
an instrument with poor tuning, and it is a pre-requisite to play guitar correctly and play guitar effortlesly.
But, in spite of its simplicity, when watching
some of the myriads
of guitar videos going around, it is fairly obvious this essential step
of music performance is often disregarded.
 Often, the player is inexperienced and probably
cannot perceive his instrument being grossly out of tune.
But a fair share of grown ups also play the guitar
without carefully tuning up first.
Sometimes, this can be due in part to the 12 note
equal tempered scale, which is what the guitar and western music is
based on.
How scales are constructed
- In western music, tones are deducted from
dividing the octave by 12
fragments, which have a relationship to each other. This way of
dividing the octave dictates that the frequency ratio of the interval
between two neighboring music notes, must be a constant ratio:
1.0594630943592..
- Unfortunately, this way of dividing the octave
also creates
mathematical errors, although we can live with those. More on this
later.
- Another scale used around the 16th century is
the 19 tone equal
temperament. It comprises of nineteen equally spaced segments, deducted
from dividing the octave by 19.
This scale had more pleasant sounding major and minor 3rds than our
modern 12 tone scale and derived music scales. The major disadvantage of this scale is its 5th
note, which sounds flatter, although it is perceived as better sounding
in general.
- In Middle Eastern music the most common scale
used is derived by
dividing the octave by 24 segments, which will of course incorporate
tones not available to the Western scale.
- Yet another way of dividing the octave is the
just tempered scale.
This scale uses ratios which result in notes that are more pleasing to
the human ear like this table shows:
The disadvantage is, this scale can only be used on the one specific
key the instrument has been tuned to, as it becomes painfully dissonant
when transposing keys.
As we can see, different approaches and solutions
to temperament create both advantages and disadvantages.
This of course, affects standard
guitar tuning.
The solution is often a compromise
The 12 tone equal
temperament scale is widespread in western music, perhaps for practical
purposes. It was also traditionally used for lute and guitar way before
it was adapted for piano.
It can sound reasonably pleasing in all keys once
the human ear has adapted to it
Yes, it is obvious this scale comes with certain
compromises, but they are minor ones.
Still, some guitar players seem to be completely
oblivious to the fact their guitar tuning is way off.
Could it be that this is because they have grown
used to not paying
attention to what they are playing? Is it an error of omission, as in
"not listening"?
If this is the main reason, it would be then fair
to say that it is essential for guitar player (and musicians in
general) to:
- Listen,
are you in tune?
Having sensitive hearing and having a musical
ear are different things.Find out why.
- Learn
to tune a guitar
If you are a beginner, here are the top four
ways you can tune your
guitar. If you are experienced, then there is this "advanced way" which
happens to be my personal favorite.
- Be
aware of tuning during performance
The greatest lesson I've ever learned about
the mind has many applications, or "samurai guitar"
Guitar
Tuning back to top
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