Tuning

that is really an astute observation. you are no longer a newbie.

I have a strong pick attack so I generally read the meter in the "middle" as you say it.
to eleminate all doubt use this method.
at fret 12 hit the harmonic. your meter will jump right off to that note and tell you where you are at.

you know the 12th fret harmonic thing dont you?
if not while plucking the string instantaneously touch the string at the 12th fret and let go. the string should ring in a high tone.
meters have an easier time reading that.

That's what I thought.

I haven't tried to check tuning against the harmonic, but I have checked my tuning by fretting at the 12th fret. (it appears that I need to tinker my intonation, if I understand what I'm seeing)

kent_eh

That's really a good question. I bet everyone has this problem with electronic tuners. I know I used to, but with careful study I believe I have figured them out. Try this and see.

Before you pluck any string to tune, place your picking hand gently over all 6 strings muting them. You may have to wait a few seconds, but the display will eventually "turn off" or, if your tuner has a needle, it will swing to the left and disappear.

This is good. This is exactly what you want. The tuner is not picking up any note from any string, so it is not registering.

Now, lift you picking hand up gently without disturbing the strings. Your tuner should not register anything. Now give the string you want to tune one moderate pluck. Not soft, not hard, but just normal.

You will note the tuner will register this note strongly and very steadily. And it will hold this note for quite a few seconds, time enough to tune the string to pitch.

Of course, if the note is flat tune it up to pitch. However, if the note is sharp you want to detune your guitar below the proper note and then tune up to proper pitch.

So always tune UP to the proper pitch, never down.

Once you have this string properly tuned, place your hand back over all strings until the tuner turns off or fails to register again. Then tune the next string.

This may sound stupid, but I have really found there is an art to tuning with an electronic tuner. With this method you will get very accurate and steady registers, and also the tuner will not jump to other strings as they like to do.

Try this method and tell me how you like it. :wink:

oh yes, there is intonation too.
for the most part, tho, fret 12 is a good way to tune.

kent_eh

That's really a good question. I bet everyone has this problem with electronic tuners. I know I used to, but with careful study I believe I have figured them out. Try this and see.

Before you pluck any string to tune, place your picking hand gently over all 6 strings muting them. You may have to wait a few seconds, but the display will eventually "turn off" or, if your tuner has a needle, it will swing to the left and disappear.

This is good. This is exactly what you want. The tuner is not picking up any note from any string, so it is not registering.

Now, lift you picking hand up gently without disturbing the strings. Your tuner should not register anything. Now give the string you want to tune one moderate pluck. Not soft, not hard, but just normal.

You will note the tuner will register this note strongly and very steadily. And it will hold this note for quite a few seconds, time enough to tune the string to pitch.

Of course, if the note is flat tune it up to pitch. However, if the note is sharp you want to detune your guitar below the proper note and then tune up to proper pitch.

So always tune UP to the proper pitch, never down.

Once you have this string properly tuned, place your hand back over all strings until the tuner turns off or fails to register again. Then tune the next string.

This may sound stupid, but I have really found there is an art to tuning with an electronic tuner. With this method you will get very accurate and steady registers, and also the tuner will not jump to other strings as they like to do.

Try this method and tell me how you like it. :wink:

we posted simliltaneously. I agree with your research. :)

Dogbite

You are right, the time shows an exact tie. :D Bet that doesn't happen often.

This method works. Tuners are funny. They jump around, sometimes they pick up one string when you are trying to tune another, sometimes they seem stubborn to pick up certain strings. By muting the strings, the tuner will pick up the string you are trying to tune and exclude all others.

After going through tuning he11 yesterday, I'm really beginning to hear the difference. Kent, I have the same thing - always starts at the flat then it skips up and down. I usually mute the other strings and wait about a second because I think the tuner is a bit too dumb and feels it needs to start somewhere - especialy when you only have three lights on the display. It would be nice if they would spring for the extra LEDs but alas, what do you expect for a cheap tuner :P (at least mine is pretty cheap).

The upside is that I know where the low E should be and I can usually do it by ear with just a little help from the tuner now. What I have found out is that my little Ibanez "jumpstart" pack was good enough to get me started last saturday and now I want to get a new one. I don't know if it is my playing but it just seems to not stay in tune for that long. I make it about halfway through a session and have to re-tune. My low E string sounds like crap as well. But I guess you get what you pay for.....

Thanks dogbite and wes.
Muting the other strings does help.
As does not picking super hard.

And I see what you mean by tuning up to pitch. It also helps to keep the thing in tune for longer, especially given the amount of slop in the gears of my tuning machines.

And, aoco, yeah it is a cheapie. But at least it cost me less than the guitar :lol:

An alternative to tuning to the 12th fret harmonic (which actually is a mixture of all of the even harmonics) is to pluck the string exactly at the middle, above the 12th fret. That gives a mixture of all of the odd harmonics. Sometimes a tuner will work better with one or the other, but I've usually had more success with the pluck-at-the-12th-fret method.