Could somebody please tell me where I'm going wrong? I quite recently bought a guitar and used an electronic tuner to tune up. I then began to learn a few chords. I then restrung my guitar and can't seem to tune it up again. My electronic tuner tells me that the strings are in tune but when I play it it evidently is not. All advice would be greatly appreciated.
You could find an online tuner. They're pretty good usually. Also, I think there is even an article on this site somewhere about how to tune by hear. It's not difficult. Get the online tuner to give you your low E string, then tune the rest from that string. You think the tuner is broken? Does it run on batteries? If so, try changing those :)
https://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=208 will tell you all you need to know about getting your guitar in tune.
Bob
You are what you eat, eat well
If your tuner has an automatic mode you might have tuned all the strings to a note, but not the correct note. If your tuner has an automatic mode make sure it's showing the right note in the display for the string you are tuning.
liam,
When you say "My electronic tuner tells me that the strings are in tune but when I play it it evidently is not."...how bad is it? Is it WAYYY off? Or just a bit? I think you need to be more specific.
Just a few things to consider.
How much extra string do you have wrapped around the post? - Having tons of extra string around the post will cause the string to go out of tune quite a bit.
Do you have the correct strings in the correct order? For instance, do you have the A and D string swapped? (sometimes the best question to ask is the most simple, most obvious...ya never know)
When you changed the strings, did you stretch them? You can not expect the strings to be in perfect tune right after you put them on the guitar without having first stretched them out. (just a bit :P ) When you put new strings on, it will take some time for them to stretch out. This time will be based on how much you play and how often you do.
Teamwork- A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.
What is really baffling me is why my electronic tuner (Marshall MT-1) is telling me that the strings are in tune. My tuner is a tried and trusted one and I put new batteries in, but the tuning is just so obviously way out. Thanks for the advice about online tuning but unfortunately my ear is not that advanced yet. Regarding stretching the strings I think they were stretched when I put them on but this is something I am also not sure of.
How much extra string do you have wrapped around the post? - Having tons of extra string around the post will cause the string to go out of tune quite a bit.
Especially, on the Low E string. A couple times I've had to cut it down and restring again.
Bob Jessie
It definitely sounds to me like you are tuning to the "wrong" note, like Maliciant said. Does the tuner say what note it is tuning against when you use it? If so, make sure it's E/A/D/G/B/E from lowest to highest pitch. Software-based tuners are pretty easy to come by and might make the process a little more clear, though, so I'd second that suggestion as well.
-- Voidious
To me it sounds like your intonation is way off. Intonation basically means each string is the correct length from the nut to the saddle on the bridge. The 12th fret should be almost (but not quite) exactly in the middle.
To check your intonation, play a string open. I always start with the bass E string and work down. Tune the open bass E string as perfectly as possible to the correct pitch. That would usually be E, but many tune to Eb or use open tunings. Set up your intonation to the tuning you are going to use most of the time. If you like modern tunings where you drop your bass E string a whole step, then use this tuning to set your intonation.
Now that you have this open string tuned as perfect as possible, fret the string at the 12th fret and play the note. This is the same exact note, just an octave higher. If your intonation is correct it should come out exactly the same as the open string. If the fretted note is sharp compared to the open string (very common), then you need to adjust the saddle toward the rear. Loosen the string slack and adjust the saddle back. Retune and test again. It may take you several attempts, but you will get the notes to match up perfectly.
If the fretted note is flat compared to the open string (rare), then you need to move the saddle forward toward the headstock. Again, loosen the strings slightly slack before adjusting the saddle.
Now just go through this same process with each string. Once you get the intonation for all 6 strings correct you will be amazed how great your guitar sounds and how chords will sound in tune anywhere you play them on the neck.
When the intonation is off, often "home chords" like C, or E, or G will sound good, but if you play chords up the neck they will sound worse and worse the higher up the neck you go.
I have bought many guitars over the years and never once was the intonation correct. I have always had to adjust it. But don't be afraid of this procedure, it is really pretty simple once you've done it one time.
And one more thing, if you change string gauge this will throw your intonation out again, so you have to adjust it if you change string gauge.
When your intonation is correct, your saddles will almost always look staggered exactly like this photo:
Notice that the bass E and G strings are furthest back, the D and high E are forward. They will almost always come out like this.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
