Tuning by Ear

[ElJefe]

I started with an "A" tuning fork and then bought a Korg GT-3.  I am trying to eventually be ear-trained so I can impress tone-deaf loved ones.

What is your favorite tuner or method of tuning?

http://www.gieson.com/Library/projects/utilities/tuner/

[Dale_I]

My favorite tuner, by far, is the Boss TU-2. You have to have a pickup to use it, but it you play live it is about the only tuner I will use now. I have one on my electric guitar pedal board, one I use alone for the acoustics, and a stand by just in case I need it. Easy to use, quick to tune, bright led lights - very easy to see, and you have the choice of running it through a cut off or not, which is handy if you want to tune without sending the signal to your amp or the board.

[LawDogStrgsAttach]

12/7 harmonics.  Tune the 6th E to pitch (ear or tuner), ring a harmonic on the 12th fret on the 6th string and do the 7th on the 5th string immediatly after - adjust the 5th tuning peg until in tune - you may need to repeat harmonics.  Repeat for all strings, expcet the B.  I tune the B string by ringing a "C" on the 5th string and a "C" on the B sting (like a "C" chord).  To confirm that a good job was intonated on all strings, check by ringin twin harmonics on the 12th fret of both the 1st and 6th E strings.  this is the best method for me, and most accurate.

Sounds difficult if you have never tried, but once you get used to hitting the harmonics and listening for the tone to match, it catches on quickly.  A similar method can be done with 5th and 7th harmonics, but the 12/7 rings clearer and is intonated better.

[SteveO]

My hearing aid gets this real funny Hum going when the "A" string is right on the money,
so I think the hearing aides are at a 440 pitch.....   

[imwjl]

Anything works fine for me as long as I'm not driven crazy by having a perfectly tuned guitar the the person who tunes by hear insisting that I have to tune to them.

Love or not love Martins, my HD-28 holds tune and has superb intonation and was tuned to A 440 and I was in a room of banjos, mandonlins and other guitars with electronic tuners on their head stocks and then had to deal with somebody accusing all of us being out of tune and saying it was because the instruments were no acclimated. Argh! I am not going to believe that one person's ears and a noisy room are doing a better job than the 1/2 dozen people who used tuning forks, electronic and strobe tuner.

Back to topic: I did use the family piano and tuning forks for the first 47 years of my life, and will tune my Little Martin by ear if in a simple mode by myself outside.

;)

[brandon]

i have a neat planet waves tuner that can mount on the soundhole of your guitar to get a better response but overall I usually use my fender floor tuner when im playing live. they are very nice tuners and will only set you back around $40 or so i think. its always good to be able to tune by ear though in a bind.

[skinny]

I never dound much sucess with tuners.  I find its best if I tune against how a particular chord should sound. 
I dont think this is the case with all guitars and it could be an intonation prolem. All I know is when I use a tuner to tune
chords still don't sound correct. I strum a C chord and then tweak the strings until all notes sound good.  Eiether I have a very
good ear or a VERY bad intonation problem.   

[jcbuggs]

The Intellitouch works well for me. I can't imagine I would ever get some alternate tuning even close without it. When tuning by ear I tend to end up a little sharp. Does that mean I have a "flat" ear?? 

Joe

[Boneyard75]

I agree with Skinny....I use an Intelli, but I often find I have then tune the B string a tad flat to make most chords sound in tune...It is the same on almost any guitar I play....Boneyard

[Mr_LV19E]

I always used a E tuning fork or tuned by ear and still do tune by ear occasionally. But I bought a Boss TU-12H and I use that most of the time so if I happen to grab my guitar to play with my neighbor I know we will be in tune because he uses a electronic tuner.

One thing I have noticed using the Boss tuner, besides making alternate tunings easier is that when I hit the perfect pitch for each string it rings out and seems to cause the other strings to ring also making a very rich sound with lots of what I would call overtones. This is most noticeable on my LV-19, it's almost like the guitar itself was made to resonate at perfect pitch. Not sure if this makes sense but has anyone else had this experience?

[JohnM2001]

When plugged in, it's a Boss TU-2, none better IMO.  When unplugged, and I don't need to be in tune with any other instruments, I often just start with my freakin' A tuning fork.   In a pinch, I'll grab a dialtone off the telephone, it's an "F" note. 

[jwb]

The Intellitouch works well for me. I can't imagine I would ever get some alternate tuning even close without it. When tuning by ear I tend to end up a little sharp. Does that mean I have a "flat" ear?? 

Joe

I agree with Skinny....I use an Intelli, but I often find I have then tune the B string a tad flat to make most chords sound in tune...It is the same on almost any guitar I play....Boneyard

I have 2 Intellitouch tuners, like them a lot.  I have found that moving them from one guitar to another can mark the finish on the headstock so now I use 2 for the pair of guitars I have out on the stand.  They are great for alternate tuning and quickly identifying notes on the fretboard in any tuning (e.g. for roots of chords, etc.).  I haven't noticed the b string problem, but I do find that on some guitars the low "E" string is hard to tune with it, and I usually tune it off the 440 A with harmonics.

[guitarforlife]

i tune to robbie banes G string. the machine head is missing on his G string, so we have to tune to it and go fom there.