Before starting to play you need to make sure the strings are in tune with each other.
First off, lets check out what each of the parts are. 1) Beginning at the very top, is the machine head which the strings are wound around. Turning these knobs makes the associated string either tighter or slacker which will alter its pitch and determine if the notes are high or low. 2) The strings are held in place on the nuts, found between your guitar head and neck, these nuts space the strings out evenly. 3) The neck goes from nut towards the neck base, or where the neck joins the body. 4) Frets are the horizontal ridges across the neck. Pressing your fingers just behind these ridges heightens the pitch of the notes. 5) Strings are designated from one to six, with string 1 at the bottom end if you're in the guitar playing stance, and string 6 is at the top. The sounds they create range from the highest towards the lowest. 6) Each string has a corresponding letter which pertains to the various notes. 7) An open string happens when you play a string without holding it down. These open strings contain the notes E, A,D, G, B and E (the two different E's are 2 octaves apart).
The Fifth Fret Trick is the easiest way to tune your guitar without the use of additional equipment. The reason behind this name is because you use the fifth fret to check that the strings are in tune. Here's how: a) With any finger, press down on the sixth string just behind the fifth fret. Pluck string six then pluck open string 5. If they sound the same, they're in tune. b) If they sound different, keep plucking both strings and turn the machine head of the open string five until the two sounds match. c) Keep matching the sound of each string to the one below it. 5th fret string 6 = 5th open string, 5th fret string 5 = 4th open string, 5th fret string 4 = 3rd open string, 4th fret string 3 = 2nd open string (this is the only different one), 5th fret string 2 = 1st open string, d) Tune 6th string to an E on a tuning devise until the sounds match.
If your strings seem a little low, you need to tighten the string tension on your machine head. And when the strings seem a bit high, decrease the tension. Do this again for the other five strings. It will take a couple of minutes to get the tuner and guitar in tune, but after a little practice, you'll have down to a fine art.
There are many alternative methods of tuning your guitar that you may want to look into. Some of these are: i) Online Guitar Tuners - probably for the more advanced, but they can can also do alternated guitar tunings; such as Drop D, Open C, Open G, Open D, Open G, Half Step Down, Full Step Down, Open E or Major. ii )Electronic Tuners - There are many electronic tuners on the market today. An electronic tuner monitors the frequency of each of the six strings. The guitar tuning is adjusted until the correct reading on the tuner is given. These are especially good if you are the visual type of learner. iii) Keyboard or Piano - the strings on the guitar can easily be tuned to six keys on the keyboard iv) Harmonics - for the more advanced v) Octaves - a common approach to tuning the guitar makes use of octave intervals
Whichever tuning method you end up using, it's always a good idea to learn the basic Fifth Fret Method because it's always a good idea to know how to tune your guitar without the need of electronics.
First off, lets check out what each of the parts are. 1) Beginning at the very top, is the machine head which the strings are wound around. Turning these knobs makes the associated string either tighter or slacker which will alter its pitch and determine if the notes are high or low. 2) The strings are held in place on the nuts, found between your guitar head and neck, these nuts space the strings out evenly. 3) The neck goes from nut towards the neck base, or where the neck joins the body. 4) Frets are the horizontal ridges across the neck. Pressing your fingers just behind these ridges heightens the pitch of the notes. 5) Strings are designated from one to six, with string 1 at the bottom end if you're in the guitar playing stance, and string 6 is at the top. The sounds they create range from the highest towards the lowest. 6) Each string has a corresponding letter which pertains to the various notes. 7) An open string happens when you play a string without holding it down. These open strings contain the notes E, A,D, G, B and E (the two different E's are 2 octaves apart).
The Fifth Fret Trick is the easiest way to tune your guitar without the use of additional equipment. The reason behind this name is because you use the fifth fret to check that the strings are in tune. Here's how: a) With any finger, press down on the sixth string just behind the fifth fret. Pluck string six then pluck open string 5. If they sound the same, they're in tune. b) If they sound different, keep plucking both strings and turn the machine head of the open string five until the two sounds match. c) Keep matching the sound of each string to the one below it. 5th fret string 6 = 5th open string, 5th fret string 5 = 4th open string, 5th fret string 4 = 3rd open string, 4th fret string 3 = 2nd open string (this is the only different one), 5th fret string 2 = 1st open string, d) Tune 6th string to an E on a tuning devise until the sounds match.
If your strings seem a little low, you need to tighten the string tension on your machine head. And when the strings seem a bit high, decrease the tension. Do this again for the other five strings. It will take a couple of minutes to get the tuner and guitar in tune, but after a little practice, you'll have down to a fine art.
There are many alternative methods of tuning your guitar that you may want to look into. Some of these are: i) Online Guitar Tuners - probably for the more advanced, but they can can also do alternated guitar tunings; such as Drop D, Open C, Open G, Open D, Open G, Half Step Down, Full Step Down, Open E or Major. ii )Electronic Tuners - There are many electronic tuners on the market today. An electronic tuner monitors the frequency of each of the six strings. The guitar tuning is adjusted until the correct reading on the tuner is given. These are especially good if you are the visual type of learner. iii) Keyboard or Piano - the strings on the guitar can easily be tuned to six keys on the keyboard iv) Harmonics - for the more advanced v) Octaves - a common approach to tuning the guitar makes use of octave intervals
Whichever tuning method you end up using, it's always a good idea to learn the basic Fifth Fret Method because it's always a good idea to know how to tune your guitar without the need of electronics.
About the Author:
Alex is a freelance graphic artist with a love of writing. She has been learning guitar herself for the past few years, and would like to pass along her tips. Visit How Not to Touch the Wrong Guitar Strings or 10 Tips to Guitar Success to discover more of Alex's guitar tips.
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