It is necessary to make sure that your guitar is in tune with itself before you start to play.? By this I mean that each of the 6 strings are in tune with each other.? If they are not in tune your music is going to sound a bit off and you will be unhappy with the result.
It is a good idea to get a reference tone from another instrument such as another guitar which you know is in tune or a keyboard.? You can buy simple tuning devices which will give you the correct pitch.? A simple guitar pitch pipe which will give you the correct tone for each string costs only a few dollars.
Midi sound files for tuning are provided with this course, along with a host of other examples and to view them it is necessary to first download your FREE "Finale" notepad So that you can view the examples provided and listen to the sound files as well.? click here to download "Finale" notepad now.??
Once you have installed your viewer click here to download the library of examples used in this course including the sound files for tuning.?
The file is in .zip format so you will need to unzip it at your end.
You can then save all of the examples to your own hard drive and retrieve them whenever you wish using the?
"Finale" Notepad software.? It is suggested that you save the files in the same folder as the other course material so that you can find them easily.?
There is reference to the different examples throughout the course so whenever you see such reference you simple open the folder where you have saved the examples and click on the referenced item.? It will launch automatically in your "Finale" program.
Once you have installed your examples click on Tuning.MUS to view the Tuning sample - sheet music and sound files.
You can also tune your guitar to itself in the following manner:
Firstly get a reference pitch for the low E string which is the top or 6th string (the thickest) and tune it to match the reference note.
Tune the string up by tightening it rather than down by loosening it.? If you go too far ease it off a bit and try again.
That part of your guitar where you do all the tuning is called the headstock.? The tuning mechanism is called the machine.? The knob you turn is called the machine head and the spindle round which the string is tightened is called the capstan.? Another part of your guitar which is referred to regularly is the nut which is where the headstock joins the neck and the strings enter the fret board.
Once you are satisfied that you have got your E string in tune you can now begin to tune the other strings to it.? You do this by placing your index finger of your left hand close behind the 5th fret of the 6th string.? Pluck that note and then pluck the open 5th string.? They should sound the same.? If not adjust the 5th string until it sound exactly the same.? Play the two strings together and you should here only the one note which indicates that they are in tune one with the other.?
Now play the 5th string with your finger on the 5th fret.? This note should be the same as the 4th string played open.? If not tighten the 4th string up until the notes match.? Again, when played together it should sound like one note.? If not slacken the 4th string off and try again.
When you are happy with that play the 4th string with your finger on the 5th fret again.? This note should be the same as the 3rd string played open.? If not tighten the 3rd string up until the notes match.
Now, just when you thought you had got the idea a change takes place.? To tune the 2nd string you do not play the 3rd string with your finger on the 5th fret.? To tune the 2nd string you must put your finger just behind the 4th fret and tune the 2nd string to this note.
Once you are happy with the tuning of string 2 go back to the original method and place your finger at the 5th fret of the 2nd string to tune the 1st string to it.
Your guitar is now tuned to the follow notes:
1st string???? =??? E??? Thinnest
2nd string??? =??? B
3rd string??? =??? G
4th string??? =??? D
5th string??? =??? A
6th string??? =??? E??? Thickest
Now is a good time to overcome some confusion which is often caused by a guitarist referring to the top or highest string and the bottom or lowest string.? As you sit looking at your instrument the top most string physically? is the 6th or thickest string and the bottom most string physically is the 1st or thinnest string.? When a guitarist refers to the top string he is talking about the highest sounding string and when he refers to the bottom he is talking about the lowest sounding string.? So your top string is the 1st or thinnest string and your bottom string is the 6th or thickest string.? You can be forgiven for thinking that your guitar is upside down!
Similar confusion is caused when referring to your hand position up and down the neck.? Because the notes sound higher as you move your hand towards the main body of your guitar you are said to be moving up the neck.? As the notes sound lower as you move towards the nut you are said to be moving down the neck.? It is no different than referring to a piano keyboard where the player is said to play up and down the keyboard when in fact the keyboard is flat!
