any guitar players ? tuning question

[nazali]

Hey any guitarists offer some help.

So I have a epiphone dot, recent new strings, a professional set-up and she feels nice. I have always had problems with tuning.

So I sometimes tune to my piano but it's often a pain to do that, so I know how to do the tune by pitch pipe to open E then individual closed 5th fret strings to tune rest. Again not the best.

So I bought a Boss Chromatic tuner which clips onto the neck and have had varying success. On it you get a line which goes sharp or flat as you may know.

Anyway today I was practicing a song (Guitar Boogie, Arther Smith) and then tried playing along with the actual song on youtube, it was so out. So I tried tuning my top E to the song opening, I caught the correct pitch, tuned all the others and bingo, the whole guitar sprang to life.

I then tried the same song, from different sources all the same, I even tried another r&r tune (Hello Mary-Lou -CCR) same thing, the key I had was perfect.

so I went back to the Chromatic tuner and the open E does say E, but the analogue scale shows it as "sharper" and not bang on E.

I'm kinda lost now, I thought the tuner would be bang on. You can make adjustments but would need to play with that.

What do you guy's do and can you offer any assistance

[nazali]

a Tu-10
txs

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by nazali

Hey any guitarists offer some help.

So I have a epiphone dot, recent new strings, a professional set-up and she feels nice. I have always had problems with tuning.

So I sometimes tune to my piano but it's often a pain to do that, so I know how to do the tune by pitch pipe to open E then individual closed 5th fret strings to tune rest. Again not the best.

So I bought a Boss Chromatic tuner which clips onto the neck and have had varying success. On it you get a line which goes sharp or flat as you may know.

Anyway today I was practicing a song (Guitar Boogie, Arther Smith) and then tried playing along with the actual song on youtube, it was so out. So I tried tuning my top E to the song opening, I caught the correct pitch, tuned all the others and bingo, the whole guitar sprang to life.

I then tried the same song, from different sources all the same, I even tried another r&r tune (Hello Mary-Lou -CCR) same thing, the key I had was perfect.

so I went back to the Chromatic tuner and the open E does say E, but the analogue scale shows it as "sharper" and not bang on E.

I'm kinda lost now, I thought the tuner would be bang on. You can make adjustments but would need to play with that.

What do you guy's do and can you offer any assistance

I never use chromatic tuners to tune, I think they're all over the place TBH. I gave up on them years ago. I have an Alesis QS6 synth in my studio, if I truly want to be dead on I pick a nice simple patch on the synth, tune my low E to that, and then tune the rest of the strings using natural harmonics with distortion on my Mesa amp cranked way, way up. I use my synth, but I'm sure you could find some E sine wave on youtube or something if you don't have a synth. Good luck.

[nazali]

txs for the insite !

[sygazelle]

I've always tuned my guitars using harmonics.

My son uses a tuner and I find it difficult to use and not accurate. It could be his tuner, but tuning is so easy for me just using harmonics, I"m not inclined to go buy one after 50 years of tuning by hand.

[nazali]

I'm wondering if I tuned it like an octave or something too low. when I tuned it to a yourtube song, then went back to my boss, I reset it (pulled) the battery, and tried again
and it was showing slightly out, but better to tune.

I also have my guitar stored (on a hanger) near an air intake vent, and I noticed it is a bit colder. Maybe I need to keep it lower or put it down and let it warm up.

The Boss has a good record but anyway, I looked up an online tuner, and it was bang on with my guitar tune.

Anyway I think I can tune up now, at least I have some reference points to check if I go wrong.

txs

[nazali]

It's getting that first E, I can then tune, with Harmonics. I always have problems with my G-String (no pun intended) always sound weird.

Originally Posted by sygazelle

I've always tuned my guitars using harmonics.

My son uses a tuner and I find it difficult to use and not accurate. It could be his tuner, but tuning is so easy for me just using harmonics, I"m not inclined to go buy one after 50 years of tuning by hand.

[2000cs]

It is very common for professionals to tune up (sharp). I read a story years ago about concert violinists tuning over time - pretty amazing how it creeps.

Also in production a very slight speed up of a recording will help it fit the time slot and also result in a slight sharp.

So if you’re playing along/over recordings (there used to be records called Music Minus One where you’d play the missing part), you have to tune to the recording, not perfect pitch.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by nazali

It's getting that first E, I can then tune, with Harmonics. I always have problems with my G-String (no pun intended) always sound weird.

I sometimes can "hear" the 1st sting E better than the 6th sting E. I set the 1st sting and then the 6th sting. Since they are both E it's easy (for me) to tell if they are in tune with each other. Then, I proceed and use harmonics to tune the A, D, G, B stings, and the 1st sting E again. Then I play a couple of chords and I can usually tell if its in tune.

What guitar are you playing?

[nazali]

Originally Posted by sygazelle

I sometimes can "hear" the 1st sting E better than the 6th sting E. I set the 1st sting and then the 6th sting. Since they are both E it's easy (for me) to tell if they are in tune with each other. Then, I proceed and use harmonics to tune the A, D, G, B stings, and the 1st sting E again. Then I play a couple of chords and I can usually tell if its in tune.

What guitar are you playing?

An Epiphone Dot, and also a no-name child's acoustic.

[sygazelle]

Originally Posted by nazali

An Epiphone Dot, and also a no-name child's acoustic.

Nice! I had a Gibson ES-335 back when I was playing electric. I understand that the Epiphone Dot is modeled after that Gibson. Your child no-name acoustic may be harder to tune because lower end guitars are not always true. You can tell somewhat by doing harmonics on the 12th fret and than playing playing the 12th fret with your finger pressed on the fret and determine if the sound is exactly the same pitch.

Have fun playing!

[gjm120]

If I'm hooked up to or near my pedal board, I've got a Snark tuner that works well.

[nazali]

yes correct, had it for, at least 10 years, not too worried about the childs
I got the dot after Chucks' red one, still trying to learn Johnny B
es-335, niceeeeeeeeeeeee

Originally Posted by sygazelle

Nice! I had a Gibson ES-335 back when I was playing electric. I understand that the Epiphone Dot is modeled after that Gibson. Your child no-name acoustic may be harder to tune because lower end guitars are not always true. You can tell somewhat by doing harmonics on the 12th fret and than playing playing the 12th fret with your finger pressed on the fret and determine if the sound is exactly the same pitch.

Have fun playing!

[Dang3r]

Using this one here, like the opportunity to clip it on at adjusting the strings.

[King Rudi]

Similar to above, this is what I use. Has always been spot on and great for on the fly adjustments.

https://www.amazon.com/Snark-SN5X-Gu...83685169&psc=1

[Maitre_Absolut]

Originally Posted by nazali

I'm wondering if I tuned it like an octave or something too low.

your strings would be mush (or snapped).

I wouldn't trust a streamed song online as the reference point for pitch. Also the song can be +- half a step.

I have the boss chromatic pedal on my board and its always worked great.

[nazali]

I did try that song, with 3 different youtube video's and also I did try 2 other songs (totally different) and they all sounded in the same key, I could play along to all 5, previously I couldn't play along to any without it sounding a step out.

I took the Guitar down yesterday and had another play, it stayed in tune and also was easier and only slightly out on a few strings.

Originally Posted by Maitre_Absolut

your strings would be mush (or snapped).

I wouldn't trust a streamed song online as the reference point for pitch. Also the song can be +- half a step.

I have the boss chromatic pedal on my board and its always worked great.