How to tune the guitar expertly by ear

by Brian Capleton     

If you have read the preceding pages, the following tuning method will make sense.

In tuning the guitar, we are having to take into account temperament, and string inharmonicity.

In tuning technique, we will be listening to, and adjusting beating, but adjustable beating must not be confused with false beating.

Remember, inharmonicity can cause stopped notes to stop sharp, meaning they will sound sharper both in terms of pitch and beating, than they "should" do. This is distinct from any temperament issue.

Even without fret or neck angle errors, inharmonicity can make the simple approach of tuning open strings to notes stopped on the fifth or fourth frets, unreliable.

Similarly, tuning by open strings alone, or plucking "harmonics", even if tempering the intervals properly, will not allow for stopping sharp, with the result that the tuning result can be poor.

Whatever sequence of notes you tune by, the following principles must be adhered to, whether between open strings or stopped notes:

The perfect fifths must not be beating wide..

The fifths can be beating slightly narrow, and the principles of equal temperament would normally demand this. There is, however, very little tolerance before they sound unacceptable. The effects of inharmonicity tend to counter the demand for the fifths to be narrow.

The perfect fourths must be wide, 1 - 3 beats per second.  

The principles of equal temperament would normally demand wide fourths, and the effects of inharmonicity increase this demand.

The major thirds (e.g. open G-B) must be beating wide, much faster beating than the fourths.

The beat rates in the thirds must be much greater than in the fourths. Within the first three frets, the rates can be around 6 - 10 beats per second.

The major sixths (e.g. open D-B or G-E) must be beating wide, much faster beating than the fourths. Within the first three frets, the rates can be around 6 - 10 beats per second.

Inharmonicity, as distinct from temperament, and any fret or neck angle errors, also demands that 

Some octaves may need to be be compromised minutely. The octaves are most intolerant of this, that is, the amount available by which octaves can be altered from their least beating state, before they sound bad, is very small. 

Here is a suggested tuning method, to take into account temperament, inharmonicity, and even fret and neck errors. It looks long-winded, because it is fully explained, but once learned, it is no more difficult than any other method, provided you have practiced tuning technique by listening to beats.

The underlying principles are to set up the conflicts in the instrument against each other, so that the necessary compromise can be made, without allowing them to exacerbate the existing temperament problems. In practical terms, this involves deliberately using the first three frets to induce problems caused by stopping sharp (or even stopping flat, in rare cases).   

1. Tune A(5) to another instrument or using a tuning fork.

Now we are going to take into account the effects of stopping on the 2nd fret, that may be caused by inharmonicity or fret/neck error.

2. Stop the A string on the 2nd fret and tune the B string to it. This is a B-B octave. Now test the C# on the B string, 2nd fret, against the open A. This is a major tenth A-C#. This will compete with the previous interval, the B-B octave. The tenth wants the B string to be lowered, whilst the octave wants it to be raised.  

To have the tenth beatless would require the B-B octave to be beating narrow, unacceptably.

To have the B-B octave absolutely beatless, will require the tenth A-C# to be beating fast, wide.

You must decide where the right compromise falls, but you must expect to have perhaps 6 beats per second in the tenth A-C#, because it is intended to be an equally tempered interval, with a reasonably fast beat rate. The octave, on the other hand, does not "want" any beating. It may have to contain very slight beating in order to prevent the tenth A-C# from being unpleasantly fast beating, depending on how badly the strings stop sharp on the 2nd fret.

Next, we are going to take into account the effects of stopping on the 3rd fret, that may be caused by inharmonicity or fret/neck error.

3. Tune the D string an octave below the D stopped on the 3rd fret of the B string. Check the tuning of fifth between the E on the 2nd fret of the D string, and the open B string. This will compete with the previous interval, the D-D octave. 

To have the octave beatless, will require the fifth to beat narrow.

To have the fifth beatless, will require the octave to be beating wide.

You must decide where the right compromise falls, but you must expect to have perhaps 1 beat per second in the fifth E-B because it is intended to be a narrow, equally tempered interval, with a slow beat rate.

4. Tune the top E string an octave above th E stopped on the 2nd fret of the D string.

Check the twelfth between the open A string and the open top E string. You must expect this to be very slow beating narrow, because it is a tempered interval.

Check the fifth between the open B string and the F# on the 2nd fret of the top E string. You must expect this to be very slow beating narrow, because it is a tempered interval.

Only compromise the octave if strictly necessary to overcome beating too fast in the twelfth and the fifth.

If the octave is fine, and the other intervals do not appear to be slow beating, this is fine. 

5. Tune bottom E(6) two octaves below the top open E string.

Check with the E on the 2nd fret of the D string.

Check the twelfth with the open B string.

6. Tune the G string.

First, tune the octave from the A string to the G string stopped on the 2nd fret.

Next, check the major tenth from the bottom E string to the G# on the first fret of the G string. You must expect this to beat wide, because it is a tempered interval. 

Next, check the fourth from the open G string to C stopped on the first fret of the B string. If this is too fast, you will have to raise the G string, re-checking the other intervals as you go.

Check also the fifth from the A on the G string's 2nd fret to the open top E string. You must expect this to beat fairly slowly narrow, because it is a tempered interval.

The open G and B strings should give a major third beating wide with about 8 beats per second. If this is too fast, the previous tuning was not as good as it could have been.

The open sixth G to top E should be a little faster than the G-B, and the open sixth D-B should be a little slower.

If this method is used, and the compromises are well made, the result should be optimal for the particular guitar being tuned. It works even on cheap guitars.