The #1 question being asked is "But how do you get the 1st string E in tune?" Answer below: -This is when it is okay to use a tuner. I recommend having the tuner sound the pitch E and then using your ear to match it (instead of just accepting what the LED screen says). -If you're playing with another musician who is in tune, you can also get the E from them. (Disclaimer: Some instruments, like the piano, are difficult to tune to.) -If you are changing your strings, use a tuner to get the strings stabilized at the right pitch. The strings will be going wildly out of tune for at least a day or so. Once the strings stabilize, you can begin using your ear. Thanks for accepting my challenge! ~Brandon
It somewhat reminds me of when tuning my violin, only somewhat different. Once the A is tuned correctly, I then play double stops on the open strings until they resonate in perfect 5ths, A for when you're tuning, then A and E, then D and A, then G and D. I'm not gonna try and use the fingerboard for this, because A it's fretless, and B I'm not even remotely close to the grade where I can safely move my hand into that higher register.
You need a reference note to start ...funny when I first started playing I could hear the beats better with hi distortion electtic amplification ie with a fuzz box
I think it's always worth referring back to a good quality electronic tuner - while its good to train your ears, you get the maximum benefit by training them against a good reference. I wouldn't' want to go back to the days when most players never tuned their guitars to a fixed reference between visits to their teacher.
When dad moved from post-war Netherlands to UK he brought his record albums and his classical guitar. I remember him showing me the 55545 tuning method when I was about 9 or 10, but then he tuned in a way that deviated from that. By ear it seemed that his tuning was slightly different from the standard tuning at higher frequencies. It is only in my dotage that I have begun to learn guitar, and I wish I had been able to ask dad why his tuning was ever so slightly off the standard that he had taught me. I remember that dad loosened his strings after each playing. I wondered why, but I think I now understand. It was a classical guitar, but during the war he was in a band where he played guitar with steel strings, such strings being easier to source that catgut. As the guitar had no truss rod the extra tension needed to be relieved asap. I have his 78 albums (I need a reinforced floor for them), but I accidentally broke the guitar, although I still have that scarred beloved instrument, which serenaded my mother and resulted in me.
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Being a profession classical acoustic guitarist is also very helpful I honestly not sure if his voice and subtle body gesture affect the majestic guitar playing he's doing, or it's the other way around, playing classical guitar makes you more chill and "fluffy"
You're probably the first person to lucidly explain what exactly you have to listen for when tuning. I asked a lot of people when I was learning. Not one of them was able to explain it accurately. I also liked your idea of tuning every string to the high E. Thank you so much.
When I began playing professionally (1961) there were no electronic tuners. I learned each of your techniques over the years. I have played electric bass extensively and found the beat system invaluable for tuning. Very few players, at leas that i have encountered, can successfully tune a bass guitar by ear. Thanks for your music, your time, and your lessons.
Actually sooo happy you mentioned beats. I always heard this phenomenon and thought it was in my head since nobody ever mentioned it. You've given me a new sense of confidence in my hearing, which i always thought was terrible since i can't sing a damn note!
@@DevonD.B I have terrible control over my vocal chords. equivelant of playing a guitar with a broken neck, but I bet it does make a big difference! I just can't make the notes in my head with my voice. I guess I learned to sing through guitar to a mediocre level. Not dismissing your advice, just clarifying why i'd find it hard to follow! :)
you have to be careful tuning to the beats, it works great if the two notes are the same, or are the same note across octaves. But if you start tuning intervals other than octaves by eliminating harmonic beating you start to introduce tiny discrepancies that add up as you tune multiple strings to each other. This is why his method of tuning every string to the high E is a great method.
As I wrote in another comment, inexpensive clip-on tuners are frequently no more accurate than ± 3 cents. Tuning apps are usually somewhat better, because the electronics are better--and on today's phones the *microphone* is generally better. But nothing beats the human ear.
@@schmidth Yes, the apps are as good as all but the most sophisticated stand-alone tuners--the German ones that cost a thousand smackers and up. The only problem with the apps is the omnidirectional mic on the phone, which is easily thrown off by ambient noise. A contact mic works much better.
I forgot to come back and comment. Last time I watched this video I tried your method and it worked. I showcased both a tuner tuning, and ear tuning to my wife who is a pianist. She agreed your method sounds that little bit better.
Great way of expressing the importance of ear tuning. Eventually this can lead to an improvement in the overall ability to hear and identify notes/chords. 10/10
@@Scodiddly it's not just that, the guitar is imperfect due to the frets being perfectly straight, meanwhile the strings have different thicknesses (which means everything will be a little out of tune) , so the guitar, despite being an equal tempered instrument, will still be out of tune relative to the equal temperament on F. E. Piano. It's a cruel world
@@poodle3507 equal temperment guitars are basically pointless. It makes no difference really unless you're already a masterful guitarist, and nobody who needs this video is there yet. I'd argue there's more variance in the pressure and bend on the string from a mediocre guitarist than the squiggly frets would compensate for. polishing a turd is a bad idea! signed, a turd.
So, my guitar was being repaired lately. And the luthier took a tuner off of it and forgt to put it back on before sending the instrument back to me. Now I'm temporarily without the tuner, but you've inspired me to use this opportunity wisely :) Thank you!
A couple of small warnings about harmonics on the guitar. Harmonics that are octaves of the string are ±0 cents, and so checking with them against others is TOTALY FINE. Eg. the harmonics above the 5th fret of the 6th string (the fourth harmonic) should be a unison with the open 1st string. BUT! Harmonics that are not octaves are justly tuned! So the harmonic above the 7th fret of the 6th string (the third harmonic) would be a unison +2 cents from the 2nd string. This is too small for most people to hear, even trained musicians, but it can add up if you're tuning with harmonics across the strings! This gets even worse if you use the harmonic just behind the fourth fret on the 3rd string (which is -14 cents from an equal tempered third). Tuning by harmonics can get you straight into fun tuning theory territory if you want to do it on purpose, though. ;)
That's the benefit when you tune with harmonics. You get perfect fifths, they are not +2 cent sharpened. The tone on the 7th fret is 2 cents to small (-2). I think you misunderstood that.
@@Ana_crusis Yes its all about compromises, but on the classical guitar you will hear very often open strings on end of pieces or phrases. These are the crucial ones, at least for me. And you need to adjust your tuning to every piece, like he mentioned.
@@Ana_crusis There is no correct Tuning. Therefore you have to adjust to your acquirements. If you need a "good" sounding A major, you have to flaten you b string, to achieve a okayish c sharp. As you said, it's all about compromises.
I gave your tip about the beats a try and tested myself with a tuner afterwards.. perfect. I've never been able to do that before, I'm just blown away.
I was getting a bit down because of this pandemic and the fact that I'm a smoker that has not been hable to quit. Amidst that depressing feeling I found your channel and the "Introducing series" and it has cheered me up. So I subbed. Thank you!
I could listen to you play and talk guitar forever. I'm a little late to the party but these are great tips. I have good relative pitch, i.e. I can tune easily from the 6th string E. I end up using a tuner to check how close to pitch I am after a little while. I expect a great variance but usually I am 25 cents flat or less. Perfect pitch would be great for tuning, etc. but I've only met one person in my 30+ years of musical experience with it. Learning to tune from intervals, harmonics and beats (didn't know this had a name!) is very practical advice for the rest of us! I'm new to guitar and I've fallen in love with it.
I recently started tuning by ear after watching this video, and only after doing it for a week I am confident that I can tune a guitar without the tuner now. I use the low E string to tune instead of the high E because the low E is always the most in tune string.
Dude, thank you! Ive been tuning with the 5th fret method for years and always run into still being out of tune. Thus, Ive resorted to the clip on tuners. Looking forward to trusting my ears.
A guy I went to school with was a very good guitarist. While at school and after he played in a rock band and, on this particular occasion, we were at a battle of the bands at a small seaside village not far from our home town. Just before going on stage he broke a string and asked to borrow my tuner to quickly tune up his guitar with the replacement. Having tuned the guitar he played a couple of chords, it sounded fine to me, but he wasn't satisfied. He did a quick harmonic tune and the guitar went from sounding just "in tune" to being rich and full and still in tune. I will never forget that. He went on to study Latin guitar in South America, play classical concerts, etc. I became a Theatre technician and then went into Audio Visual.
I stopped playing violin after going into high school, and when I pulled out my violin after a while, I tried tuning by ear and had a Thor I AM STILL WORTHY moment when the tuner said I was spot on XD
Fantastic video! No one ever talks about tuning, or rarely it seems people discuss tuning. As I've gotten older, I have found tuning all strings to the high E is the most effective method for getting the guitar in tune without using a pitch fork or electronic tuner. Anyway, bravo! Great video.
I started with a tuner but like you said I got better and better at detecting dissonance. The trick was to do my best to tune by ear as hard as it was every once in a while and try to listen very carefully. I've still got ways to go because I still can't tell easily when my drop d string is out of tune when I'm playing capricho arabe. Unless I stop playing and check it with the other d string.
I think that will take some practice to be able to catch the drop D out of tune. I am very good at it but I spent many years playing metal/rock music that was in drop D so I can tell immediately by playing a power chord on the 4,5,6th strings. I actually find it easier to get it tuned properly by playing the A string as well, sounding that open D power chord, like Brandon suggested playing the chord of the key you're in. Hope that helps a little.
Drop D is only a matter of tuning the 6th string to the 4th string, in a pure octave. Some people prefer to strike the harmonic on the 6th string at the 12th fret and tune that to the 4th string as a unison. As Brandon advises in the video, train your ear to listen for beats, the soft pulsating sound two notes make together when they're *almost* in tune. Beats are easy to hear with bass notes--give it a try.
@si james Guitarists aren't the only ones. Pianists are notoriously bad at not knowing or understanding how their instrument is tuned, because a professional always does it. Lots of people come out of music departments--all instruments--without knowing what an acoustical beat is, still less why it's important. The problem in teaching guitarists has much to do with how fast the sound decays. When you're trying to open somebody's ears, amplified sound can help a lot, and a sustain pedal even more. It's a real kick to see the look in their eyes when they finally get it!
Great video, you are such an ispiration. I would only like to add that since the strings' pitch tend to raise after you start playing, you could warm up the strings for some seconds with the palm of your hands, lay them flat upon the strings , and then move up and down the fretboard and down to the bridge a coupe of times. I found out that I then don't have to re-tune the guitar after some minutes playing. Often I do not have to tune at all, if the strings have set for some weeks. Just a tip from the cold Norway :)
When 5th fret tuning, I always intuitively re-adjusted my high or low E to match the one I’m tuning to, check my second fret on the D string, then play a C chord to hear it all together and refine the tuning on the other strings.
I didn't have a tuner back when I played base guitar on a band, so what I did was pick up the phone to listen to the tone and tune the A string and then the other ones by ear.
That's an old trick, it's a perfect 440 Hz. I've heard stories of band pros that did it for years and years. It has to do with the music industry and vinyl discs rotation speeds. We got standards from that time.
So I have had my guitar for YEARS now & I should know more. I should be able to play confidently. I will pick it up & put it down. Read the self help book & watch videos. I started relearning ALL OVER again and tried playing a song, but I KNEW chords are out of tune. Somehow I lost my electronic device to help me with that. ALL I HAVE ARE MY EARS! Luckily for me, I am a great listener with a nice, talkative personality. Long story short, your video is the second one I came across & I cannot get over how I tuned my guitar just by the simple instructions you gave! I am blown away & super proud of myself, I want to tell EVERYONE! THANK YOU! I totally subscribed to your channel! Much Love & Kindness
I've been tuning by ear for almost 7 years now. There are rare occasions when my ears feel that a bit lower or higher tuning sounds a lot better than the standard tuning, don't know why. Tuning by ear saves a good amount of time.
It's totally normal. The guitar frets are positioned at constant ratio distances from each others (12 tones equal temperament), but the just intonation would require every fret on every string to be placed at a slightly different location on the fingerboard (to achieve just intonation on the entire neck). So the guitar is approximating that to get the best possible intonation everywhere on the neck. It's not perfect but this is what we've got :)
@@stratocactus the strandberg true temperament are not justly intonated. True temperament just means it makes up for string tension, thickness and action.
Hey, Brandon. I tuned my first organ, a giant containing over 6000 pipes, when I was 15 - FIFTEEN. It is not difficult, Yes, all you need to do is flatten the beat. YES - the strings should be tuned an octave apart. Yes, definitely tune to one string so you do not get cumulative error as a result of drawing. You tuning was close - but not perfect. but your theory was perfect.
Organ pipes are absolutely the best things to learn with. Because the sound sustains at an even volume for as long as the bellows supplies wind, hearing and counting beats is a piece of cake. An equal-tempered fifth beats quite slowly, about 2 beats in 3 seconds in the middle octave. That can be hard to hear, let alone count on an instrument like the guitar with its very quick decay. But anyone can count 20 beats in 30 seconds.
Interesting as I've always heard of tuning from the low E for the 'Fifth Fret' method. Yours makes more sense, will learn it in addition to tuning by ear. Thank you!-Mr STT
I agree, whwn I started learning to play the guitar the tuning was all over the place. And I bought a digital one, this was over 30 years ago, so no app. Than I had a private teacher on and off for about 2 years, and he just "threw" the thing away and bought me a tuning fork. And I do all of those things that you did in your video. And it really sharpens your ear. I get tensions in my body, I feel it physical and get tired and stressed in my head when I play at a guitar that is not in tune with itself. When the strings get in tune, It tingels in my ears, and sends shivers down my spine.
I used to tune mostly with harmonics and a bit with the 5th fret method. One thing that I noticed, though, is that the major thirds of chords didn't always sound right. So the E would sound fine as the root of an E major chord, but not as the third of a C major chord. I think that this is because we are used to equal temperament tuning, in general, but when you tune with harmonics you are using "just intonation" and so you end up a hair out of tune in keys that are far from the D,A,E that are common fro guitar. One advantage of the electronic tuner is that it will plop you down into equal temperament, at least for the open strings.
The harmonics which which you tune aren't all that far apart from equal temprerament. You can use harmonics to start things then use other methods to iron out the difference. Personally my ears aren't sensitive enough to hear it.
You're right in general, but the thing is, in equal temperament, *all* major thirds are already very sharp--about 14 cents* sharp of pure. Anything that makes them even a tiny bit sharper will quickly grate on the ear. The major third on middle C-E, ( guitar C-2/I + E-1/0) beats at more than ten per second. And you're also right, it's only because we grow up with the sound of equal temperament in our ears that we'll tolerate something like that! ________________________ *In acoustical parlance a "cent" is 1/100 of an equal-tempered semitone--so 1200 cents to the octave. It lets us use ET as a baseline for comparing intervals without the tedium of calculating frequencies and correcting for octaves.
Here's an important tip about tuning with harmonics: *only use them for tuning unisons and octaves, NOT fifths.* Because the guitar is fretted in equal temperament, only unisons and octaves are pure and beatless. The acoustically pure 12ths (8ve + 5th) produced by harmonics at the VIIth fret will be slightly sharp of the fretted note. For example: Suppose you begin by tuning A-5/hV to the tuning fork, unison (440 Hz). Great, you think, now let's tune E-1/0 (open first string) to the beautiful clear E-5/hVII, unison. Then check A-5/hV against A-1/V, unison and…WTF, they're out of tune! What did I do wrong? What you didn't reckon with is that the pure 12th A-e at 5/hVII is not the same as the equal-tempered 12th you need for A-1/V. The un-tempered E-1/0 you just tuned is 330 Hz; whereas you must have a tempered E at 329.63 Hz to get an A = 440Hz at the Vth fret. And that untempered E-1/0 will make a tenth with C-5/III that's even worse than "normal."
@@jameslouder excellent point. I also play in string quartets, and they have to be careful because their instruments are tuned in 5ths, but cumulatively this adds up to an out of tune cello, unless you deliberately tune to 'narrow' 5ths.
@@nickyork8901 Exactly so. Indeed, if you had a 5-string baroque 'violoncello piccolo' with an upper E string, tuning in pure fifths would make a "Pythagorean" third (or 17th, if you prefer) with your low C. This dissonant interval is a whole syntonic comma (22.5 cents) higher than a pure third. It's at the very limit of what the ear will accept as a major third--or beyond it, depending on whom you ask. Ever wonder why medieval theorists classified the major third as a dissonance? It's because they used the Pythagorean scale, which derives entirely from pure fifths!
Dear Mr Acker, I recently lost my tuner and for the last couple of months I have just used my ear and sometimes the tuning fork, but now with your system I can't wait to try and see how it works!
Thanks bro. Really excited to get this under control. Pretty good ear and I picked up on the vacillations. But now I know to listen to the 'flat line.' Cool. Best to you! B5F
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What string tension would you recommend for people "converting" from steel strings for the course? And what is your personal preference (brand, material, tension)? I know it boils down to the player's comfort, but whatever tension strings came with my Takamine kinda have a "wub wub" to them that, as a steel string player, I'm not used to hearing. I saw that La Bella seems to dominate the classical string market, and there's different kinds of nylon and carbide something-or-others, brass-wound, steel wound... These are new concepts to me, I'm not used to my guitar string choice actually drastically mattering to the sound.
I like harmonics of octaves on the fretboards when I look at this. Any other harmonics and then you have to start worrying about Just Intonation vs. Equal temperament. If you tune by the fretboard, its all equal tempered. If you tune by perfect harmonic fourths (i.e. hear no beats) going up the fretboard, your top and bottom string should actually be off a bit.
Great lesson Brandon! I've been tuning my basses and guitars in this manner for 45 years now. So, I can attest that it works. If you really want to go old school, get yourself a tuning fork! "A 440" is still popular and common to find. Strike the tuning fork and touch the handle to the top of the guitar. This will amplify the note and cause sympathetic vibrations in the strings. This even works well on electric stringed instruments as long as they are plugged in and turned on. With practice you will find these methods will prove even more accurate than an electronic tuner because you have tuned the guitar using the entire neck, not just the open stings. On a fretted instrument the open strings can lie to you in comparison to the fretted notes. The frets are set in position and not always perfect in every position. Once the instrument is in tune with itself, a bit of judicious left hand vibrato can artfully mask any small inconsistencies in certain trouble spots on the neck and enhance your sustain as well. Adventure on friends!
I’ve been playing guitar since I was around ten. Learned the fifth fret method by 13 and always been annoyed with the fact that those tiny errors I’d make would compund. I’m 25 now. I saw this video a few months back and tried out the second tuning system shown here and it’s incredibly satisfying. I just can’t believe I’ve been annoyed by this for so long yet never bothered to look a better method up lol
I never had an electronic tuner so since I've started I've just been watching the vid that comes up when you search tuned guitar, and matching each string with it until they sound the same, sounds good
Great sharing of 'new' ideas and techniques. What impresses me (that's why I subscribed) is the manner in which you teach! Easy to understand without talking 'down' to a student. You teach with a non-judgemental attitude! Very clear, and easy to understand. Thank you!
Apart from just training your ear, a really good reason to learn how to tune by ear is in case you need to play with another instrument that isn't in concert pitch. Your electronic tuner probably won't help you there.
So I labeled it the 'Brandon Acker Challenge', busted out my old tuning fork, and made a point of ear-tuning these past two months. There is improvement. Upon completion there is a check against the tuning machine, generally telling me the g string is off and in which direction. By now that is the final hint needed.
I'm a bassist by trade, but I have a classical guitar from the 60s that sounds beautiful, but was always tough to tune without something sounding off. After a little tweaking and tuning with your method, it seems to be much more in tune with itself than before
I've been using a A440 pitchfork for a few months now. It's the best alternative to any app or gadget. It's fitting for maintaining your sense of pitch and not depending on something with batteries.
I'm not a guitarist, but I'm cursed with perfect pitch, and I've been known to snatch guitars out of people's hands at parties and tune them-by ear, of course. >.>
This is how we were taught to tune in orchestra - at least circa 1966 or so (and before, of course). I have a 440 A tuning fork in my violin case and can tune my instrument using no more than that. That said, electric tuners are very convenient. Your video was another great explanation of a useful skill.
Interesting post, glad to hear from another orchestral player. I do have perfect pitch but, that aside, and this actually impacted my ear was that A440 was no longer the standard for orchestral tuning but rather, surprisingly , A441. It was adjusted to give the provide the orchestra with a slightly more “brightened” sound, as I was advised. Now, that was news to me, seriously, I never heard that but I took this individual’s comment to heart considering that this person had been in the orchestral scene more recently than myself. So, I found that interesting and wanted to comment on your tuning A440 tuning fork - a quick mention of some interest.
Great tip Brandon. I will add that when I tune the high and low E, I find it really helpful to pluck them simultaneously, clawhammer style repeatedly while tuning.
Curt M The major third and/or B string is a beast. If you are playing music with major thirds and minor thirds, it is pretty straightforward, but for rock or blues the major third should be slightly sharper, matching up with the fifth more than the root. The man is right-chords must sound good, so make sure your G chord sounds good with the keyboard player’s G chord, that is more important than what your tuner says. Trust your ear.
Thank you for describing beats. I have been playing for about two years and couldn’t really tune by ear. I knew how to do it but didn’t know what to listen for. After your video I gave it a go and was spot on.
@@ganaelschneider Are they? Never compared side to side really, but seems to me I could hear beat much clearer on bass because the tone is deeper than here on video. Harmonics are good too, but feels like it's not as precise since you don't have fixed point like fret.
@@DivinePonies harmonics don't sound if your finger is not at the right place on the string, so you can be sure they are in tune with their respective string. The lower you go, the fewer the beats so it's easier to hear beats on medium notes. Also the sound is less muddy on a guitar than bass. But then we all hear things differently so it's possible that now you hear the beats better on the bass than the guitar.
Thanks!! I'm gonna get an ear to those beats! I played for many, many years and have developed some skills in learning songs by ear, but never felt quite secure about my tuning abilities. In some moments started like my own way of checking my tuning which consists of playing fifths and then trying some chords. Thanks again!
@@doom7872 That is a mean thing to say, I don't know if he is evil to that extent. His smile has a deeper meaning and definitely reveals something oddly sinister. The devil sure can play hell of a guitar tune, and I am comfortable with the distance separating us.
Somehow your videos give me such a nice calm feeling, they really brighten up my day. Thank you for the tutorial, you're not just one of the best guitar players i know, but one of the best musicians!
Nobody has ever suggested to me that I should tune from high E to low E before. At that point I was skeptical. But what I thought was really interesting was your method of tuning every string to the high E string, rather than from one string to the next. That is something I’m going to spend some time investigating. I also appreciate how you have me freedom to tune to myself if I’m playing alone, which is what I’ve normally done, though it’s probably not the best for ear training. Thanks for the video.
As an Asian guitar player, I tune my guitar just like how I measure the water in rice before I cook it. I wait for my ancestors to whisper in my ear, "It's already in tune, child." And just hope for the best without checking it thoroughly.
The #1 question being asked is "But how do you get the 1st string E in tune?" Answer below:
-This is when it is okay to use a tuner. I recommend having the tuner sound the pitch E and then using your ear to match it (instead of just accepting what the LED screen says).
-If you're playing with another musician who is in tune, you can also get the E from them. (Disclaimer: Some instruments, like the piano, are difficult to tune to.)
-If you are changing your strings, use a tuner to get the strings stabilized at the right pitch. The strings will be going wildly out of tune for at least a day or so. Once the strings stabilize, you can begin using your ear.
Thanks for accepting my challenge!
~Brandon
It somewhat reminds me of when tuning my violin, only somewhat different. Once the A is tuned correctly, I then play double stops on the open strings until they resonate in perfect 5ths, A for when you're tuning, then A and E, then D and A, then G and D. I'm not gonna try and use the fingerboard for this, because A it's fretless, and B I'm not even remotely close to the grade where I can safely move my hand into that higher register.
Thank you so much
You need a reference note to start ...funny when I first started playing I could hear the beats better with hi distortion electtic amplification ie with a fuzz box
I think
it's always worth referring back to a good quality electronic tuner - while its good to train your ears, you get the maximum benefit by training them against a good reference. I wouldn't' want to go back to the days when most players never tuned their guitars to a fixed reference between visits to their teacher.
You could try a D'Addario PWFT-E 329.6Hz tuning fork - or maybe the A 440Hz one.
Three things don't lie: Chord rips, Shakira's hips and Brandon's tips!
😂
he was so proud of that joke
😂😂😂
OHHHHHHH YEAHHHHHHHH
😂😂🤦🏼
I feel like finding you through Rob Scallon was like being given the key to the secret forest of musicians.
Same here. The Rob video with historical guitars got me into the world of Brandon.
It's actually the secret musicians' castle nestled in the forest.
i discovered this guy from classical guitar tutorials, but for twoset, i discovered them from roomieofficial
Clark Kent is an excellent teacher.
Mix between Clark Kent and Peter Parker 2000's version
He's really SUPERGUITARMAN!
Watch him play some songs the speed that his hands shift the camera can’t keep up. His hands are moving at over 60fps
😂😂😂😂
@@Itouks on point!
When dad moved from post-war Netherlands to UK he brought his record albums and his classical guitar. I remember him showing me the 55545 tuning method when I was about 9 or 10, but then he tuned in a way that deviated from that. By ear it seemed that his tuning was slightly different from the standard tuning at higher frequencies. It is only in my dotage that I have begun to learn guitar, and I wish I had been able to ask dad why his tuning was ever so slightly off the standard that he had taught me.
I remember that dad loosened his strings after each playing. I wondered why, but I think I now understand. It was a classical guitar, but during the war he was in a band where he played guitar with steel strings, such strings being easier to source that catgut. As the guitar had no truss rod the extra tension needed to be relieved asap.
I have his 78 albums (I need a reinforced floor for them), but I accidentally broke the guitar, although I still have that scarred beloved instrument, which serenaded my mother and resulted in me.
That's quite a story! I would love to hear his music!
Incredible!
Now, in order to tune by ear, we’re gonna have to learn how to hear what are called, Beats...
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Back in the turn of the 17th century, Dr. Dre revolutionized the music industry...
Calm down, Linus
One of the best jokes i heard on the internet
Do you have any Grey Poupon
RAID SHADDOW WUBZ
Uh, not in equal temperament tuning son
Even teaching guitar tuning Brandon is so elegant and classy that the lesson becomes a hypnotic spectacle of magic and beauty!
Brandon has the most heartwarming smile and laugh for some reason.
Not if I eat it first
And voice
@ He has a wife
Being a profession classical acoustic guitarist is also very helpful
I honestly not sure if his voice and subtle body gesture affect the majestic guitar playing he's doing, or it's the other way around, playing classical guitar makes you more chill and "fluffy"
He has a lot of grace in his movements and facial expressions
You're probably the first person to lucidly explain what exactly you have to listen for when tuning. I asked a lot of people when I was learning. Not one of them was able to explain it accurately. I also liked your idea of tuning every string to the high E. Thank you so much.
“ two things don’t lie, shakiras hips and chords”
Im DYiNg
I lmfao.
Im cryyyyyiing
Gia S. Appropriate comment after the super bowl halftime show!
My orchestra teacher in high school made the same joke about false harmonics. It killed.
Where?
When I began playing professionally (1961) there were no electronic tuners. I learned each of your techniques over the years. I have played electric bass extensively and found the beat system invaluable for tuning. Very few players, at leas that i have encountered, can successfully tune a bass guitar by ear. Thanks for your music, your time, and your lessons.
Brandon, dude! Your videos are as therapy. I am gonna advise your channel to my friends who don't know, even the "G" of the guitar.
I choked on my coffee when you dropped that joke out of nowhere. "Tow things don't like. Shakria's hips and chords". Awesome video!
This is the most thorough and helpful guide for tuning I have found so far on the internet, this clarified a lot for me
Actually sooo happy you mentioned beats. I always heard this phenomenon and thought it was in my head since nobody ever mentioned it. You've given me a new sense of confidence in my hearing, which i always thought was terrible since i can't sing a damn note!
@@DevonD.B I have terrible control over my vocal chords. equivelant of playing a guitar with a broken neck, but I bet it does make a big difference! I just can't make the notes in my head with my voice. I guess I learned to sing through guitar to a mediocre level. Not dismissing your advice, just clarifying why i'd find it hard to follow! :)
Eamonn Neeson the best things in life aren’t easy. Even if it’s super hard try it anyways.
you have to be careful tuning to the beats, it works great if the two notes are the same, or are the same note across octaves. But if you start tuning intervals other than octaves by eliminating harmonic beating you start to introduce tiny discrepancies that add up as you tune multiple strings to each other. This is why his method of tuning every string to the high E is a great method.
We had to study about beats in our grade 12 physics class
At 4:14 you magically made the tab appear with your fretting hand, awesome!!
The advantage of having this ability of course is also that you know when you sound right, no matter what the tuner might claim.
yup. I've come across players that say "but the tuner says I'm in tune", the tuner can say whatever it wants, you don't sound good and in tune
As I wrote in another comment, inexpensive clip-on tuners are frequently no more accurate than ± 3 cents. Tuning apps are usually somewhat better, because the electronics are better--and on today's phones the *microphone* is generally better. But nothing beats the human ear.
@@jameslouder wait, so the tuning apps are genuinely good? I was always a little skeptical.
@@schmidth Yes, the apps are as good as all but the most sophisticated stand-alone tuners--the German ones that cost a thousand smackers and up. The only problem with the apps is the omnidirectional mic on the phone, which is easily thrown off by ambient noise. A contact mic works much better.
@THE URANIUM CAFE the whole point of tuning an instrument is to sound good when it's being played, and only a human ear can judge what sounds "good"
I forgot to come back and comment. Last time I watched this video I tried your method and it worked. I showcased both a tuner tuning, and ear tuning to my wife who is a pianist. She agreed your method sounds that little bit better.
He was so proud of his Shakira joke lol🤣🤣
And rightly so, I don't think anyone expected it and it made perfect sense
It made me giggle that's for sure. xD
S A C R I L E G I O U S
When did he say the joke?
6:43
Great way of expressing the importance of ear tuning. Eventually this can lead to an improvement in the overall ability to hear and identify notes/chords. 10/10
*Because the guitar is a cruel mistress that refuses to conform to conventional concepts of perfect tuning.*
ᛞᛖᚾᚾᛁᛋ ᛏᚱᛟᚹᚨᛏᛟ thanks to the differences between equal-tempered and just tunings it’s like the whole damn tuning system is rigged against musicians.
DEN NIS TROWATO?
@@Scodiddly it's not just that, the guitar is imperfect due to the frets being perfectly straight, meanwhile the strings have different thicknesses (which means everything will be a little out of tune) , so the guitar, despite being an equal tempered instrument, will still be out of tune relative to the equal temperament on F. E. Piano. It's a cruel world
@@Scodiddly Not to mention the fretboard isn't even set out properly for equal temperament.
@@poodle3507 equal temperment guitars are basically pointless. It makes no difference really unless you're already a masterful guitarist, and nobody who needs this video is there yet. I'd argue there's more variance in the pressure and bend on the string from a mediocre guitarist than the squiggly frets would compensate for. polishing a turd is a bad idea! signed, a turd.
So, my guitar was being repaired lately. And the luthier took a tuner off of it and forgt to put it back on before sending the instrument back to me. Now I'm temporarily without the tuner, but you've inspired me to use this opportunity wisely :)
Thank you!
A couple of small warnings about harmonics on the guitar.
Harmonics that are octaves of the string are ±0 cents, and so checking with them against others is TOTALY FINE.
Eg. the harmonics above the 5th fret of the 6th string (the fourth harmonic) should be a unison with the open 1st string.
BUT!
Harmonics that are not octaves are justly tuned! So the harmonic above the 7th fret of the 6th string (the third harmonic) would be a unison +2 cents from the 2nd string. This is too small for most people to hear, even trained musicians, but it can add up if you're tuning with harmonics across the strings!
This gets even worse if you use the harmonic just behind the fourth fret on the 3rd string (which is -14 cents from an equal tempered third).
Tuning by harmonics can get you straight into fun tuning theory territory if you want to do it on purpose, though. ;)
That's the benefit when you tune with harmonics. You get perfect fifths, they are not +2 cent sharpened. The tone on the 7th fret is 2 cents to small (-2). I think you misunderstood that.
@@eiker3211 Ah! I'm upside down!
Either way you still have commas that break octave equivalency.
@@Ana_crusis Yes its all about compromises, but on the classical guitar you will hear very often open strings on end of pieces or phrases. These are the crucial ones, at least for me. And you need to adjust your tuning to every piece, like he mentioned.
@@Ana_crusis There is no correct Tuning. Therefore you have to adjust to your acquirements. If you need a "good" sounding A major, you have to flaten you b string, to achieve a okayish c sharp. As you said, it's all about compromises.
@@Ana_crusis Exactly, you have to accept the compromise (and hopefully the audience accepts it too!)
I think this is the best single music tip I've ever heard.
I gave your tip about the beats a try and tested myself with a tuner afterwards.. perfect. I've never been able to do that before, I'm just blown away.
checking with 12th fret harmonic and 7th fret natural is also a good way specially for intonation
Yes - true
Love how mellow these vids are
GREAT info! I've been playing for 54 years and have never been shown this technique...Makes perfect sense!
It's a privilege to have you giving us these tips. Thank you very much, Brandon! 👍🏼
I was getting a bit down because of this pandemic and the fact that I'm a smoker that has not been hable to quit. Amidst that depressing feeling I found your channel and the "Introducing series" and it has cheered me up. So I subbed. Thank you!
You people should listen to him, he's been tuning guitars for centuries.
I could listen to you play and talk guitar forever. I'm a little late to the party but these are great tips. I have good relative pitch, i.e. I can tune easily from the 6th string E. I end up using a tuner to check how close to pitch I am after a little while. I expect a great variance but usually I am 25 cents flat or less. Perfect pitch would be great for tuning, etc. but I've only met one person in my 30+ years of musical experience with it. Learning to tune from intervals, harmonics and beats (didn't know this had a name!) is very practical advice for the rest of us! I'm new to guitar and I've fallen in love with it.
I recently started tuning by ear after watching this video, and only after doing it for a week I am confident that I can tune a guitar without the tuner now. I use the low E string to tune instead of the high E because the low E is always the most in tune string.
Can't help but smile at the energy given off in the vid. I have terrible pitch but checking back against a tuner after is doable
Dude, thank you! Ive been tuning with the 5th fret method for years and always run into still being out of tune. Thus, Ive resorted to the clip on tuners. Looking forward to trusting my ears.
A guy I went to school with was a very good guitarist. While at school and after he played in a rock band and, on this particular occasion, we were at a battle of the bands at a small seaside village not far from our home town. Just before going on stage he broke a string and asked to borrow my tuner to quickly tune up his guitar with the replacement. Having tuned the guitar he played a couple of chords, it sounded fine to me, but he wasn't satisfied. He did a quick harmonic tune and the guitar went from sounding just "in tune" to being rich and full and still in tune. I will never forget that. He went on to study Latin guitar in South America, play classical concerts, etc. I became a Theatre technician and then went into Audio Visual.
I am glad i learned Violin in School because by the time i got to guitar i had devloped an ear for tuning based on a reference note.
Dude your demeanor and tone of voice is extremely soothing, not to mention the quality of content on your channel. Awesome stuff!
I stopped playing violin after going into high school, and when I pulled out my violin after a while, I tried tuning by ear and had a Thor I AM STILL WORTHY moment when the tuner said I was spot on XD
Samee but I got discouraged because it kept on detuning and no matter how I force in the pegs it pops out.
@@kayalyssmay Try putting some powdered resin on the peg. It'll give it grip without pushing it in so hard you risk splitting the head.
Such a calm, relaxing voice
Fantastic video! No one ever talks about tuning, or rarely it seems people discuss tuning. As I've gotten older, I have found tuning all strings to the high E is the most effective method for getting the guitar in tune without using a pitch fork or electronic tuner. Anyway, bravo! Great video.
I have got to pay for your lessons! I learn so much from your videos and I know I can learn more from your lessons. Thank you
I started with a tuner but like you said I got better and better at detecting dissonance. The trick was to do my best to tune by ear as hard as it was every once in a while and try to listen very carefully. I've still got ways to go because I still can't tell easily when my drop d string is out of tune when I'm playing capricho arabe. Unless I stop playing and check it with the other d string.
I think that will take some practice to be able to catch the drop D out of tune. I am very good at it but I spent many years playing metal/rock music that was in drop D so I can tell immediately by playing a power chord on the 4,5,6th strings. I actually find it easier to get it tuned properly by playing the A string as well, sounding that open D power chord, like Brandon suggested playing the chord of the key you're in. Hope that helps a little.
Drop D is only a matter of tuning the 6th string to the 4th string, in a pure octave. Some people prefer to strike the harmonic on the 6th string at the 12th fret and tune that to the 4th string as a unison. As Brandon advises in the video, train your ear to listen for beats, the soft pulsating sound two notes make together when they're *almost* in tune. Beats are easy to hear with bass notes--give it a try.
@si james Guitarists aren't the only ones. Pianists are notoriously bad at not knowing or understanding how their instrument is tuned, because a professional always does it. Lots of people come out of music departments--all instruments--without knowing what an acoustical beat is, still less why it's important.
The problem in teaching guitarists has much to do with how fast the sound decays. When you're trying to open somebody's ears, amplified sound can help a lot, and a sustain pedal even more. It's a real kick to see the look in their eyes when they finally get it!
Your voice and way of speaking are really soothing!
Great video, you are such an ispiration. I would only like to add that since the strings' pitch tend to raise after you start playing, you could warm up the strings for some seconds with the palm of your hands, lay them flat upon the strings , and then move up and down the fretboard and down to the bridge a coupe of times. I found out that I then don't have to re-tune the guitar after some minutes playing. Often I do not have to tune at all, if the strings have set for some weeks. Just a tip from the cold Norway :)
I would love to see a video like this about theorbo tuning.
When 5th fret tuning, I always intuitively re-adjusted my high or low E to match the one I’m tuning to, check my second fret on the D string, then play a C chord to hear it all together and refine the tuning on the other strings.
Started playing guitar in 1966. This might just change my life! Thanks!
I didn't have a tuner back when I played base guitar on a band, so what I did was pick up the phone to listen to the tone and tune the A string and then the other ones by ear.
Lol! Really?
That's how I learned too!
That's an old trick, it's a perfect 440 Hz. I've heard stories of band pros that did it for years and years. It has to do with the music industry and vinyl discs rotation speeds. We got standards from that time.
did the same!
@@BeowWulf it's hip to be square
So I have had my guitar for YEARS now & I should know more. I should be able to play confidently. I will pick it up & put it down. Read the self help book & watch videos. I started relearning ALL OVER again and tried playing a song, but I KNEW chords are out of tune. Somehow I lost my electronic device to help me with that. ALL I HAVE ARE MY EARS! Luckily for me, I am a great listener with a nice, talkative personality. Long story short, your video is the second one I came across & I cannot get over how I tuned my guitar just by the simple instructions you gave! I am blown away & super proud of myself, I want to tell EVERYONE! THANK YOU! I totally subscribed to your channel!
Much Love & Kindness
I've been tuning by ear for almost 7 years now. There are rare occasions when my ears feel that a bit lower or higher tuning sounds a lot better than the standard tuning, don't know why.
Tuning by ear saves a good amount of time.
It's totally normal. The guitar frets are positioned at constant ratio distances from each others (12 tones equal temperament), but the just intonation would require every fret on every string to be placed at a slightly different location on the fingerboard (to achieve just intonation on the entire neck). So the guitar is approximating that to get the best possible intonation everywhere on the neck. It's not perfect but this is what we've got :)
Same here. Almost every time I tune if I check I'm like less than 1/4 of a note sharp, my ears just like the sound better
@@stratocactus the strandberg true temperament are not justly intonated. True temperament just means it makes up for string tension, thickness and action.
@@elimg.3684 you're right. I wrote my comment too fast and mixed those 2 concepts. I'm deleting the last part. Thanks.
@@stratocactus I didn't mean that in a negative way btw, I just thought I'd clear that up because that whole concept confused me at first.
GHAWD I LOVE THIS GUY he's a genius in playing all the plucking instruments
Hey, Brandon. I tuned my first organ, a giant containing over 6000 pipes, when I was 15 - FIFTEEN. It is not difficult, Yes, all you need to do is flatten the beat. YES - the strings should be tuned an octave apart. Yes, definitely tune to one string so you do not get cumulative error as a result of drawing. You tuning was close - but not perfect. but your theory was perfect.
Organ pipes are absolutely the best things to learn with. Because the sound sustains at an even volume for as long as the bellows supplies wind, hearing and counting beats is a piece of cake. An equal-tempered fifth beats quite slowly, about 2 beats in 3 seconds in the middle octave. That can be hard to hear, let alone count on an instrument like the guitar with its very quick decay. But anyone can count 20 beats in 30 seconds.
@@jameslouder I feel like i can tune an organ now
man I love your voice
it's so relaxing
in addition to be a guitarist, you should be a voice actor too
Man I could listen to you reading Mein Kampf out loud and it would still be music to my ears.
You are the Bob Ross of guitar and I love it
Interesting as I've always heard of tuning from the low E for the 'Fifth Fret' method. Yours makes more sense, will learn it in addition to tuning by ear. Thank you!-Mr STT
If you're playing a concert, you'll be tuning to concert pitch (A440Hz), which is on the high E string.
I agree, whwn I started learning to play the guitar the tuning was all over the place. And I bought a digital one, this was over 30 years ago, so no app. Than I had a private teacher on and off for about 2 years, and he just "threw" the thing away and bought me a tuning fork. And I do all of those things that you did in your video. And it really sharpens your ear.
I get tensions in my body, I feel it physical and get tired and stressed in my head when I play at a guitar that is not in tune with itself.
When the strings get in tune, It tingels in my ears, and sends shivers down my spine.
I used to tune mostly with harmonics and a bit with the 5th fret method. One thing that I noticed, though, is that the major thirds of chords didn't always sound right. So the E would sound fine as the root of an E major chord, but not as the third of a C major chord. I think that this is because we are used to equal temperament tuning, in general, but when you tune with harmonics you are using "just intonation" and so you end up a hair out of tune in keys that are far from the D,A,E that are common fro guitar. One advantage of the electronic tuner is that it will plop you down into equal temperament, at least for the open strings.
The harmonics which which you tune aren't all that far apart from equal temprerament. You can use harmonics to start things then use other methods to iron out the difference. Personally my ears aren't sensitive enough to hear it.
You're right in general, but the thing is, in equal temperament, *all* major thirds are already very sharp--about 14 cents* sharp of pure. Anything that makes them even a tiny bit sharper will quickly grate on the ear. The major third on middle C-E, ( guitar C-2/I + E-1/0) beats at more than ten per second. And you're also right, it's only because we grow up with the sound of equal temperament in our ears that we'll tolerate something like that!
________________________
*In acoustical parlance a "cent" is 1/100 of an equal-tempered semitone--so 1200 cents to the octave. It lets us use ET as a baseline for comparing intervals without the tedium of calculating frequencies and correcting for octaves.
Here's an important tip about tuning with harmonics: *only use them for tuning unisons and octaves, NOT fifths.* Because the guitar is fretted in equal temperament, only unisons and octaves are pure and beatless. The acoustically pure 12ths (8ve + 5th) produced by harmonics at the VIIth fret will be slightly sharp of the fretted note. For example:
Suppose you begin by tuning A-5/hV to the tuning fork, unison (440 Hz). Great, you think, now let's tune E-1/0 (open first string) to the beautiful clear E-5/hVII, unison. Then check A-5/hV against A-1/V, unison and…WTF, they're out of tune! What did I do wrong?
What you didn't reckon with is that the pure 12th A-e at 5/hVII is not the same as the equal-tempered 12th you need for A-1/V. The un-tempered E-1/0 you just tuned is 330 Hz; whereas you must have a tempered E at 329.63 Hz to get an A = 440Hz at the Vth fret. And that untempered E-1/0 will make a tenth with C-5/III that's even worse than "normal."
@@jameslouder excellent point. I also play in string quartets, and they have to be careful because their instruments are tuned in 5ths, but cumulatively this adds up to an out of tune cello, unless you deliberately tune to 'narrow' 5ths.
@@nickyork8901 Exactly so. Indeed, if you had a 5-string baroque 'violoncello piccolo' with an upper E string, tuning in pure fifths would make a "Pythagorean" third (or 17th, if you prefer) with your low C. This dissonant interval is a whole syntonic comma (22.5 cents) higher than a pure third. It's at the very limit of what the ear will accept as a major third--or beyond it, depending on whom you ask. Ever wonder why medieval theorists classified the major third as a dissonance? It's because they used the Pythagorean scale, which derives entirely from pure fifths!
Thank you lots!! I was looking for something like this!!! ❤ Tuning the guitar this way makes it sound so good compared to using a tuner!!
I tune by ear, but it's the first time i learned about that "beat". It will actually help me a lot now thanks for the lesson!
Dear Mr Acker, I recently lost my tuner and for the last couple of months I have just used my ear and sometimes the tuning fork, but now with your system I can't wait to try and see how it works!
I often tune by ear because sometimes I can't be bothered opening my phone, I also enjoy playing around with different and microtonal tuning
wow you are cool
I too like to play out of tune sometimes
I have never tuned my guitar
I often find myself pluggin my acoustasonic into my asshole and I feel the tune through my arm hairs.
tabundo001 wtf 😂😂 funniest shit I read in a min
Thanks bro. Really excited to get this under control. Pretty good ear and I picked up on the vacillations. But now I know to listen to the 'flat line.' Cool. Best to you! B5F
Thank you sir, I’m gonna tune by ear now
Been dabbling all my life, learning piecemeal on the innerwebs the last few years, and really enjoying your lessons. Thank you!
💥My new online guitar course is open! classicalguitar-pro.com
Sign-up for lifetime access to this 6-hour course and start playing elegant classical music today!
What string tension would you recommend for people "converting" from steel strings for the course? And what is your personal preference (brand, material, tension)?
I know it boils down to the player's comfort, but whatever tension strings came with my Takamine kinda have a "wub wub" to them that, as a steel string player, I'm not used to hearing. I saw that La Bella seems to dominate the classical string market, and there's different kinds of nylon and carbide something-or-others, brass-wound, steel wound... These are new concepts to me, I'm not used to my guitar string choice actually drastically mattering to the sound.
6
I like harmonics of octaves on the fretboards when I look at this.
Any other harmonics and then you have to start worrying about Just Intonation vs. Equal temperament.
If you tune by the fretboard, its all equal tempered.
If you tune by perfect harmonic fourths (i.e. hear no beats) going up the fretboard, your top and bottom string should actually be off a bit.
My god thank you so much! I tried you method and checked with the electronic tuner, and it was 100% fit!
Well done!
He gets my vote for nicest man alive.
Great lesson Brandon! I've been tuning my basses and guitars in this manner for 45 years now. So, I can attest that it works.
If you really want to go old school, get yourself a tuning fork! "A 440" is still popular and common to find. Strike the tuning fork and touch the handle to the top of the guitar. This will amplify the note and cause sympathetic vibrations in the strings. This even works well on electric stringed instruments as long as they are plugged in and turned on.
With practice you will find these methods will prove even more accurate than an electronic tuner because you have tuned the guitar using the entire neck, not just the open stings. On a fretted instrument the open strings can lie to you in comparison to the fretted notes. The frets are set in position and not always perfect in every position.
Once the instrument is in tune with itself, a bit of judicious left hand vibrato can artfully mask any small inconsistencies in certain trouble spots on the neck and enhance your sustain as well. Adventure on friends!
I’ve been playing guitar since I was around ten. Learned the fifth fret method by 13 and always been annoyed with the fact that those tiny errors I’d make would compund. I’m 25 now. I saw this video a few months back and tried out the second tuning system shown here and it’s incredibly satisfying. I just can’t believe I’ve been annoyed by this for so long yet never bothered to look a better method up lol
I never had an electronic tuner so since I've started I've just been watching the vid that comes up when you search tuned guitar, and matching each string with it until they sound the same, sounds good
I learned how to do it, i picked my guitar and said: today imma tune this by ear before I practice. Took me 2 pleasant hours but hey, I've done it
Watching your videos is like watching asmr. You're awesome!
This guy deserve more subs. Way more subs
Great sharing of 'new' ideas and techniques. What impresses me (that's why I subscribed) is the manner in which you teach! Easy to understand without talking 'down' to a student. You teach with a non-judgemental attitude! Very clear, and easy to understand. Thank you!
Apart from just training your ear, a really good reason to learn how to tune by ear is in case you need to play with another instrument that isn't in concert pitch. Your electronic tuner probably won't help you there.
You just set it up to different Hz
@@janakipejov3667 Depends on the tuner, it's awkward or impossible on some. Either way, sometimes tuning by ear is just the simplest
Good point here
So I labeled it the 'Brandon Acker Challenge', busted out my old tuning fork, and made a point of ear-tuning these past two months. There is improvement. Upon completion there is a check against the tuning machine, generally telling me the g string is off and in which direction. By now that is the final hint needed.
I started tuning by ear when I was lazy to find my lost tuner a year ago.
How peaceful is this video!
Super quality content
I'm a bassist by trade, but I have a classical guitar from the 60s that sounds beautiful, but was always tough to tune without something sounding off. After a little tweaking and tuning with your method, it seems to be much more in tune with itself than before
i dont know how to express this enough THANK YOU SO MUCH
You're welcome 😊
I try to avoid using overtones that aren't octaves to the string because the other harmonics will differ from their equal tempered counterparts
But how can one avoid that? You just tell your guitar "hey you, no overtones"?
I've been using a A440 pitchfork for a few months now. It's the best alternative to any app or gadget. It's fitting for maintaining your sense of pitch and not depending on something with batteries.
I'm not a guitarist, but I'm cursed with perfect pitch, and I've been known to snatch guitars out of people's hands at parties and tune them-by ear, of course. >.>
This is how we were taught to tune in orchestra - at least circa 1966 or so (and before, of course). I have a 440 A tuning fork in my violin case and can tune my instrument using no more than that. That said, electric tuners are very convenient. Your video was another great explanation of a useful skill.
Interesting post, glad to hear from another orchestral player. I do have perfect pitch but, that aside, and this actually impacted my ear was that A440 was no longer the standard for orchestral tuning but rather, surprisingly , A441. It was adjusted to give the provide the orchestra with a slightly more “brightened” sound, as I was advised. Now, that was news to me, seriously, I never heard that but I took this individual’s comment to heart considering that this person had been in the orchestral scene more recently than myself. So, I found that interesting and wanted to comment on your tuning A440 tuning fork - a quick mention of some interest.
Roll the chord very slowly, and when you find the string that sounds like a banjo, you know that one is wrong.
haha
HAHAHAH
LMAO
Great tip Brandon. I will add that when I tune the high and low E, I find it really helpful to pluck them simultaneously, clawhammer style repeatedly while tuning.
440 tuning fork to get that first note to tune from, Especially when re stringing a guitar. This works for me. What do you think.
Curt M The major third and/or B string is a beast. If you are playing music with major thirds and minor thirds, it is pretty straightforward, but for rock or blues the major third should be slightly sharper, matching up with the fifth more than the root. The man is right-chords must sound good, so make sure your G chord sounds good with the keyboard player’s G chord, that is more important than what your tuner says. Trust your ear.
Thank you for describing beats. I have been playing for about two years and couldn’t really tune by ear. I knew how to do it but didn’t know what to listen for. After your video I gave it a go and was spot on.
I am an electric bass player. Do you recommend it for bass too? :)
Btw, I love your educational videos.
I'd say yes, it works for bass really well. You can hear beats much cleared I think.
On the bass the beats are harder to hear so I use harmonics only
@@ganaelschneider Are they? Never compared side to side really, but seems to me I could hear beat much clearer on bass because the tone is deeper than here on video. Harmonics are good too, but feels like it's not as precise since you don't have fixed point like fret.
@@DivinePonies harmonics don't sound if your finger is not at the right place on the string, so you can be sure they are in tune with their respective string.
The lower you go, the fewer the beats so it's easier to hear beats on medium notes.
Also the sound is less muddy on a guitar than bass.
But then we all hear things differently so it's possible that now you hear the beats better on the bass than the guitar.
Yes it works, if you are having a hard time, try to roll down the low ends on the EQ and boost the treble while you're tuning
Thanks!! I'm gonna get an ear to those beats! I played for many, many years and have developed some skills in learning songs by ear, but never felt quite secure about my tuning abilities. In some moments started like my own way of checking my tuning which consists of playing fifths and then trying some chords. Thanks again!
Why has this channel not passed pewdiepie yet
To be honest Brandon just seems unnatural with the whole calm guy act.
@@chessvodkaopera Not gonna lie, I get Patrick Bateman vibes from him.
@@doom7872 That is a mean thing to say, I don't know if he is evil to that extent. His smile has a deeper meaning and definitely reveals something oddly sinister. The devil sure can play hell of a guitar tune, and I am comfortable with the distance separating us.
So much 'jelly' in this thread, why not just 'jam'?
Somehow your videos give me such a nice calm feeling, they really brighten up my day. Thank you for the tutorial, you're not just one of the best guitar players i know, but one of the best musicians!
I did this and now my ears are so sharp im legally an elf
Nobody has ever suggested to me that I should tune from high E to low E before. At that point I was skeptical. But what I thought was really interesting was your method of tuning every string to the high E string, rather than from one string to the next. That is something I’m going to spend some time investigating.
I also appreciate how you have me freedom to tune to myself if I’m playing alone, which is what I’ve normally done, though it’s probably not the best for ear training.
Thanks for the video.
As an Asian guitar player, I tune my guitar just like how I measure the water in rice before I cook it.
I wait for my ancestors to whisper in my ear, "It's already in tune, child." And just hope for the best without checking it thoroughly.
I'm going to start turning by ear, thanks for the inspiration, you are a great teacher, thanks, peace
3:43 background music plays E right before he plays E. Intentional or not?
What a great guy!! Brilliant content and teacher.