| Is your guitar out of tune? There are
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| | ringing. Harmonics are played by
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| many ways to fix that. Here are four
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| | fretting lightly (barely touching) the
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| methods to tune your guitar.
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| | space on the string immediately above the
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| | fret (the metal bar). It should be a
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| Use An Electronic Tuner
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| | bright ringing sound. To tune with this
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| | method, you're using harmonics on the
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| This is the easiest way to tune a
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| | seventh and fifth frets.
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| guitar. Electronic tuners come in
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| various styles and qualities. Some use a
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| | The fifth harmonic (the harmonic on the
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| microphone to hear the pitches, and some
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| | fifth fret) on the low E string is a
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| you can plug directly into (if you have
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| | higher E, and the seventh harmonic on the
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| an electric guitar). They show the note
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| | A string is the same E. So the fifth
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| with either a needle indicating how close
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| | harmonic on E and the seventh on A should
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| to the pitch you are, or a simple digital
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| | be exactly the same. You can tune the
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| readout. It can be with a digital meter,
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| | strings to match.
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| or it can be a set of lights with
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| different colors to indicate when you're
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| | e--------
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| tuned to the proper note. The best
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| | B--------
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| tuners can tune any string to any note.
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| | G--------
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| Be cautious about buying a cheap tuner,
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| | D--------
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| as it may not pick up the sound of your
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| | A----
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| guitar accurately.
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| | E----
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| Use Another Instrument
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| | Same with most of the rest of the
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| | strings: the fifth on A matches the
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| This method means you're tuning by ear
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| | seventh on D, the fifth on D matches the
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| to another instrument that can play the
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| | seventh on G, and the fifth on B matches
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| notes for you. This can be another
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| | the seventh on the high E. The exception
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| guitar, a piano, a handheld pitch pipe,
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| | is again the G and B strings. The fifth
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| or even your computer. To tune with this
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| | harmonic on G is G, but the fifth on B is
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| method, you have to play the proper note
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| | an F#. There are different ways to
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| for each string, then tune the string
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| | handle this - you can tune the fifth
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| until it matches the pitch played.
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| | harmonic on the low E string to the open
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| | B string (they're the same pitch). You
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| Tune The Guitar To Itself
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| | can also just tune the B with the
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| | "normal" method, by playing the fourth
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| To use this method, it's assumed you're
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| | fret normally on G to get your B note.
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| doing standard tuning, and you're trying
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| to tune your strings to EADGBE (from low
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| | Additional Info
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| to high). If you use this method, it's a
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| good idea to have at least one of the
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| | Those are the four methods to tune your
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| strings in proper tune, although it's not
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| | guitar. Here's some extra info you might
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| necessary. If you don't have another
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| | find useful:
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| instrument or an electronic tuner, you
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| can tune your guitar by playing the right
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| | Make sure to tune UP into your pitches.
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| note for the next string.
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| | Drop the note low, then tune up into it.
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| | The reason you want to do this is because
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| This means that if you want to tune your
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| | it keeps the tension on the string when
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| A string, you play the fifth fret on the
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| | you tune up, so the string won't go out
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| low E string.
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| | of tune as easily. If you tune down to
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| | the note, playing the string will often
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| e--------
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| | pull the string farther out, tuning it
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| B--------
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| | down more. Tuning up makes sure your
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| G--------
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| | tension is tight enough that this won't
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| D--------
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| | happen.
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| A---0----
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| | Drop D Tuning. To get your guitar into
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| E---5----
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| | drop D tuning, you simply need to tune
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| | your low E string to an open D. This is
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| The fifth fret is an A note, and it
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| | dropping it a full step. To tune it
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| should be exactly the same pitch as your
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| | relative to the A string, you should
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| open A string. You do this for every
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| | match the seventh fret with the open A
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| other string. The fifth fret of the A
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| | string, instead of the fifth fret. You
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| string is a D, the fifth fret of the D
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| | can also play the twelfth fret and match
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| string is a G, the fourth fret of the G
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| | it with the open D string, since they
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| string is a B, and the fifth fret of the
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| | should be the same note.
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| B string is an E. So when you play the
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| fifth fret of every string (except for
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| G), it should sound exactly the same as
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| | Conclusion
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| playing the next string open (without
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| fretting it).
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| | Keeping your guitar in pitch is a good
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| | idea to do every time you play. Make
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| Tune The Guitar To Itself (using
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| | sure you keep good fresh strings on for
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| harmonics)
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| | the best results. If your guitar goes
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| | out of tune after playing it once, even
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| You can also tune the guitar to itself
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| | after tuning it - it's probably time for
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| in a similar way to the above method by
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| | new strings. If it happens even with new
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| using harmonics instead of fretting the
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| | strings - it might be time for a new
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| guitar. The big advantage to this is
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| | guitar. At any rate, playing guitar
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| that you can actually tune the guitar
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| | while it's in tune is polite for you,
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| while two strings are ringing from
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| | your guitar, and anyone listening. Now
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| harmonics, and still hear the pitches.
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| | that you know how to do it properly, you
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| If you do the "normal" method above, you
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| | don't ever have to play an out of tune
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| can only play both strings once, then you
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| | guitar again!Alan Marquez is a guitarist
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| have to tune, stop, play them again, and
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| | with over 10 years of experience. He
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| so forth. This method lets you tune at
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| | plays on a weekly basis and has taught
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| the same time you hear the strings
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| | guitar for over five years.
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