Tuning Guitar

Hootie

I am trying to learn Gold by Interference on guitar and its the first time I have had to mess with tuning. The tuning I am trying to get is E,B,E,E,B,E. I am using an electronic tuner and the problem I have is that I can't tune the 5th string to B, have the others tuned fine. Do I tune up or down to the B. I already broke the 5th string messing around, any tips.

ParkRunner

Tune them all down a note first (except the 5th string) and then make the changes to the rest of the strings which need re-tuning.

rcaz

EF wrote: »

Tune them all down a note first (except the 5th string) and then make the changes to the rest of the strings which need re-tuning.

I think your 5th string is different to the OPs 5th string...

-Chris-

I'd be "nervous" tuning the A up to B, and the D to E too.

Are you sure they don't tune down and then use a capo?

ParkRunner

El Pr0n wrote: »

I think your 5th string is different to the OPs 5th string...

It would work for the 4th string as well you could leave that alone. Just tune the E to a D, the B to an A, the G to an E and the E to a D. You could put a capo on then to bring them all back up.

rcaz

EF wrote: »

It would work for the 4th string as well you could leave that alone. Just tune the E to a D, the B to an A, the G to an E and the E to a D. You could put a capo on then to bring them all back up.

I thought you were referring to the B as the 5th string, the OP was calling the A string the 5th one. Just in case anything got misconstrued

-Chris- wrote:

I'd be "nervous" tuning the A up to B, and the D to E too.

Are you sure they don't tune down and then use a capo?

Tuning from A to B or D to E is only tuning up one tone. I have my Jazzmaster in that tuning now, just to see what it sounded like. No breakages for me. Maybe if you're playing on light strings you'd have some problems?

Hootie

I'm learning the tune from a video on youtube, there is no capo used. I will try tuning the 5th string back to A and then up to B, don't know why the electronic tuner missed it, I could have been tuning to quick.

rcaz

It'd be a lot faster by ear, man! Pluck the A and B at the same time, and turn the A string's machine head till you hear they're the same note!

Hootie

Like I said before I have never messed with tuning before always used standard tuning and so its stupid question time. I did as you suggested and used my ear and I think I have it.

1. why is the electronic tuner not picking it up, i have a quik tune - put the tuner on B and started adjusting but it does not come up even to the point where the string it near breaking.

2. Roughly how many turns would you give the peg, bare in mind I have just put on a new string

3. What would be a better tuner as i would like to start learning songs that are not standard.

rcaz

Hootie wrote: »

Like I said before I have never messed with tuning before always used standard tuning and so its stupid question time. I did as you suggested and used my ear and I think I have it.

1. why is the electronic tuner not picking it up, i have a quik tune - put the tuner on B and started adjusting but it does not come up even to the point where the string it near breaking.

2. Roughly how many turns would you give the peg, bare in mind I have just put on a new string

3. What would be a better tuner as i would like to start learning songs that are not standard.

1: Cheap tuner? Dying batteries? Tuner not placed well?

2: Don't think about that, only think about the fundamental frequency of the string. That changes depending on the string you're tuning, the guage of the string, the scale length of the guitar, the pitch you want to tune to (frequency is proportional to the square root of tension)... Just get the note right

3: If you're playing on an acoustic guitar, I'd say tune one string to a reference pitch (pan pipe, piano, computer, whatever) and tune all the other strings to that by either listening until you can hear whatever interval it is between the two strings (standard tuning goes Perfect Fourth - Perfect Fourth - Perfect Fourth - Major Third - Perfect Fourth) or fretting the notes you want to tune to and referencing that way. If you're playing an electric guitar, I'd recommend a Korg Pitchblack pedal.

The most important bit is your ear

Taxpayer

Hootie wrote: »

I am trying to learn Gold by Interference on guitar and its the first time I have had to mess with tuning. The tuning I am trying to get is E,B,E,E,B,E. I am using an electronic tuner and the problem I have is that I can't tune the 5th string to B, have the others tuned fine. Do I tune up or down to the B. I already broke the 5th string messing around, any tips.

Have you tried one of those weird new one/two string capos? I think they're called Gband?

eoin5

Hootie wrote: »

1. why is the electronic tuner not picking it up, i have a quik tune - put the tuner on B and started adjusting but it does not come up even to the point where the string it near breaking.

Not sure about quik tune, but I've noticed some guitar tuners work on octaves and wont register a note if its in the wrong range. Maybe a good chromatic tuner would be the way to go.