I need help tuning my guitar!

[Turkish]

So I just purchased an accoustic guitar, and I pretty much have no idea how to use the electronic tuner that came with it as I have no idea what chords/notes I am supposed to play I am a beginner, and intend to learn playing myself.

Anyways, the tuner has two lines of notes and a LED between them:

7B - 6E - 5A - 4D - 3G - 2B - 1E
LED LED LED LED LED LED LED
LB - 4E - 3A - 2D - 1G - HC

It also has a green LED on top and two red LEDs on each side of the green LED. So I understand how I'd use this tuner, but I have no idea how to play those notes, can anyone point me to right direction or PM me his/her AIM/MSN name to talk over it Thanks.

 

[Heisenberg]

Does it have an automatic function or do you have to tell it which note you're playing? Either way, the way it probably works is the red LED to the left is on if the string is too low, the right LED is on if it's too high, and the green means it's in tune. The order of your strings from low to high is EADGBE, and you just tune each one.

 

[mrrman]

I use the tuner and place fingers on the 5th fret...1st string E open(strum it) and adjust as needed, the needle will move. After that hold down the E string on the 5th fret and strum the 2nd string...should read A....and keep going

 

[Turkish]

so 7B would be the thinner or thicker E?

 

[FreshFish]

You tune the strings open too, so the first string open is E, second is B, and so on...

You should really pick up a beginning guitar book at the very least. They explain how to tune.

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: Turkish
so 7B would be the thinner or thicker E?

The 7B is actually the B below the low (thick) E, so you don't have a string for that one. The letter after each number tells you what the note is.

 

[mrrman]

http://www.webterrace.com/guitar/tuning.htm

This may help

 

[PetunZ]

There are only six strings on a guitar so start with the thickest one (6E on your tuner). Pluck it and adjust until it lights up green. Another way is to tune it to a piano or keyboard.

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: Turkish
so 7B would be the thinner or thicker E?

The 7B is actually the B below the low (thick) E, so you don't have a string for that one. The letter after each number tells you what the note is.

So 6E would be the thickest string, 5A the one below that... and so on and 1E would be the thinnest string. Can I just play them open and tune like that?

 

[PetunZ]

Originally posted by: Turkish

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: Turkish
so 7B would be the thinner or thicker E?

The 7B is actually the B below the low (thick) E, so you don't have a string for that one. The letter after each number tells you what the note is.

So 6E would be the thickest string, 5A the one below that... and so on and 1E would be the thinnest string. Can I just play them open and tune like that?

Yes, play them open.

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: Turkish

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: Turkish
so 7B would be the thinner or thicker E?

The 7B is actually the B below the low (thick) E, so you don't have a string for that one. The letter after each number tells you what the note is.

So 6E would be the thickest string, 5A the one below that... and so on and 1E would be the thinnest string. Can I just play them open and tune like that?

Yep. Like I said above, just tune it until the green LED is on. A good tip for tuning is to always bring the string up to the note, not down. So if it's sharp, tune it flat a bit and then back up to in tune.

 

[Turkish]

Ok thanks guys, I am going to try again now. LOL. So confusing...

 

[Turkish]

Ok what the heck, when I am trying to tune 6E, the string on the top, two LEDS blink: 6E and 4D... like 6E at the beginning of the note, 4D towards the end

 

[Heisenberg]

Originally posted by: Turkish
Ok what the heck, when I am trying to tune 6E, the string on the top, two LEDS blink: 6E and 4D... like 6E at the beginning of the note, 4D towards the end

It's probably just really flat. Try tuning it up a bit and see what happens.

 

[AlienCraft]

at the 12th fret is the harmonic for that string. If you lightly finger the string at that fret and pluck it, you can get a clear , bell like tone. There are other harmonics on different frets but for tuning this is the one you want.
THen, with the note selector on automatic, pluck the harmonic for the high "E" string and watch the action of the tuner.
( Ishould have told you to get one with the meter, damn it!), If the note is flat, the LED goes one way. Then TIGHTEN it slowley. If sharp, it will go the other way, then you'll want to loosen the string.
The trick is to tighten the string into the right note. Loosening is tricky because of the way strings behave,.
you can tune the strings in "OPEN" mode, but do not pluck them too hard.
It takes a little practice to get good at this, but once you get the hang of it, it stays with you.

< Tuned guitars professionally for many years, for many many noteable musicians.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: Turkish
Ok what the heck, when I am trying to tune 6E, the string on the top, two LEDS blink: 6E and 4D... like 6E at the beginning of the note, 4D towards the end

This is why tuning OPEN strings is a bitch. There are harmonics that coincide with other notes. Use the 12th fret harmonic method I described in my other post.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: Heisenberg

Originally posted by: Turkish
Ok what the heck, when I am trying to tune 6E, the string on the top, two LEDS blink: 6E and 4D... like 6E at the beginning of the note, 4D towards the end

It's probably just really flat. Try tuning it up a bit and see what happens.

Nope, there are coincident harmonics being picked up.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Thats quite common, the tuner picks up the base note and the harmonic miliseconds later. In this case the 4D is the harmonic

Strum the string deliberately and focus on the intial reading and tune to 6E, then 5A,4D,etc.

The top line if for guitar and accomidates up to a 7 string guitar, std being 6E thru 1E
The bottom is for bass and accomidates up to a 6 string bass, std being 4E thru 1G


*edit*

I see Aliencraft beat me to it, ^^^ what he says

 

[Turkish]

Arghhhhhhhh... so frickin frusturating I tried your method too Aliencraft, I guess I just need some live guidance I wish there was a video or something online...

 

[GuitarDaddy]

What type tuner? Handheld with speaker? Or plugged through a cord (acoustic/elec)

If its a handheld, place it right in front of the sound hole. And pluck the string pretty hard

Also a picture of the tuner, or brand and model so we can look it up and see what your dealing with would be helpful

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: Turkish
Arghhhhhhhh... so frickin frusturating I tried your method too Aliencraft, I guess I just need some live guidance I wish there was a video or something online...

Dude, relax.
There are many places online that can help. Steve Vai has tutorials online, even for the beginner.
Practice the harmonic thing, because this will give you the purest tone , especially with an acoustic.
If you use the 5th fret harmonic, it's for the string adjacent ie 5th fret low E = A. If you use the fretted 5th fret note, the "INTONATION " will come into play and with an acoustic (with no adjustable bridge), it is difficult to adjust the notes so that the TEMPERING is equivalent.

PM if you want personal help.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
What type tuner? Handheld with speaker? Or plugged through a cord (acoustic/elec)

If its a handheld, place it right in front of the sound hole. And pluck the string pretty hard

But not too hard. With extra energy, comes more ancilliary harmonics. This is why the 12th fret harmonic method is the most accurate.

 

[Turkish]

Holy crap, I think I managed to do it I got every corresponding LED to lit when I was playing the note Goddamn, it was hard How often will I have to tune the guitar? I remember someone saying that as time passes, guitars will need less tuning compared to when freshly purchased?

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
What type tuner? Handheld with speaker? Or plugged through a cord (acoustic/elec)

If its a handheld, place it right in front of the sound hole. And pluck the string pretty hard

But not too hard. With extra energy, comes more ancilliary harmonics. This is why the 12th fret harmonic method is the most accurate.

QFT

But at this point hitting clean harmonic notes is probably beyond the OP's current abilities and would require some practice

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Originally posted by: Turkish
Holy crap, I think I managed to do it I got every corresponding LED to lit when I was playing the note Goddamn, it was hard How often will I have to tune the guitar? I remember someone saying that as time passes, guitars will need less tuning compared to when freshly purchased?

With new strings it will go out of tune pretty quick, so check it every so often you can use the tuning practice I always bang the heck out of it (play hard) for about 10-15mins then tune again. As the strings get settled in it should stay in tune much longer (depending on the quality of the instrument) And tuning like playing gets much easier as you get more practice