What does the 6th string sound like? How to tune a guitar using a tuner? How to tune a guitar using a tuner? Single string tuning

The guitar is one of the most famous and at the same time unpredictable instruments that can touch the most sensual strings of the soul. But the guitar itself also has them.

Few people pay attention to the name of the strings on a guitar, considering it completely unnecessary. But often the performance of any composition depends on the setting. Any dissonance causes associative rejection of the composition as a whole. But in this material the main focus will be on tuning the instrument and its use for beginning musicians.

Guitar string name: classic version

In general, it is considered a classic. However, one can recall quite a lot of examples of great composers who preferred seven strings to six (at least Vysotsky).

However, according to music theory and solfeggio, the names of the strings do not differ at all. Based on the rules established by the general theory of music, the notes by which any instrument is built have their own names and abbreviations in the form of Latin symbols and language interpretations. In our case it is:

• C - to.
• D - re.
• E - mi.
• F - fa.
• G - salt.
• A - la.
• H - B (B - B-flat is indicated separately).

(sharps, flats, bekars or their double versions) are applied accordingly. But there are only 6 strings.

The string on the guitar at the top of the neck has the same sound as the first string at the bottom three octaves apart. Therefore, both the first and sixth are, as it were, dominant, but only in relation to a 6-string instrument (the main tuning is in E minor).

Mi-si-sol-re-la-mi: is the sequence in tuning correct?

Quite often, many beginning guitarists who are trying to understand the basics of the technique are immediately faced with the problem of tuning, not knowing which string corresponds to which symbol in the designation or sound.

If you go through the search, sequentially from the sixth string to the first, it will look like “e-la-re-sol-si-mi”. And the above sequence is reverse.

Such a sequence is not suitable for a flat sequence, since it should look like “si-mi-la-re-sol-do-fa”. However, we digress from the topic.

Fundamental tone and tuning

The name of the strings, as is already clear, is standard for any instrument. As for the (6-string) this is done quite simply.

There are several ways in which a beginning musician can use the unison of an open string lower on the neck with one that is clamped at the fifth fret above. All strings, except the third, are built according to this rule. You can use the harmonic effect on different frets (the strings vibrate among themselves) or turn on a distortion effect, which will add drive and increase vibration. That is, the strings will have to be retuned until the sound matches completely. Professional electric guitars have a special micro-tuning device on the soundboard for this purpose).

Basic chords for beginners

Many beginning guitarists tend to associate the note “A” with the chord, which is the second simplest chord in guitar technique.

It consists of only three fingers: two on the second fret (fourth and third string) and one on the second string on the first fret. The note “A” in this case acts as a tonic.

But the simplest chord is still the E minor chord. There are only two strings - the fifth and fourth on the second fret. A major chord played from “E” involves holding the third string on the second fret, and a major chord with the tonic “A” is even simpler - three fingers on the second fret (second, third and fourth string).

Barre technique

Although the name of the strings on a guitar no longer causes misunderstanding, it is worth noting a technique called barre (pressing the entire fret with the index finger).

Any standard chord can be built using this technique. In fact, the same simple applications indicated above can be applied to this case, but only the nut near the tuning mechanism on the headstock acts as a barre.

Varieties of playing techniques

The name of the strings on a guitar is often emphasized with certain symbols, although it is not directly advertised. For example, in the standard version the third, fifth, seventh and twelfth frets are designated (sometimes the ninth). Many famous guitarists have various kinds of symbols, including skulls or something else. These guitars are made to order.

And playing any instrument is quite difficult, be it picking, strumming, tapping, sliding, etc. With the advent of “gadgets,” the technique has reached a new level. That alone is worth it... And modern guitarists generally demonstrate such miracles of technology that it simply boggles the mind.

The same Steve Vai, Marty Friedmann or Kirk Hammett are the only ones of our time. And by the way, although they know the classical school, they do not always use it in their improvisations. For example, Friedman tends to play in fifths, or nine notes per pass. And everyone's technique is different. But if you set a goal, nothing is impossible. Maybe the modern reader will become a great guitarist in the future, who knows?

HOW to quickly tune a guitar without getting confused? There are at least 4 different ways to tune a guitar - and I'll tell you about it.

The most common ways to tune a guitar:

Guitar tuning online

You can tune your guitar online right here and right now :)

The strings of your guitar should sound like this ♪:

• 1 string
• 2nd string
• 3rd string
• 4th string
• 5 string
• 6th string

To tune your guitar, you must tune each string so that it sounds like the recording above (to do this, turn the tuners on the neck). Once you have each string sounding like the example, it will mean that you have tuned the guitar.

Tuning a guitar with a tuner

If you have a tuner, you can tune your guitar using the tuner. If you don’t have it and have difficulty tuning your guitar, you can buy it, it looks like this:

In short, a tuner is a special device that is designed to tune a guitar.

It roughly looks like this:

1. you turn on the tuner, place it next to the guitar, pluck the string;
2. the tuner will show how the string sounds - and how it needs to be tensioned (higher or lower);
3. turn until the tuner indicates that the string is in tune.

Tuning a guitar with a tuner is a good and practical option for tuning a guitar.

Tuning a six-string guitar without a tuner

How to tune a guitar for a beginner who doesn't have a tuner? You can also tune the guitar completely yourself, without using third-party programs!

You can also often come across the question: “What fret should I tune my guitar on?”- it is quite reasonable and now I will explain why. The fact is that when the guitar is tuned, all the strings are interconnected by the following relationship:

The 2nd string, clamped at the 5th fret, should sound like the 1st open;
The 3rd string, clamped at the 4th fret, should sound like an open 2nd;
The 4th string, clamped at the 5th fret, should sound like an open 3rd;
The 5th string, clamped at the 5th fret, should sound like an open 4th;
The 6th string, clamped at the 5th fret, should sound like an open 5th.

So how do you tune your six string guitar this way?

We do this:

1. pinch the 2nd string at the 5th fret and adjust it so that it sounds like the 1st open;
2. after that, we clamp the 3rd string on the 4th fret and adjust it so that it sounds like the 2nd open;
3. and so on according to the diagram above.

This method is bad because we don’t know how to initially tune the first string. In fact, all strings depend specifically on the 1st string, because we start tuning with the 2nd string (and it is tuned by the first string), then we tune the 3rd string by the 2nd string, and so on... But I He acted very wisely - and wrote everything down.

Guitar tuning app

You can also tune your guitar using an app on your phone. I think the best tuning software is GuitarTuna. Look for this program in the Play Market or App Store.

How to tune a guitar using GuitarTuna?

• download the application, open it;
• pull any string - the program will start drawing a graph;
• you want the graph to be as close to the center of the screen as possible;
• if the graph is in the center, it means you have tuned the string;
• We tune each string in this way.

I find tuning a guitar through an app the easiest, most efficient and convenient.

Watch the guitar tuning video!

Alena Kravchenko answers

How to tune a 6 string guitar? This question worries every beginning guitarist. And today there is an opportunity to learn how to properly tune your 6-string guitar. I would like to warn my students against playing an instrument out of tune. It is very important to understand that playing an out-of-tune guitar can ruin a student’s musical ear once and for all in a short period of time.

Playing an out-of-tune guitar is dangerous for hearing development. And therefore it is very important to tune the guitar before you sit down to practice. Our hearing gets used to the sound of strings during training, and we are already shaping our hearing and learning to hear the pure sound of notes.

Let's learn how to tune a 6-string guitar, and you should always do this before you sit down to practice.

The easiest way to tune a 6 string guitar

Thanks to electronic developments, so-called tuners have now appeared that allow you to quickly and accurately tune your guitar. This is the easiest and most affordable way to tune a guitar for a beginner.

You can purchase a tuner at a music store, like a small electronic box, or you can download the application for free to your mobile phone or tablet.

For example, I like a free application (for Android, which can be downloaded from the Play Market called “Guitar Tuna”.

As an experiment, I asked my husband Sergei to tune his guitar using this application. He is absolutely far from music and does not know how to play any musical instrument at all. Within a few minutes he tuned the guitar very accurately and correctly.

Setting up a 6-string guitar using an electronic app is very, very easy. Press the desired guitar peg in the program picture (the string you want to tune, for example, the 1st string) and pluck the first string on the guitar. Your task is to slowly turn the peg of the first string and watch the indicator so that it turns green. The arrow shows whether you need to tighten the string or relax it.

In fact, there are many different programs, applications and devices. You need to find for yourself the most convenient and understandable way to configure the gatara and use it in the future.

Over time, you can learn to tune your guitar by ear.

This instructional video will help you learn tune a 6-string guitar by ear.

Hi all! Today in the tips I decided to write a post on how to tune a 6 string guitar.

Every day, when I sit down with my guitar, the first thing I do is tune it. Over the years of playing the instrument, it has become an automatic action - like buckling up while driving or brushing your teeth in the morning. And now any deviation from the tuning of any string hurts my ears, and my hands naturally reach out to twist the pegs - to restore order. I remember when I first started playing the guitar, I often neglected this action, my soul was eager to play, pick up and learn what the tuning was. I can’t understand how my ears could stand this – listening to an out-of-tune guitar playing for hours. Later, the tutor instilled in me this habit of checking the tuning of the guitar first.

And in general, I think it’s useful to listen to the guitar when tuning. Feeling the vibrations of the sound of the strings, feeling the unison of the sound, you merge with the guitar - become one. Okay enough poetry, let's get down to business: how to tune a 6 string guitar!

What do we need to set up? Firstly, a guitar, no matter whether it’s an acoustic, classical or electric guitar (read here). You can use nylon or metal strings, preferably new ones. You can read about how to install strings on different types of guitars here: how to string a guitar. A tuning fork (preferably “E”), or a digital or software tuner will also come in handy, or if you don’t have a computer or a tuning fork, you can get by with a telephone beep (the sound frequency when off-hook is 440 Hz, similar in sound to the note “A”) . Thus, we need a standard of some note. If you have an electric guitar amp or effects processor, then most likely there is a built-in tuner for tuning! Let's go in order.

1. Standard guitar tuning

Let's look at the most famous setup method. I think the picture shows everything clearly.

Let's say we have a tuning fork "E", which corresponds to the sound of the first open string E4. We tune the first open string using our tuning fork! Further:

The 2nd string, clamped at the 5th fret, should sound in unison with the 1st open,
The 3rd string, clamped at the 4th fret, should sound in unison with the 2nd open,
The 4th string, clamped at the 5th fret, should sound in unison with the 3rd open,
The 5th string, clamped at the 5th fret, should sound in unison with the 4th open,
The 6th string, clamped at the 5th fret, should sound in unison with the 5th open.

Schematically it looks like this - numbering the frets from top to bottom. The black dots are the frets that we are clamping.

This is probably the simplest and most likely well-known way to tune any six-string guitar. When I started playing guitar, I used this tuning method for a very long time and the question of how to tune a 6-string guitar did not arise.

2. Tuning by harmonics

Today I use this method, and for me the setup is quite fast. To do this, you need to be able to play natural harmonics on the 12th fret - these are probably the most sonorous harmonics of all those available on the guitar. I wrote a little about harmonics here: .
Let's assume that the first string has already been tuned to the tuning fork "E". Further:

2nd string: harmonic on the 12th fret, should sound in unison with the 1st string clamped on the 7th fret,
3rd string: harmonic on the 12th fret, should sound in unison with the 2nd string clamped on the 8th fret,
The 4th string, harmonic at the 12th fret, should sound in unison with the 3rd string clamped at the 7th fret,
The 5th string, harmonic at the 12th fret, should sound in unison with the 4th string clamped at the 7th fret,
The 6th string, harmonic at the 12th fret, should sound in unison with the 5th string clamped at the 7th fret.

At first glance it is quite difficult, but this is only at the beginning. Why do I use this particular method? Firstly, the harmonic plays for quite a long time, which allows you to tune in faster. Secondly, it is very convenient for an electric guitar equipped with a machine - it helps. Although I also use this method on acoustic guitars! Let me present it schematically: the frets that we clamp when tuning.

By the way, I take the “G” note as a reference note - the open third string (or a harmonic on the 12th fret of the 3rd string), since I have exactly this note for tuning on the amplifier. Next I tune the 2nd and 1st strings, and then I go up and tune the 4th, 5th, 6th strings. Naturally using the harmonic method. I think everything is clear here, let's move on.

3. How to tune a guitar using a tuner

Previously, we looked at relative tuning—relative to one reference note. But you can tune your guitar absolutely precisely. There are many software tuners with which you can tune your guitar even without a developed ear for music. The operating principle of these programs is as follows. These tuners record all six open string sounds in audio files. We connect the electric guitar to the input (line-in) of the sound card. Select the string required for tuning in the tuner. Making a sound on a guitar on the required string!

As a result, on the tuner we visually observe a deviation from the tuning of the required string. In the picture I presented a tuner of a famous program Guitar Pro 6. Here, if the arrow points to the center of the scale, it means the string is tuned. There are many other software products of this type, I basically don’t use them - I rely on my hearing. However, perhaps this will be useful to someone.

4. Non-standard guitar tuning

There are a huge variety of these rebuilds. Probably, the guitar, forgotten by everyone, which has been gathering dust on the closet for several years, can also be called with a non-standard tuning and one can play terribly non-standard songs on it. Let's look at a few of the most popular tunings. We will consider changing the system relative to the standard one.

These are the pies. When I was studying - I played classical etudes and other works - they often used the Dropped D tuning - we simply lower the sixth string down one tone - it sounds interesting. I have never played in other tunings, although sometimes I want to try. Maybe someday I’ll play, say, in the Vihuela tuning.

However, all this is for general information. I've gotten a little carried away - I'll have to do a series of posts. In this post we covered the basics of guitar tuning, mostly acoustic. In the next series we will look at some of the subtleties of tuning an electric guitar; there will also be useful material for acoustics. So don't get lost. If you liked the post, stay tuned for blog updates and receive articles by email.

Sometimes when I write music, I tune the guitar differently, open it up to the universe. When you discover something that has an element of divine intervention in it, you are overwhelmed with bliss. Joni Mitchell.

If you have already decided to start playing the guitar, then the first thing you need to do when you pick up the instrument is to tune the guitar. About how it is carried out 6 string guitar tuning and this article tells the story. Let's look at how to tune a guitar with and without a tuner. Never play an out of tune guitar - it will completely damage your hearing!

Standard guitar tuning

Tuning a guitar requires each string to sound a specific note. The set of notes of all strings is called the tuning of a guitar. Tuning a 6-string guitar can be done in different tunings, but we will focus on the most common - classical tuning, which is more often called standard guitar tuning.

In short, any tuning is written as a sequence of notes of the open strings from the first to the sixth. The standard tuning is written like this:

E B G D A E

What does it mean in Russian:

Mi Si Sol Re La Mi

As you can see, the first and sixth strings sound the note Mi , but in the case of the sixth string it is Mi second octave (thick string), and the first string produces Mi fourth octave (thin). There will be more about this a little later.

Guitar tuner

In the age of technology, it would be strange if there was no gadget for tuning a guitar. But it exists and there are just a lot of options. Not only is this a very convenient thing, it is also very cheap.

This is a small clothespin that attaches to the headstock, i.e. to the place where the pegs are on the guitar. The clothespin contains a sensor that detects sound vibrations going about t strings Thanks to this, the tuner does not pick up external noise.

We will look at what these strange letters on the screen are, but for now I want to please you. The cost of this miracle on AliExpress only 3$. In music stores, such tuners are sold many times more expensive. I recommend purchasing it if necessary. It will come in handy, I use this myself. It's better to buy in this store .

Tuner for tuning a guitar on your phone

Today there is more than one online service for tuning a guitar. There are also quite a few programs for PCs, for example Guitar Pro allows you to do this. But it is much more convenient to install the application on your smartphone and not depend on the Internet and/or computer.

There are tons of guitar tuning apps for smartphones. But the most complete and advanced among them all was and remains to this day the gStrings guitar tuner. I've been using it for 5 years now.

You can download it from Google Play Market ‘ A.

After all the changes made by the developers, the application has become maximally adapted to living conditions. You just need to take your phone out of your pocket, open the app and start plucking strings, not necessarily guitar strings. The application is omnivorous and is great for tuning a guitar, as well as for tuning a bass guitar, violin and any other instrument. Even the drums were once pulled up on it.

At the top of the tuner screen are consecutive notes. In the center is a tuned note, and an arrow indicates what to do with this note. If the arrow is to the left of the center of the screen, it means the note is not played. If it’s to the right, it’s overtightened.

A note is considered tuned if the arrow points to the center, i.e. on the note itself, while its color changes, in this case from gray to white. Today, all tuners have a similar intuitive interface.

As already shown above, notes are indicated by the first letters of the English alphabet. The letters go as in the English alphabet, in order, but starting with the note A:

• Do - C
• D - D
• Mi - E
• Fa - F
• Salt G
• A - A
• C - B

When talking about standard tuning, octaves were mentioned. Which octave a note belongs to is indicated in the program by a number next to the note. Under the note, its frequency is indicated in Hertz (Hz). The current sound frequency is shown in the center of the screen. For standard tuning this is:

• 1 string — E 4 — 329.63 Hz
• 2nd string — B 3 — 246.94 Hz
• 3rd string — G 3 — 196.00 Hz
• 4th string — D 3 — 146.83 Hz
• 5 string — A 2 —110.00Hz
• 6th string — E 2 — 82.41 Hz

Don't get confused! Otherwise, at best you will break the string, at worst you will damage the guitar.

Tuning a 6 string guitar by notes

Today, given that everyone has a smartphone or two in their pocket, this option for tuning a guitar can be considered outdated, but you shouldn’t write it off. One way or another, everyone who plans to continue playing the guitar should know it. You never know, suddenly the battery on your smartphone runs out)

The method is based on the fact that each subsequent string is tuned to the previous one by ear, by resonance. As we already know, the open first string produces the note Mi. If we hold down the second string at the fifth fret, we will also get the same note Mi and a resonance will arise between them, i.e. they will begin to enhance each other's sound.

This means that in order to tune the second string, it needs to sound the same as the open first string at the fifth fret. Therefore, we clamp the second string at the fifth fret, pluck the first string, and then the second, and try to determine whether the second string sounds higher or lower.

At the same time, to make it easier to determine whether the second string is understretched or overtightened, you can move from the fifth fret to other frets and look for which fret the resonance will occur on. If it occurs on higher frets (6,7,8...) then the second string should be tightened even more. If resonance occurs if you hold the second string at lower frets (1-4), then the second string is overtightened.

Guitar beats and tuning

When you come very close to the desired note and the difference between the notes is very close, so-called beats occur. Beating is the result of a slight difference between two close frequencies that are trying to resonate, but because of the slight difference, the sound is either strengthened or weakened. Graphically it looks like this:

When tuning an acoustic guitar, the beats are not only perceptible by ear, but also clearly felt by the body when touching the soundboard (body) of the guitar. This is especially noticeable on the upper bass strings, due to their thickness and lower sound frequency.

The closer the sounds of two notes correspond to each other (the second string on the fifth fret and the open first), the faster the beats will occur. And when the notes coincide, the beats will stop altogether. You just have to feel it and then you can adjust it without thinking.

By analogy for the other strings. The third string should sound the same as the second open string when plucked at the fourth fret. To tune the 4th, 5th and 6th strings, you should clamp them at the fifth fret and compare their sound with the sound of the previous string.

It turns out that all strings except the third are tuned according to the resonance between them at the fifth fret and the previous string, and the third string is similar, but is clamped at the fourth fret.

Sheet music for guitar tuning

This way you can tune the guitar in reverse order or starting from any string, but there is one weak point in this method. Initially, one of the strings must be tuned from outside. The tuning fork was invented for these purposes. A standard tuning fork produces an A note with a frequency of 440 Hz. Those. This is the first string on the fifth fret.

Especially for you, a 20-second file with the note A (440Hz) produced by a standard tuning fork was created in the Audacity audio editor. Well, at the same time, 20 seconds of the sound of the first string.

Download or listen online sheet music for guitar tuning:

You can create the sound of any note yourself in Audacity. How to do this, read the article:

Another instrument, such as a piano or a second guitar, can also serve as a reference. But it’s better to memorize some melody for yourself, preferably using all the strings separately, by playing which you could accurately determine whether the instrument is out of tune and which strings should be tuned.

For me personally, such a melody is the introduction of Viktor Tsoi’s song “Aluminum Cucumbers.” If you develop auditory memory and remember the sound of notes, then you can tune a guitar without a tuning fork, and even more so without tuners, without any problems. It just takes practice and regular play.

And finally, a video showing another guitar tuning option:

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