How to Tune a Guitar by Ear - Guitar Tuning Lesson by Martin Taylor

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Martin Taylor (bit.ly/2GAQTQK) shows you how to tune a guitar by ear.
Tuning the guitar is made a lot easier these days with guitar tuners but there are still some other things you need to know because you can't always rely on them.
"You have to use the guitar tuner as starting point and you will never get your guitar in tune unless the guitar is in tune with itself. The 12th fret has to be exactly half way between the bridge and the nut of the guitar. Something that happens with the guitar when you have this half way point is that you get what is called a 'natural harmonic'."
The way we check whether the 12th fret is at the half way point is that we play the natural harmonic and then we play the note itself. The natural harmonic and the note should be the same. If the note is flat that means the bridge is too far away from the 12th fret. If it's sharp it means the bridge is too close to the twelfth fret.
Archtop and jazz guitars have a floating pickup and you can move them around. If you have a guitar with a set bridge you should take it into your local guitar store and they can fix it for you.
For those of you that have been playing for a while you'll notice that when you tune using a guitar tuner you'll play certain things and they just don't quite sound right. This is called inharmonicity and the guitar has to be slightly out of tune to sound in tune!
When you play the fattest string on the guitar you'll notice that something called the latitudinal modes of vibration and this causes those strings to sometimes sound sharp. The opposite happens with the high strings because there isn't as much movement and the result is that they may sound flat to the ear. Once you've got the guitar in tune with a tuner you have to start trusting your ears.
You can get more free guitar lessons by going bit.ly/2GAQTQK

Опубликовано:

23 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 199

@pnass1 4 года назад

I wish I had known this when I was a teenager starting to play the guitar. I stopped playing the guitar because I thought I was not capable of tuning it. Two years ago, I started playing again, and despite technology, onboard tuners, and all methods I knew, the guitar still sounded out of tune, especially strings 1 to 3. I am so relieved, I just could not understand why the guitar sounded out of tune even when I had taken great care to tune it with several different methods. I just wish I had known this sooner. Thank you so much!!!

@pardieupopper339 9 лет назад

Never formally educated or trained in music, I have been playing guitar off and on, listening to guitar music, reading about learning guitar, and lately watching RU-vid. This video is absolutely the first time ever I have heard about "inharmonicity" and such, and it FINALLY explains to me why my 3rd string sounds out of tune so often. Thanks a big bunch for this post, Martin Taylor.

@stringsoundstudio 6 лет назад

Try tuning like this 6th string, then 1st and 2nd, next 5th and 3rd, then finally 4th. This can distribute the tension on the neck in a more even fashion. Just a theory nothing proving but does make sense .

@jaystretch01 9 лет назад

This is a really great lesson! I've been playing for 15 years and I learned many new things. Also, what a perfect name for a guitar player, Martin Taylor. I wonder if his middle name is Gibson.

@MusicTeacherGuyNorristown 5 лет назад

His confirmation name is Ibanez.

@dnantis 2 года назад

Ha Ha Ha ! It is not ......it is Martin Rico Taylor !!!

@TangMan14 7 лет назад

For those who don't know the term, the "internal tuning" he mentioned, to do with the bridge and the 12th fret. that is called INTONATION. When you change the position of the bridge, back or forth, you are essentially changing the length of the string to suit the scale length of the guitar, so that the exact half way point of the string, is exactly at the 12th fret. This means the sound frequency of the note you play at the 12th fret, is exactly double that of the note you play open, creating a perfect octave.

@A1Adaydreaming 8 лет назад

I learned a lot here. You explained a very difficult subject very clearly! Thanks, Martin!

@lancebaker1374 7 лет назад

Martin Taylor, MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) is a well-respected jazz guitarist. He performed with Stéphane Grappelli for 11 years. He is known for his ability to play chords, bass line, and melody simultaneously.

@henryn5445 6 лет назад

Lance Baker I seen him live it was amazing. Especially when he plays solo the bass line sounds exactly a bass.

@anthonydavella8350 5 лет назад

When he was tuning in 5ths, he sounded better than my playing LOL Adrian Legg is another great player in this style

@doubleotwentyone 9 лет назад

Tuning by ear is essential. Something us "pre-electronic tuner" guys learned how to do. I always compare an open E and an open C chord and adjust the G accordingly.

@robskifun1110 4 года назад

doubleotwentyone can you further explain this? Cheers

@pabloelguera1161 2 года назад

Depending on the chord,c major or e major, the third string g may sound out of tune. Maybe with the tuner the c for example sounds in tune but e doesn't. So you first tune with the tuner and then play c major and e major and trust your ears to adjust that third string

@DarrylDomani 5 лет назад

An absolutely wonderful and moving experience. Both in listening to two great musicians and hearing wonderful stories Kudos!!

@HarryNicNicholas 10 лет назад

I've just watched James Taylor's tutorial on tuning which discusses sharp- and flattening, but without the maths / vibrating string explanation, which helps immensly. I've been tuning my guitar for years the way you've explained, thinking that something was wrong with my '66 J45, my ears or the weather, so thanks, I've been doing it right!

@philtomey5910 2 года назад

Extremely helpful. Tuning has always been frustrating to me and Mr. Taylor addressed the reason directly. Can't wait to practice this.

@jmmacb03 6 лет назад

I only have ever tuned with a tuning fork and thought that there might be something wrong with my guitar(s). I had a floating bridge with my banjo and never had a problem tuning it. Thanks, I also never knew (before RU-vid!) that you should play the strings loudly if you are going to play loudly. I am so envious of this generation (I am 60) that can access all this knowledge for FREE. AND free tutorials. I can't imagine how my parents paid for piano/guitar lessons for all five of us-but so well worth it in the long run. What a source of joy for a lifetime. P.S.- AND you don't have to sit for hours _writing out the lyrics_ as you endlessly dropped the needle. >sigh< Thanks from Toronto.

@Pon-farrLovin3 9 лет назад

Mr. Taylor, great tutorial. Thank you. I've found that the downward pressure applied to a string can also mess with your ear when tuning. Often times people are not relaxed when they're trying to tune a guitar. In that excited state, applying to much pressure on a string will sharpen it. So Just wanted to say that folks need to take a deep breath and relax when they're tuning [especially electric guitars which typically use lighter gauge strings].

@RandyTucker 10 лет назад

That was the best explanation I have heard on the subject. Long ago I never had an electric tuner and I never had problems with intonation. I just tuned it by ear. This explains it. My ear is spoiled....

@jonascarlsson9826 5 лет назад

Thanks a ton, Martin! This is really an eye-(ear)opener! You put words on things I have realized but never understood!

@mikefinnegan1366 Год назад

Excellent video. Your teaching style and manner is engaging and pleasant and this makes it very easy to be drawn in to the substance of the lesson. Thank you. I’ve always thought that the importance of precise tuning isn’t stressed enough. Once you understand how important it is you must be willing to give it the time and attention necessary. There’s more than one way to accomplish it. Use whatever method you like just don’t rush through it.

@voitmusic 11 лет назад

Excellent tutorial. This has helped me better understand some of the most frustrating issues of guitar tuning. Thank you for explaining it so well.

@poppinfresh5261 4 года назад

“Martin Taylor” if he didn’t play guitar i wouldn’t know what he was thinking

@ArtistWorksInc 11 лет назад

It can definitely be frustrating. He has another video on Harmonics which is part of this series. Great tutorials.

@MrErik038 11 месяцев назад

Such an educational video, thank you.

@stevefiorito5379 2 года назад

Playing gigs we started the night by tuning to our Hammond B3 or piano ... and then use our ears from there. That worked quite well. As the night progressed and the ambient noise increase exponentially, that method no longer worked. I had a Strobe Tuner on top of my amp for tuning in a noisy room. And that seemed to work OK.Thanks for the video ... it seems that there is a bit of "magic" to correct tuning.

@JohnSmith-tz4wx 8 лет назад

Martin Taylor, nice name for a guitar player :)

@Lisbonized 6 лет назад

I have spent many a time tuning my guitar and wondering why a D chord (my preferred reference for tuning by ear) sounds out. I would meticulously fiddle with the intonation and action etc to get it perfect. This is a superb tip. Thanx!

@stiefelsaufen 3 года назад

Thanks for this video. I am playing now for many years and always struggled with myself, since G strings seems always to be out of tune. Open D-Cord vs. open C or G. I always tried to compensate but ear in the Cord, but never got satifyable results. Now I know why and can work with this information. I always thougt it is only caused by my guitar (cheap one).

@bobw1559 8 лет назад

Excellent lesson! Trust in your ear and tune to your guitar! Well done!

@Claymor621 9 лет назад

Fascinating - this explains a lot. I used the '5ths' method for years then stopped, thinking the tuner must be right. For me the test is a root position major triad played anywhere on strings 5, 4 and 3. The fifth (always the note on the G string) often seems slightly flat when I use a tuner.

@francescomanfredi 6 лет назад

Claymor the fifths have to be a little flat in equal temperament tuning :)

@pauldritsas6047 3 месяца назад

Superb thank you Martin.

@resin8n 2 года назад

What a great video. i learned a lot about tuning from this. Much appreciated!

@raystargazer 8 лет назад

YYYEP! Still baffles me sometimes and I've been doing it for 40 years. lol. Thanks! This is very complete. I also notice certain guitars I have I just can't get to sound right. Keep in mind the nut height and saddle height are factors as well. Ultimately I end up tuning to ear, but in a gig or group it gets difficult. A quick method of tuning (in that case) is to clamp your capo on 5 and tune there, making sure the strings are fully flexed. You can lift the capo briefly and check again if you aren't sure.

@MuzoSTEIN 8 лет назад

GREAT GREAT LESSON - Thanks Martin.

@travis6339 5 лет назад

7:54 I was waiting for him to start playing the opening riff to "In My Life"

@NMranchhand 6 лет назад

Capital lesson! I could listen to the details of this science all day. Now, to find a piano tuner! Thanks very much!

@Bass-guitarist 6 лет назад

Hi, I play keyboards and have very good pitch, I started an interest in acoustic guitar a little over 6 months ago and have been tuning with an electronic clip on tuner. So often its driven me crazy by the tuner being correct but then the guitar sounding very slightly off key, even though the string height, neck relief and intonation has been checked. Your video makes so much sense and has been really enlightening! Subscribed without a second thought, thanks for the hard work making these vids! Regards.

@fingerhorn4 6 лет назад

Another point to note is that tuning with open strings is not always the best way. The first fret in particular is close to the nut and can sharpen notes because the strings "bend" more nearer the first couple of frets. Also on many guitars the G string is notoriously sharp when played as a major third in a chord. The B string is often sharp sounding also when played as a major third but will sound flat when used as a root note or fifth. All you can do is tune for the most prevalent notes applicable to a particular piece, or perhaps even tune major thirds on G and B strings slightly flatter then slightly bend the notes upwards in pitch when they sound a tad flat on other intervals. You cannot "unbend" a stopped note to make it flatter so it is best to tune rogue strings slightly flat then bend them up when needed.

@sirdonalddust4088 7 лет назад

I feel a sense of validation after watching and hearing this video.

@jmmacb03 6 лет назад

Me too! I am 60 and always thought there must have been something wrong with the guitar. I ears have been right for 50 years!

@nedcronin 9 лет назад

This is good stuff. I have almost found all electronic tuners to be "a little off" and I wondered if I was just a little OCD as many people don't seem to be able to notice that the clip ins, etc are a touch off.

@MobileDecay 9 лет назад

Thanks for going over the part about the tuner saying everything is in tune and my ear saying it isn't. I've been playing for a while and never used a tuner. i just started using one just to tune up faster and it sounded wrong. I thought i was tuning wrong all this time. Which landed me on this video somehow. Lol.

@adsensedd 2 года назад

Wow mind blowing stuff. I hae been playing for years and always wondered why my B string sounded sharp on A chords. This is why.

@knuckle47 7 лет назад

Martin, love your work and throughly enjoyed your time with Robin Nolan..

@dplj4428 Год назад

And sir, thanks for the tip about midway, and tweaking the top 2 strings to relieve my poor brain after so many years. This is the first explanation that equips me with “science” and sensibility. Subscribing now.

@alexsouthgate7551 2 года назад

Great video thankyou - learnt a lot!

@MrAmboina58 5 лет назад

Thank you Martin this is very useful!

@gnovincejr2 9 лет назад

I've learned so much from this video! Thank you so much! Never knew this and when tuned with a tuner it never sounded right! Trust in the ear! LOL!

@nickrobinson2023 4 года назад

Extremely enlightening and interesting. Finally, a guitar player who admits there are skills to be acquired and developed to be able to get a decent tuning. It's been driving me nuts for years. I've gone through every tuner on the market and did not know why. Very few teachers have the patience and many do not know how to address the questions by students. I want to thank you for posting this tutorial. Could you give me a tutorial online on this subject? Thank you in advance.

@TheLochs Год назад

High to low strings: E -3 B -6 G -4 D -8 A -10 E -12 I learned this from James Taylor. Tune each string down in cents.

@tsering90 6 лет назад

When tuning from sixth string in standard tuning how do we know that the e string is in tune without thr tuner?

@BrianGriffin96 11 лет назад

Thank you its such a wonderful guitar

@pindamonhangaba9555 6 лет назад

Thanks for sharing Martin

@rogermullis610 4 месяца назад

Best explanation I've heard....

@randypenn8763 6 лет назад

I learned some new stuff - Thanks!

@ArtistWorksInc 11 лет назад

he's playing a custom Vanden in this video but also recently endorsed a line of Peerless archtop guitars

@anthonydavella8350 5 лет назад

Great info, thank you

@achekhalo6207 8 лет назад

dude great job, even your name is after 2 of the best guitar brands in the world!

@wasimbhai3386 5 лет назад

Damn !! This was brilliant.. thank you

@MusicFed 3 года назад

very interesting video. _thank you_

@captainlee1 6 лет назад

That was just what i needed Thanks

@ipguyman108 6 лет назад

fantastic explanation ..!

@SammyBones 10 лет назад

Good advice. I am a pro guitar tech and I recommend paying attention to this man. Have a great day! Sammy Bones #goodadvice #tuningaguitar #guitartuning #guitaradvice

@mickkennedy1344 7 лет назад

"How to Tune a Guitar by Ear" -- he cheated, he used his fingers instead.

@macokaba1964 7 лет назад

Mick Kennedy 'by' doesn't mean 'with' ern

@mickkennedy1344 7 лет назад

Really?

@theunknownguitarist5965 6 лет назад

'ere 'ere pack it up

@petergriffin383 5 лет назад

I fart in the sound hole

@bridudrum 4 года назад

Hillarious

@michaeldeane9029 4 года назад

This has been bugging me for years. Now I understand what's happening..thanks Martin

@Trinivalts 9 лет назад

This was certainly interesting and useful.

@dplj4428 Год назад

@7:20 I am relieved to learn why I so hated those higher two strings, 1st and 2nd. Never sounded in tune by ear or compared to any pipe or digital tuner. Maybe I should’ve taken up the base? Or maybe I should use a thicker string for those two?

@cabaretampere 7 лет назад

Great video

@sks6689 8 лет назад

thank you , help me so much ..

@SaccoBelmonte 7 лет назад

Martin is such a lovely guy.

@Daniel_Callie 8 лет назад

well done

@sclogse1 10 лет назад

I listen to some jazz in Sausalito, and the guitarist plays with piano bass and drums. He never sounds quite in tune with the piano. I wonder if it's because the strings are so perfectly touched when tuning, but are bending more when he plays. (that is, if the piano is in tune)

@Atman179 8 месяцев назад

Does inharmonicity have anything to do with, 440 Hz standardised model Vs the 432 Hz old style binary system? Or is that a separate issue, and for a different discussion?

@bamtastic4297 4 года назад

great info thank you Martin ... Peace n Love n Rock n Roll B

@pauldritsas6047 Год назад

Thank you so much Martin . You Jazz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@scotlan6114 6 лет назад

20yrs of playing and recently beenbattling tunning issues all month. Now I know...!

@eaglelight108 5 лет назад

If I decide to take your on line course, Mr. Taylor, do I need to buy a jazz guitar or can I do the course with my classical guitar?

@Deliquescentinsight 3 года назад

Yes, some excellent points, and each guitar can have its own vagaries, idiosyncrasies! James Taylor also has a method of tuning different strings a few 'cents' flat to compensate.

@nickrobinson2023 4 года назад

What a shame other music teachers aren't as thorough on this subject as you are. It's driven me mad for years. I was explained this you are talking about from a guitar maker. Since then, I am on a quest to find the correct tuning. I think I have a very fine ear because when the strings are out of tune, I can't play its so horrible to my ear its like toothache. I can vouch for you and say that you are the best teacher, what a shame you don't teach classical guitar :) I might give Jazz a go once I fully get a hand on this tuning thing. I've found that many teachers refuse to talk about this subject. I felt crazy for a good many years. I was even told I had no ear for music by my teacher, just because I could not settle at a certain point. His system was tuning by harmonics and by using unions across the guitar on the 5th and the 4th fret on the G string. Incidentally, there are many tutorials online which are very misleading. They claim that if you match all six-string to a guitar tuner you are ready to go. It's a shame. If you are unlucky to fall in this circle. I've also heard many guitars out of tune, way beyond the guitar tuners inconsistency. Thanks very much, you have been a great help. All the best.

@js312raf 6 лет назад

6m29s The string is not getting shorter when vibrating, it's actually getting longer if anything, but it's tension is increasing which results in a sharper note..

@gracegrace790 8 лет назад

I think I am playing my guitar too sharp as I go up 3 octaves and have my strings very tight, in doing so cant barre at all, but now my ears are use to my tuner having the notes sharper. I just like it sounding higher pitched. my ears don't like it when it sounds lower and bassy. yet I am trying to force myself to do this to play barre chords. the strings are looser under my fingers and I am not having to put down so much pressure but...the downside to me is the chords sound much duller. I am using d;addario lights. good video thank you. I have been using my ears to tune but my ears are tuned to sharper now...so its throwing me off. thank you for vid dood!

@chippchipp1 8 лет назад

How do you go up 3 octaves without breaking your strings?

@Mars-1995 Год назад

Also try tuning your guitars with -12, -10, -8, -4, -6 and -3 cents. It just sounds "righter". -12c for the low E going down to the high E respectively

@EricBrettJones 6 лет назад

How do I get a wound third string?

@trevorgwelch7412 6 лет назад

Perfect Pitch

@cristianmartinperezcolman793 2 года назад

gracias

@MR_MIRTH 5 лет назад

Don't know why but I really like that headstock.

@lancebaker1374 7 лет назад

I know very little of music theory, but I felt there must be a mathematical explanation for the off-vibrato feeling. I found that the frequency of C#2 (on piano) is 138.59 and for A2 is 110. Dividing 138.59 by 110 gives 125.998, which is the cube root of 2. Maybe Martin can confirm if I am on to something or just finding a curious relationship that isn't meaningful.

@PIANOSTYLE100 6 лет назад

I didn't know that. wouldn't that be that same at all frequencies?

@playmovingpictures 11 лет назад

This guy can play and great teacher too.

@GatisSturis 8 месяцев назад

I always try to watch this fingering classes

@gregwaugh2037 7 лет назад

That was so informative. I notice there are 27 thumbs downs, really!? what is your problem?

@jmmacb03 6 лет назад

Probably Russian bot trying to sew dissent (Dischord >groan

@senbomkim2943 8 лет назад

Thank you for the good lesson. Is it your real name? Mr. Martin Taylor?

@alftupper9359 5 лет назад

2:18 'floating pickup'? Should be bridge, yes?

@andsalomoni 4 года назад

Yes.

@andsalomoni 4 года назад

Yes.

@Philrc 4 года назад

Guitars are built for equal temperament. The frets are spaced for it. All you have to do is tune it correctly and it'll be as close as you can get. If you go about flattening strings you'll just put the guitar out of tune. Think about it. Your own B string is in tune with the B on the 2nd fret of the A string. Now. Flatten the B string as he suggests he often does.. How do you think that octave is going to sound now?

@BrianGriffin96 11 лет назад

what guitar is that?i must know

@futurememories1660 3 года назад

As a solo performer, I’m beginning to think what’s the point in a tuner anywhere? Tune the guitar to itself (as Taylor demonstrates) where the strings are at their sweet spots. Is this a bad idea at all?

@asdfghjkldfghjhgcgyuigfyui9792 5 лет назад

the intro is good

@Parkwaymania 3 года назад

Whenever I use a tuner I hit a chord and know it doesn't sound right. I always thought "is it me? my guitar?" Thanks for the great info!

@chippchipp1 8 лет назад

7:53 in myyyy life, I love you more

@seanwalsh999 4 года назад

Beetles I believe.

@seanwalsh999 4 года назад

@Josuke Higashikata Oh I see, Beat as in Beat a drum not beet the vegetable, thank you.

@ashwolf1977 7 лет назад

I also have a problem with tuning the guitar with tuner. It sounded good after tuning with the tuner. But when I strum my guitar, it always like not in tune. What I do is, first, I'll be tuning my guitar using the tuner. Then, I will play some basic chords or play a song that I used to play to hear which strings not in tune. From there, I will tuning my guitar again for the string that does not sound good.

@tedpeterson6999 7 лет назад

It has to do with compensating the errors evenly across the guitar so all chords sound OK. You can tune so a certain chord sounds sweet, but other chords sound terrible. It's strange, but a "perfect" tuned guitar sounds terrible! Trust your ears, it will need a little sweetening after getting it close.

@ashwolf1977 6 лет назад

TED PETERSON you're right.

@JonFrumTheFirst 2 года назад

There's more. Even when you tune any way you like, you're only in tune for those notes and intervals. Tuning a guitar doesn't bring ALL the fretted notes into tune - only the ones you've used to do the tuning. Because of the different string diameters, you'd really need a different set of frets for each string - and that would still leave the problems Martin discussed here. So any tuning system will leave some fretted noted out of tune. It's inherent to the design of the instrument. The 'best' tuning system can only be the least bad. Luckily, in actual playing situations, our ears can only hear so much, and many in the audience can't hear when guitars are a little out of tune anyway.

@trisinogy 3 года назад

The definition of "in tune" is vague, unless it's complemented with the type of tuning system. Tuning by fifths is good for playing solo or with violins (also tuned in fifths). When playing with fretted instruments, keyboards or instruments that use equal temperament, one cannot rely on fifths. For those who are interested: drkevguitar.com/2012/04/04/tuning-data-sheet-45/

@hishdp1464 4 года назад

Im a beginner and this tuning style seems very difficult. I don’t even get how to tune it. I just learnt that you have to adjust the guitar more so because “perfect tune” is actually out of tune in increments of fifths

@Marklar3 3 года назад

7:30 Testing with a major 3rd sounds like a terrible idea. A purely tuned major 3rd is significantly flatter than in equal temperament. That interval will be more in tune, but the others will be out.

@CatPerez2012 8 лет назад

Use a tuner...then finger a note, and the pitch changes slightly, but the open strings maintain the perfect pitch to the tuner...what's up with that? Do we tune to the fingered note?

@chippchipp1 8 лет назад

Your guitar needs to be adjusted for intonation.

@thebatman1482 8 лет назад

my guitar had the same problem, bjt when i change the strings it goes perfectly

@belascialoja4812 8 лет назад

Old strings will oftentimes give bad intonation... after much playing, they become dented along their length, where they're pressed against the steel frets. Also, they collect gunk (dirt, dust, sweat, oil, etc.), which makes them sound out of tune, and makes them harder to GET in tune.

@evhwolfgang2003 7 лет назад

All of these comments are valid. I'd also add that if your action is too high, you're actually tightening the string when you mash it down, sort of in the same way the pitch goes up when you bend the string on purpose.

@belascialoja4812 7 лет назад

Also, if your strings are new, or not really old, and you're still having this problem: I think, _if_ you're playing mostly fretted notes (as in jazz), you should _tune_ so that *the fretted notes* are at proper pitch. Use octaves, making sure that the notes sound in tune all over your fingerboard -- this is a very good way to tune a guitar, actually.

@kennyLLC 6 лет назад

Excellent. However, there needs to be an added explanation for the variant algorithm of fret placement on the first three frets. The fulcrum arch to the nut is exaggerated in standard chords and fret placement is compensated for this because of nut height at the top of the neck. This is only considered by luthiers on fine guitars before cutting the fret grooves, and it means a lot to standard three-chord-theory rhythm guitarists, if it can be conveyed properly. In the mean-time the "lead" guy playing in the middle of the neck is perfectly in tune.There are filing methods to make the first fret more perfect, and for making the back of the 12th fret sound perfectly in tune with the front of the 12th while adjusting(carving) the bone saddle-piece. I have been frustrated most of my life with cheaply made guitars that lack this compensation measure in the design of the guitar.