By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brett_Lansberry]Brett Lansberry
Intonation is the guitar’s ability to stay in tune for the entire length of the fret board. Having correct intonation is vital to sound good, period. There is a way simple to test it, and the guitar doesn't even have to be in tune.
Okay, the 12th fret of the fingerboard is the middle of the scale. When the string plays the same note open and fretted at the twelfth, intonation is correct. To precisely check how accurate the intonation is, plug into a guitar tuner instead of tuning by ear. If the instrument is properly intonated, you will know it from this test.
On most guitars, intonation can be adjusted at the bridge, and with the adjustable truss rod inside the neck. NOTE: Adjusting the truss rod on a guitar should only be done by a qualified repairperson.
The slightest changes can affect a guitar’s intonation. Changing strings on the guitar can change intonation. Temperature differences can cause the neck to shift and affect the intonation. It is very important not to subject your guitar to extreme temperatures or even sudden temperature changes.
To adjust or correct intonation you must alter the string length or scale length. With some bridges, adjusting the length of the string is simple. Each string has its own saddle with an adjustment screw, which moves the saddle forward and backward on the bridge.
Quick intonation check:
1. Play an open A (5th String) and listen
2. Play an A note on the 12th fret and listen
3. The note at the 12th fret should be one octave higher than the open string
4. Basically the two notes should sound the same, if the intonation is correct
5. Now do the same thing, only using an electronic tuner to check the intonation instead of your ears. Go through each six strings, checking the open string against the 12th fret.
Adjusting the intonation with a floating bridge or Floyd rose (whammy bar) can be tricky. Its take a little experimenting with string height, string gauges, and scale length. Again, I strongly recommend leaving truss rod adjustments to a professional.
Brett Lansberry has been an avid guitar player and guitar teacher for many years. Visit his website [http://www.blguitar.com/]BLGuitar.com, a site dedicated to helping guitar players improve with free lessons, tips, and information. The site contains over 100 free guitar lessons written by him and other professional guitar teachers, along with many practical resources such as guitar chords, scales, audio and the best links.
Copyright 2005 Brett Lansberry - http://www.BLGuitar.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brett_Lansberry http://EzineArticles.com/?Guitar-Intonation&id=96012
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Acoustic Guitar Tuning Is a Necessary Chore
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Andy_Turnbull]Andy Turnbull
Making sure your guitar is properly tuned is especially important when you first start learning to play. Acoustic guitar tuning needs to be carried out each and every time you practice or play, whether or not your tutor is present. There is no joy in playing an instrument that is out of tune. It is so easy to become frustrated with your playing as a result of failing to recognize how important acoustic guitar tuning is to your overall progress. Getting your guitar back in tune only takes minutes, and really makes all the difference to your lesson or session.
Learning acoustic guitar tuning by ear is not an overnight thing, especially if you have no prior musical experience. For this reason, a beginner is much better off using an electronic tuner. They only cost $20 to $30, so the cost of an electronic tuner will not break the bank and certainly speeds things up a bit. Electronic tuners can even tell you the string you are playing as well as whether or not it is correctly tuned.
When you sit down to tune your guitar, put the electronic tuner close by and facing you, then switch it on. Pluck the first string. The tuner will be able to sense which string you're tuning with its sensitive microphone. There is an indicator on the tuner that will show how close you are to the correct pitch. It also lets you know whether the note is sharp or flat. Turn the tuning key until the tuner indicates that you're in tune and you can then move on to the next string.
It is important that you always tune up, meaning you should start with the string loose and gradually tighten it until the string is in tune. If you over tighten, slacken the adjuster a little to get it in tune. This is referred to as tuning down. It is always better to loosen the string up first, and then re-tighten it to get it in tune, since tuning up is always more accurate and the string is more likely to stay in tune.
If you do not have access to an electronic tuner and want to learn acoustic guitar tuning without one, you will still need a source for a reference pitch. A piano is the obvious choice, but you can also use another (in tune) guitar, a tuning fork, or pre-recorded tuning pitches (for example, on a CD, or many online courses provide MP3s or tuning software that will help). All these options are fine, provided you are sure they really are in tune.
You should always begin by tuning the low E, or sixth string, to the reference pitch. Once that is in tune, it is quite straightforward to tune the other five strings from there on. There is a long winded reason as to why this method is the most effective, but as you don't need to understand how it works in order to actually tune your guitar, there is no point confusing yourself by getting your head around it!
Here are the steps you need to take:
1: Play your (in tune) sixth string on the fifth fret, and tune the open fifth string to that note.
2: Next, play your fifth string on the fifth fret, and tune the open fourth string to the note it produces.
3: Repeat the previous step, but this time with the fourth string on the fifth fret to tune open third.
4: OK, here's where we need to pay a bit more attention - now play the third string on the fourth fret to tune your open second.
5: Time to switch back - play the second string on fifth fret to tune your open first string. That's it, you're done! Easy wasn't it?
It doesn't hurt to be able to tune using the traditional method of acoustic guitar tuning, but using an electronic tuner will produce much more accurate results when you are first learning to play, and will help you avoid some of the frustrations encountered by earlier generations of guitar player.
Andy Turnbull is webmaster for an online [http://www.onlineguitarlessonsreviewed.com/]Guitar Lesson Review Site, providing honest reviews of the best courses available.
Tuning your guitar is covered in the first lesson of this free five part training course. You can sign up here: [http://www.learntheguitar.reallyneedtoknow.com/]free guitar e-course
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Turnbull http://EzineArticles.com/?Acoustic-Guitar-Tuning-Is-a-Necessary-Chore&id=942804
Making sure your guitar is properly tuned is especially important when you first start learning to play. Acoustic guitar tuning needs to be carried out each and every time you practice or play, whether or not your tutor is present. There is no joy in playing an instrument that is out of tune. It is so easy to become frustrated with your playing as a result of failing to recognize how important acoustic guitar tuning is to your overall progress. Getting your guitar back in tune only takes minutes, and really makes all the difference to your lesson or session.
Learning acoustic guitar tuning by ear is not an overnight thing, especially if you have no prior musical experience. For this reason, a beginner is much better off using an electronic tuner. They only cost $20 to $30, so the cost of an electronic tuner will not break the bank and certainly speeds things up a bit. Electronic tuners can even tell you the string you are playing as well as whether or not it is correctly tuned.
When you sit down to tune your guitar, put the electronic tuner close by and facing you, then switch it on. Pluck the first string. The tuner will be able to sense which string you're tuning with its sensitive microphone. There is an indicator on the tuner that will show how close you are to the correct pitch. It also lets you know whether the note is sharp or flat. Turn the tuning key until the tuner indicates that you're in tune and you can then move on to the next string.
It is important that you always tune up, meaning you should start with the string loose and gradually tighten it until the string is in tune. If you over tighten, slacken the adjuster a little to get it in tune. This is referred to as tuning down. It is always better to loosen the string up first, and then re-tighten it to get it in tune, since tuning up is always more accurate and the string is more likely to stay in tune.
If you do not have access to an electronic tuner and want to learn acoustic guitar tuning without one, you will still need a source for a reference pitch. A piano is the obvious choice, but you can also use another (in tune) guitar, a tuning fork, or pre-recorded tuning pitches (for example, on a CD, or many online courses provide MP3s or tuning software that will help). All these options are fine, provided you are sure they really are in tune.
You should always begin by tuning the low E, or sixth string, to the reference pitch. Once that is in tune, it is quite straightforward to tune the other five strings from there on. There is a long winded reason as to why this method is the most effective, but as you don't need to understand how it works in order to actually tune your guitar, there is no point confusing yourself by getting your head around it!
Here are the steps you need to take:
1: Play your (in tune) sixth string on the fifth fret, and tune the open fifth string to that note.
2: Next, play your fifth string on the fifth fret, and tune the open fourth string to the note it produces.
3: Repeat the previous step, but this time with the fourth string on the fifth fret to tune open third.
4: OK, here's where we need to pay a bit more attention - now play the third string on the fourth fret to tune your open second.
5: Time to switch back - play the second string on fifth fret to tune your open first string. That's it, you're done! Easy wasn't it?
It doesn't hurt to be able to tune using the traditional method of acoustic guitar tuning, but using an electronic tuner will produce much more accurate results when you are first learning to play, and will help you avoid some of the frustrations encountered by earlier generations of guitar player.
Andy Turnbull is webmaster for an online [http://www.onlineguitarlessonsreviewed.com/]Guitar Lesson Review Site, providing honest reviews of the best courses available.
Tuning your guitar is covered in the first lesson of this free five part training course. You can sign up here: [http://www.learntheguitar.reallyneedtoknow.com/]free guitar e-course
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andy_Turnbull http://EzineArticles.com/?Acoustic-Guitar-Tuning-Is-a-Necessary-Chore&id=942804
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