Tuning for acoustic guitar playing

A steel-string acoustic guitar is descended from the classical guitar but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound. The standard tuning for an acoustic guitar is E-A-D-G-B-E although many players, particularly fingerpickers, use alternate tunings such as "open G" (D-G-D-G-B-D), "open D tuning" (D-A-D-F#-A-D), or "drop D" (D-A-D-G-B-E). The 12-string guitar is a variation on the acoustic guitar. It has an added doubling string for each of the traditional six strings. This guitar was popularized by guitar players like Lead Belly, Pete Seeger, and Leo Kottke. Until the 1960s, the main forms of music played on the flattop steel-string guitar included acoustic blues, country, bluegrass, folk, and some styles of rock. The idea of playing solo steel-string guitar in a concert setting was begun by performers like Davey Graham and John Fahey in the early 1960s, who used country blues fingerpicking techniques to compose original compositions with structures similar to classical music. Robbie Basho added elements of Indian classical music and Leo Kottke made the first solo steel string guitar "hit" record. For more info on acoustic guitars and their players see youtube acoustic guitar playing

Guitar tuner info online

Tuning your guitar to itself is where you tune each string to another string on the guitar. It means that you can tune the guitar without having to use a tuner or pitch tool. More info at Online Guitar Tuning.

Acoustic Guitar Tuners
is a site that takes the terror out of guitar tuning with interesting articles and videos.
Changing your guitar strings goes hand in hand with tuning your guitar. How To Change Electric Guitar Strings has loads of info on when, why and how you should change guitar strings.

How To Connect A Guitar To A Computer

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brad_Finley]Brad Finley

So many players want to record guitar playing on their computer. Digital recording is more popular than ever for pros and amateurs alike. But there are some things to be considered when you connect a guitar to a computer; mostly how you want to connect the instrument, and the quality of the recording you hope to capture. The type of guitar computer interface you choose will greatly affect the sound of the electric guitar through the computer and the overall recording you can expect.

While it is possible to play guitar through a PC just by plugging it in, this basic approach is likely to be fine for most though many players don’t like sacrificing a good sound for the ease of quick setup. Electric players need a ‘high impedance’ input to get their electric guitar to connect to a computer, and though most computer soundcards come with high impedance inputs, these inputs are usually not strong enough to get a good guitar signal or in the long run, for recording guitar effects for PC. This lower ‘impedance’ can cause noise problems too. A player can avoid all this of course by plugging the guitar into a ‘line-in’ jack, instead of the ‘mic-in’, but then the all-important preamp is needed.

Almost any one attempting to connect a guitar through their computer or familiar with recording a guitar into a mixing consol should be familiar with a preamp. The preamp does exactly what its name implies, it “amps” the signal before it goes into the plug-in. Therefore your guitar’s signal will get that extra boost it needs when you record guitar on a pc…or into any other device that is not an amp. There are plenty of external interfaces that combine computer soundcards with a preamp. Or if you like more components to you set-up you can always buy a preamp separate from your sound card. There are a lot of stand-alone vintage preamps out there that will not only boost your signal, but warm your sound before it goes into the ‘cooler’ digital domain of your pc.

It’s not only the pristine quality of digital that makes recording guitar on a pc so much fun, it is also portability. With very little equipment you can put down a riff (or an entire song actually) into a laptop! And added to all this wonderful technology is the fact that there are so many recording guitar effects for pc now on the market, a player can access different amp sounds and settings, effects. Well after you have wrestled with how to connect a guitar to your pc and have recorded a strong signal, you can call record guitar effects with pc during recording or in post-production.

Of course information about how to connect your guitar to a pc and the wonderful wide world of effects is available through an on-line pc guitar tutor and websites devoted to digital recording. You can even purchase a computer guitar tuner (some programs include a free computer guitar tuner) so everything you will ever need is self-contained in your rockin’ pc! Some players are even recording parts, then downloading and sending these pieces of tunes to musician’s half-way across the world.

The possibilities really are unlimited for the guitar player who says: “I want to connect a guitar to my pc”; he or she will be amazed at the varied and easy results they can achieve when they simply start recording guitar on a pc.

Brad Finley is senior editor of MyGuitarWorkshop - [http://www.myguitarworkshop.com]Free Guitar Lessons. Website provides guitar lessons and instructions for all level guitar players. Also click for [http://www.MyGuitarWorkshop.com]Free Music Theory Lessons

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How To Get Guitar Lessons Online - Online Guitar Lessons

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=David_Frisk]David Frisk

Itching to play the guitar? Learn to play the guitar at your own pace.

The guitar; probably the best instrument ever created, and I had always wanted to play it. Numerous teachers, long nights, sore fingers and little progress drove me to the internet. Searching around, I found some solutions from guitar tablature websites to e-books, I generally had little success at first. Until, I found one method that offered what I now think is, the ultimate in guitar lessons online.

The Facts

Learning the guitar via digital software packages is not only cheaper than an ordinary teacher, but it saves you serious time and money too. From the basics of rhythm guitar, to the technical heights of new metal, thanks to these new methods, I have managed to learn the most advanced guitar techniques I thought ever existed. But surprisingly, I'm still going, now learning guitar techniques of genres of music I never before knew existed, taking my guitar playing prowess to new levels, and all thanks to the these new methods and guitar lessons online.

Having had many guitar teachers and reading many e-books online before, I was astounded how painless learning the guitar could actually be. No need for a guitar teacher, no need for the supposed 'tried and tested' approach. And just to think, if your guitar teachers lives 10 miles from you, you'll be saving on your carbon footprint too!

Learning the guitar simply could not be easier

With complete digital packages ranging from $99, it also could not be cheaper! See what new digital software packages i would recommend and enjoy the convenience of online guitar lessons.

Learn to play the guitar at your own pace.. Electric or Acoustic; my friends, [http://www.squidoo.com/beginner-guitar-in-a-nutshell]the fretboard is at your finger tips!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Frisk http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Get-Guitar-Lessons-Online---Online-Guitar-Lessons&id=995839

Tuning a Guitar - The Definitive Guide

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Iain_James]Iain James

Everyone likes to think that they can tune a guitar perfectly by ear every time. Very, very few can. The guitar is never ever 100% in tune anyway. It's to do with Pythagorean tuning and Tempered tuning, and... now's not the time. We can, however, improve our tuning.


I know tons of players who just give the guitar a rudimentary tune, and don't even bother to get it up to pitch. Just as long as the strings are roughly in tune with each oher, they don't seem to mind.


The easiest way is, of course to use a tuner. An electronic tuner is good, or try an online tuner.


So which gives the best results? An electronic tuner, where it's all visual, or an online one, where you can hear the note that you're tuning to? It's hard to say really, and a lot depends on the individual player using it. One thing thats for certain though, is this: when you use a tuner like the one above, you're using your ears!! I can't believe that staring at the flickering gauge on an electronic tuner does anything to benefit your musicality.


But what about stage tuning? At a gig? I don't know, but if you go to hear an orchestra, someone usually gives our a 'C' and everyone else tunes to it. I remember seeing the CBSO orchestra rehearse once. Sir Simon Rattle asked one of the Clarinets for a 'C'. The clarinetist had a really wide vibrato. When he'd finished the note, Sir Simon said 'Gentlemen, take your pick..'


What Not To Do


The most common mistake I see when watching people tune is this: tuning the 'A' string to the 'E', then tuning the 'D' string to the 'A'. This is terrible!! What happens here is that minor mistakes in tuning are passed on and amplified. By the time you get to tune the low 'E', it's so far away from the high 'E' as to be ridiculous.You've heard of 'Chinese Whispers'...


Here's My Method.


First of all, take a look at this 'tab' of the guitar neck. Just to clarify, when we say 'top', we mean the thinest string. farthest away from you s you hold the guitar in the playing position. Ergo 'lowest' is the thickest string, closest to you. Looks like this:

E------- THINNEST STRING -------

B--------------------------------------

G--------------------------------------

D--------------------------------------

A--------------------------------------

E------- THICKEST STRING -------

Find a point of referance. By that, i mean one note that you can tune to. Like what? Well, my doorbell is C sharp. (Telephones used to ring at C sharp too. It's considered an 'annoying' note thats hard to ignore). Maybe you have something on your mobile phone you can tune your high 'E' to. If you can't find anything, just guess. Here's the method:


1. Get the top 'E' to pitch.


2. Fret the 'B' string at the 5th fret, and tune it to the open 'E'.


3. Fret the high 'E' at the third fret, and tune the 'G' string to this.


4. On the 'D' string, play the note at the 2nd fret, and tune to the open 'E'.


5. On the 'A' string, play the note at the 7th fret*, and tune this to the open 'E'.


6. On the low 'E' string, play the harmonic at the 12th fret, and tune this to the high 'E'.


*(Carefull here: don't use the 7th fret harmonic: The harmonic at the 7th is a Pythagorean 5th, whereas the note at the 7th is an equal tempered 5th. Use the harmonic, and you'll be practically guaranteed to put the guitar out of tune.)


So, you can see what's going on here. Each individual string is being tunes to the high 'E', so that any imperfections aren't being passed from string to string. It works!


Iain James. february, 2007

This article may be viewed in it's original form at: [http://www.lickoftheday.com/tech/tuning.html]lickoftheday.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Iain_James http://EzineArticles.com/?Tuning-a-Guitar----The-Definitive-Guide&id=551697

Guitar Intonation

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

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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

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