The archive contains posts about special open tuning techniques for guitar.
Are you tired of listening to out of tune guitar chords?
All open tunings are alternate tunings, but the reverse is not true. A guitarist makes an opening tuning when the guitar’s strings get tuned to a chord.
Many guitarists tune by comparing the strings to fretted notes. Others use electric tuners. This roughly brings the guitar into equal temperament. The temperament keeps the number of notes workable, but compromises the sound of the chords while doing so.
However, the guitar does not have to be tuned this way. Many guitarists tune the guitar’s strings to a chord by strumming all of the strings while turning the pegheads. Keith Richards does it this way. Likewise, Hawaiian artists, such as Keola Beamer and Ray Kane, also tune without fret references.
When tuned in this manner, the major third of the chord gets lowered when compared to equal temperament. This makes better sounding major thirds and therefore better tuned chords.
Similarly, Gerhard Kubik described how the Memphis bluesman Wolfman Belfour tuned while holding an open E chord in standard tuning. This yielded an E major chord with a lowered third.
Many guitarists find tuning the strings without fret references challenging. Therefore, in the blogs you will learn how to implement open tunings with harmonics.
Crafting tunings, such as open G and D, with harmonics yields very similar results to how Richards, Belfour, Beamer, and Kane tune. Regardless, either way sounds better than traditional tuning methods.
Moreover, tuning with harmonics trains the ear for what to listen for in a well-tuned chord. Thus, guitarists can switch to Richard’s method of tuning once they have mastered tuning with harmonics.
Some posts in this blog archive also discuss micro tuning synths and Supplemented Equal Temperament.
© 2021 Geoffrey Keith
Back to the Successful Music Student Blogs page
Do you want to try out open G tuning, but don’t know where to start? While G tuning has a wonderfully resonant quality, there are still some things you need to think about before you begin learning these alternate guitar tunings. Keep reading “What’s the Catch with G Guitar Tuning?” to find out what makes it both captivating and challenging at the same time. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
“What is the point of different alternate guitar tunings?” Alternate tunings change both how the instrument sounds and how it feels as you play it. They say that cloths make the man. Likewise, how the guitar gets tuned can make the guitarist. Read more to find out some of the advantages of alternate tunings. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Have you ever tuned your guitar, using the frets or an electronic tuner, only to find that it still sounds off when you start strumming? Many guitarists have noticed this problem. However, you can learn how to make your guitar sound better! Read more to find out, “Why does my guitar sound off tune?” Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
How many of you want to know how to tune with guitar harmonics? Tuning using the 5th and 7th fret harmonics is the most common way to fine-tune standard tuning on the guitar. It yields better sounding chords than tuning using frets. However, it doesn’t restrict what you can use for open chord forms. Read more to learn how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
“Why does my guitar sound out of tune even after I’ve tuned it? Is it possible to tune a guitar perfectly?” Yes, it is possible to tune a guitar perfectly, and it’ll give your sound a boost! Click to find out how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
What’s the difference between just intonation and equal temperament? They differ in terms of how they sound, the number of notes, and their user friendliness. Click to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
What common mistakes do people make when tuning their guitars? We’ll discuss the three most important tuning tips plus three bonus tips. Click to learn how to fix the three most common mistakes that people make when tuning their guitars. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
So, you play an open string, and it gives you one note. You play the harmonic over the 12th fret, and you get another note. You do the same thing over the 5th and 7th frets, and you get still more notes. However, they don’t relate to the frets at all. You scratch your head, wondering, “How do guitar harmonics work?” Don’t worry, you just need to understand how strings vibrate. Read more to answer the question, how do guitar harmonics work? Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Have you ever tuned your synth to just intonation (JI), then selected a piano sound, and thought it sounded odd as you played scales? The reason many people think JI sounds strange with a piano patch is tied to how people hear melody. Read more to learn about choosing the right sound to play with just intonation. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Do you like how Hawaiian music sounds? Do you feel frustrated that you can’t capture that sound yourself? Your tuning effects how the guitar sounds. Read more to learn how to tune C wahine like a Hawaiian. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.