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🎶 Learning to recognise intervals improves your overall sense of relative pitch, and it is this musical sense which allows you to recognise notes, scales, chords, chord progressions and more. 😀 https://www.musical-u.com/learn/how-do-you-use-intervals-to-recognise-notes-by-ear/

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When you’re writing a new song you’ll often start out with the seed of an idea. 🎵 More often than not, this seed becomes the “theme” of the song for you – and often for the listener too. But how do you go beyond that simple seed and grow it into a full theme? 🎶 https://www.musical-u.com/learn/how-to-develop-your-new-songs-theme/

Guitars go out of tune for all sorts of different reasons, and you won’t always have an electronic tuner around to help you out. For quick, on-the-fly tuning, tuning by ear reigns supreme.

By the end of this guide on how to tune a guitar for beginners, you’ll know how to tune your guitar with just your hands and ears, popular alternate tunings, and how to check that you’ve tuned correctly by using a piano.

Why You Should Tune Your Guitar By Ear (Instead of Relying on an Electronic Tuner)

Learning how to tune a guitar with a tuner is easy. You’ve probably got one of the thousand-and-one guitar tuner phone apps or software that can pick up your guitar sound, analyse the frequencies and tell you how you should turn your tuning pegs. You can find electronic tuner boxes all around any guitar shop. Maybe there’s even one built into your acoustic guitar.

So why am I encouraging you to practice tuning by ear?

It’s because it lays the foundation of pitch ear training. If you can understand the pitch relationships between notes and become sensitive to details of tuning just by consistently tuning your guitar every day, you’ll have built a solid foundation of pitch skills.

After a month’s practice, you’ll be able to strum once and instantly tell whether the guitar is in tune or not, and a little after that you will even be able to tell straight-off which string sounds different than it should. So tuning by ear lays the basic foundation for understanding notes just by listening. Some guitarists even use it as the basis for developing perfect pitch.

Step By Step Instructions For Tuning A Guitar By Ear

Here is our guide to how to standard tune your guitar by ear. But before we dive into the nitty-gritty of tuning, it’s important to understand the basics of your guitar.

Prepare: Check Your Pegs

Then, if you haven’t tuned your guitar before, take a moment to familiarise yourself with your tuning pegs. Depending on whether your pegs are all on one side (electric style) or three on each side (acoustic style) and whether the guitar has been strung in the normal way, the directionality of each peg might vary.

You want to find out: does turning the peg clockwise make the string tighter (and its pitch higher) or looser (and its pitch lower)?

Once you get familiar with this setup on your guitar it will become instinctive and you won’t need to think about it again. Now that you know which way to turn each peg to make that string go higher or lower, you are ready to begin. Lowest string first…

Prepare: Understand How Guitar Strings Work

When you’re looking down at the six strings of your guitar, you’ll notice that the strings go from thickest to thinnest. The topmost thickest one is your low E string, also called the sixth string. Following that, the next thickest is A, or the fifth string, and so on, all the way to your first string (the high E). The pitch order of strings in standard tuning, from sixth string to first string, and therefore from lowest to highest, is EADGBE. We always tune in “reverse” order, starting with the sixth string, or low E, and continuing in order all the way to the first string, or high E.

You can help yourself remember this pitch sequence with a mnemonic, such as “Every Apple Does Go Bad Eventually”. For for something more ominous, you can use “Eddie Ate Dynamite Good Bye Eddie”.

Sixth String: Low E

Listen to any example of a “correct” E note as your reference pitch. For example you can use a recording of a standard E note like the one below and play it in your speakers, or use a pitch pipe. Listen, and play the E string of your guitar.

If you use a guitar sound, pitch pipe or other simple “tone” it is comparatively easy to tune by ear. If you have to use another instrument such as a nearby piano, you might find the difference in timbre makes it harder to compare the notes’ pitches.

Now, after playing the reference E note, let the sixth string of your guitar ring, and if you find the two sound perfectly the same, then your sixth string is in tune. More likely you will hear a slight clash (discord) which means your guitar string is slightly out of tune.

As you practice tuning and do pitch ear training you’ll find you can directly hear whether your guitar string is too high or too low. At first it might take a bit of experimentation.

Slowly rotate the tuning peg of your sixth string, gradually adjusting in one direction to see if the two notes come into agreement. If they don’t, and you hear that the pitches are becoming further apart, simply reverse your direction and adjust pitch until the two notes match.

Note: The tension of the string shouldn’t become too high (i.e. tight) or too low (i.e. loose). This means you are trying to tune the string into either a higher octave, where the note would match but the string would become so tight it might snap, or a lower octave, where the string would become unplayably loose.

Fifth string: A

Once the E string is in tune, you can put your reference note aside – from here you can tune the other strings based on your (now nicely-tuned) sixth string.

On the E string, playing the 5th fret should produce the same note as the open A string. So, place your finger on the 5th fret and play both the E string and the A string one by one. If the A string sounds higher, rotate its tuning peg to lower its pitch. If it sounds lower, rotate it the other way. Until and unless you feel that the notes sound exactly the same when played in unison, you should adjust the tuning peg accordingly.

Fourth string: D

The note on the 5th fret of the A string you just tuned will be same as the open note of the D string you’ll tune next. Play the two strings in unison, by placing your finger of 5th fret of the fifth string and ringing the open note of the fourth string. Listen for whether the two notes are the same, in close discord, or have a noticeable gap in pitch. Adjust your tuning peg until you hear they are perfectly tuned.

Third string: G

Timbre problems may arise when you try to tune your third string (which represents the G note) to the fourth string. This is because on both acoustic and electric guitars there is typically a change in string type: either from nylon to steel or from single strings to wound strings. This affects the timbre of the note and can make it harder to directly compare pitches. Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of this soon enough!

Now you should be getting the hang of the process as you tune your third string, which should be a G note. On the 5th fret of your fourth string is a G, so you can use this to tune your third string’s open note. Once again, listen to it and check if they sound similar. If not, turn the tuning peg for higher or lower pitch until they match.

Second string: B

Nearly finished!

Place your finger on the 4th fret of the third string, which will produce a B, the same as the open note of your second string. Or at least, it will be once you tune up that second string! Adjust your B string, until the two notes sound alike.

First string: High E

Finally the last one, your high E string. You can tune this in two ways:

1. Since your low E string is already tuned, you can tune your high E by referring to this one. However, note that they are actually two octaves apart, so you may find this gap makes it difficult to compare the two pitches.
2. If you are new to tuning you might want to avoid that, and instead continue with the method we have been using: place your finger on the 5th fret of the second (B) string, and you will play an E which exactly matches your open first string. Again, rotate counter-clockwise for higher pitch and clockwise for lower pitch.

You’re Done!

Finish up the tuning process by checking each of those note pairs in turn, from your low E and A string on up. Check the low E against your source note again. If any don’t sound quite correct, adjust the peg to make them match, but make sure you follow the low-to-high sequence again. This means that if the pair of notes don’t match, adjust the tuning of the higher string to match the lower one. This way your tuning is always rooted on your low E string. If you have access to a reference note for the high E string you can also check that one directly.

Finally, strum a few chords and play a riff or two. Does anything sound strange or wrong with the tuning? If so, listen carefully and try to identify which string is to blame. Then return to your note pair comparisons to make the required fix.

How Do I Know If I’ve Tuned Correctly?

When you’re just starting to tune your guitar by ear, you’ll want to check that you’ve done it right. This can be achieved in several ways. You’ll feel tempted to simply tune with these methods to begin with, but we encourage you to resist the temptation! Use these methods to double-check that your tuning by ear was done correctly.

Check with a Tuner

Broadly speaking, there are three types of tuners out there that you can use, with each suited to different scenarios.

A standard tuner is a rectangular, “box-shape” tuner that tells you if and by how much your note is off-pitch from standard tuning. It can be used with both electric and acoustic guitars; the built-in microphone picks up on the pitch you are playing, or you can use the tuner’s input jack for a more precise reading for electric or electroacoustic guitars.

A pedal tuner is simply a guitar pedal that simply checks the pitch of your strings instead of laying fuzz or distortion over your sound. They are incredibly precise, but unfortunately only work with electric or electroacoustic guitars.

A headstock tuner will clip onto your guitar, sensing the pitch of a string through the vibrations created when you pluck a string, and telling you whether your note is flattened, sharpened, or just right. If you’re wondering how to most accurately tune a classical guitar, this is it.

Also, if you were wondering whether you can tune a ukulele with a guitar tuner, the answer is absolutely yes: many headstock tuners have a “ukulele” setting.

Pick one that works with your guitar, and see how accurate your tuning by ear is!

Check with a Piano

As well as being an easy and reliable way to check your tuning, this is a good ear training exercise for recognizing the same pitch on two different instruments. Simply compare the pitch of each string to the pitch of the corresponding key on the piano.

The best part is, you don’t even have to worry about an octave difference. Here’s a cheat sheet for which keys correspond to each pitch for guitar standard tuning; the numbers designate the note’s position from the left on a standard piano keyboard. For example, D3 is the third-lowest D key on the piano. Middle C is shown in orange:

Alternate Tunings

The tuning EADGBE is known as standard tuning, and is the most popular.

However, it is far from being your only option. You can alter the tuning of a string or two to open up a whole new way of playing, with chords that would be impossible in standard tuning! The best part: you can do this with just your hands and ears, no tuner necessary. Electronic tuners often don’t have settings for these alternate tunings, so it’s incredibly useful to be able to do this by ear!

If you want to push limits of your guitar playing and songwriting, try one of the following alternate tunings. With each one, you’ll want to start in standard EADGBE tuning, and tweak accordingly.

How to Tune a Guitar a Half-Step Down

You may see some guitar tabs asking that you tune each string a half-step down. Fear not – this isn’t nearly as much of a pain as you may think.

1. Fret the fifth (A) string at the sixth fret. This will produce an Eb, which you will use as a reference note to tune your sixth string.
2. Fret the newly Eb-tuned sixth string at the fifth fret. This will produce an Ab, which you will use as a reference note to tune your fifth string.
3. Fret the newly Ab-tuned fifth string at the fifth fret. This will produce a Db, which you will use as a reference note to tune your fourth string.
4. Fret the newly Db-tuned fourth string at the fifth fret. This will produce a Gb, which you will use as a reference note to tune your third string.
5. Fret the newly Gb-tuned third string at the fourth fret. This will produce a Bb, which you will use as a reference note to tune your second string.
6. Fret the newly Bb-tuned second string at the fifth fret. This will produce an Eb, which you will use as a reference note to tune your first (top) string.

How to Tune a Guitar to Drop D

Drop D tuning differs from standard tuning in only one way: the sixth string is tuned down one tone, from E to D, resulting in DADGBE tuning.

To drop D tune a guitar, simply lower your sixth string by a whole tone by comparing it to the open fourth D string:

This is one of the simplest tunings, and is popular in blues, country, and folk.

How to Tune a Guitar to Open G

In this tuning, strumming your guitar without putting any fingers on the fretboard will result in a G chord. The pitch pattern will be DGDGBD.

Start by lowering your sixth and first strings from E to D by comparing them to the open fourth string. Then, lower your fifth string by a whole tone by comparing it to the third string. This may take a bit of practice because of the octave difference, but will soon become second nature!

In this tuning, you can play any major chord simply by barring your finger across different frets – no need for complicated chord shapes!

Open G tuning is popular in blues and rock, most notably because of Keith Richards, who wrote the riffs for many of the Rolling Stones’ most popular songs with this tuning. If you want to cover “Brown Sugar” or “Gimme Shelter”, do it in open G!

How to Tune a Guitar to Drop C

Drop C tuning, or CGCFAD, creates a heavier, lower sound on your guitar. This tuning is more advanced than the previous ones, as it requires you to change the pitch of every string. As always, start in standard tuning. Then:

1.  Fret the fifth (A) string at the third fret. This is your reference for what the sixth string should sound like, although the sixth string should be one octave lower.
2. Fret the newly C-tuned sixth string at the seventh fret. This will produce a G, which you will use as a reference note to tune your fifth string.
3. Fret the newly G-tuned fifth string at the fifth fret. This will produce a C, which you will use as a reference note to tune your fourth string.
4. Fret the newly C-tuned fourth string at the fifth fret. This will produce an F, which you will use as a reference note to tune your third string.
5. Fret the newly F-tuned third string at the fourth fret. This will produce an A, which you will use as a reference note to tune your second string.
6. Fret the newly A-tuned second string at the fifth fret. This will produce a D, which you will use as a reference note to tune your second string.

Tuning By Ear While Training Your Ear

The first few times you tune a guitar by ear, it can be frustrating – sometimes you just can’t track down that strange-sounding string. It may be tempting to reach for that electronic tuner, but don’t give up! Your ear will steadily get better and better at recognizing those “off” notes, and tweaking them to the right pitch.

The post How To Tune A Guitar By Ear appeared first on Musical U.

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Late night practice session keep you up? 😴 Although the picture of a passionate, driven musician furiously working away all night long is a romantic image, the hard truth is you’ll need regular and adequate sleep to achieve your best as a musician. 💤 https://www.musical-u.com/learn/the-importance-of-sleep-for-musicians/

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Although many great musicians do find it easy to quickly play songs by ear, there are many more who found it difficult and had to practice before they could do it quickly. There are 2 big factors in how long it takes to play a song by ear. 🎶🎹https://www.musical-u.com/learn/how-long-does-it-take-to-play-a-song-by-ear/

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Playing music by ear can seem mysterious. 🤷‍♂️ If you want to learn, wouldn’t it be great if there was actually a clear and logical process to it, rather than seeming like a magic 🎩 trick? https://www.musical-u.com/learn/6-simple-steps-play-by-ear-solfa/

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“We don’t become musicians thinking it’s going to be a fast ticket to fame or because we find it thrilling to sit and practice the same few bars of a tune over and over until we get it right.” https://www.musical-u.com/learn/musicality-means-performing-live/

The following example does precisely that. Although the original version of “When You’re Smiling and Astride Me” by Father John Misty is oozing with arrangements and colossal production, Kendra McKinley has managed to strip it down to its bare elements and craft a version of her own.

Considering that the original song is part of an album devoted to exploring the male psyche during monogamous relationships, this was quite an achievement. Let’s take a look at how this San Francisco-based singer-songwriter managed to bring this song into a female perspective with just a guitar, her vocal cords, and some creativity.

Before: Father John Misty’s Original Version

Let’s take a look at the original… beautiful orchestration, arrestingly honest lyrics, and all.

Artist Background

In case you don’t know him, Father John Misty is an American singer-songwriter whose style may be most easily classified as folk rock. He is also well known for recent headline-sparking shenanigans like covering an entire Taylor Swift album in the style of Lou Reed, or ranting about American idiocracy instead of playing his programmed set at a festival in Philadelphia.

But anyway, back to our comparison! As a songwriter, Misty usually composes with just a guitar and his voice while writing lyrics – sometimes, as he often puts it, while drunk in his bed at 4 A.M. Therefore, all arrangements are added afterward, and the song’s essence (chords and lyrics) usually remains the same.

When You’re Smiling And Astride Me (Studio Version)

In the version on Father John Misty’s 2015’s record “I Love You, Honeybear”, this song is just swarming with multifarious musical elements:

The bedrock of the song in terms of harmony is carried by the piano’s chords and the bass that marks each root note. The guitar, as opposed to how the original demo might’ve been, is doing licks here and there. There are also strings, a synth that sounds like a violin, an organ, and a female choir which presents the song’s main motif.

Once the verse kicks in, you may notice that everything compresses in order for Misty’s singing to take center stage. His style of singing is of course very masculine – but in a pleading sort of way. Like a self-conscious person clinging to remain with the one he loves.

As the song moves forward, the arrangements keep getting bigger, and Misty’s singing grows more affected. This is precisely what makes it work. You may have noticed that it doesn’t have a standard song structure: it consists of only two short verses and the “whoa oh oh oooh” motif that performs triple duty as an intro, a sort of a chorus, and an outro.

After: Kendra McKinley’s “Soulful Affectation”

Now let’s look at how a stripped down version of the song can have as much impact when delivered with raw emotion:

Rhythmic Foundation

With just a guitar in her hands, Kendra McKinley has to handle the harmonic foundation, rhythmic feel, and subtle arrangements. Pay attention to the rhythm she strokes in ghost notes with her right hand before starting the song. This eventually leads to the same cadence as in the original, a 4/4 time signature with the accent on every third beat.

Once she starts with the song’s main motif, this cadence is more evident. Kendra down-strikes the high strings with more emphasis every third beat and keeps the rest of the strokes leaning more towards the lower notes.

It’s very important to keep a steady rhythm to sing over. Otherwise, everything falls apart. This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many covers fail at this. A lot of people just focus more on the vocals than on what the strumming hand is doing, but that hand provides the foundation! While it’s easier and more obvious to focus on singing, it’s hard for things to sound good without some sort of an underlying beat.

Vocal Style

If you pay close attention, you may be able to tell that Kendra is singing in a different register than Father John Misty on the original. Most likely to better fit her vocal range, she transposed the song’s key from Em to Bm. Other than that, she follows the same chord structure and intervals, adding little licks here and there as subtle playful details.

The main thing to point out is how Kendra has managed to make the song her own, not only in terms of key but also on delivery. She was able to transform the style of the melody by singing more with the back of her throat, and by not shouting as much as Father John Misty.

The result is perhaps more restrained than the original, but therefore more elegant and graceful. Even when she extends some of the notes and plays with the melody, it works very well with her jazzy style of guitar playing. It’s not trying to match the original – instead, Kendra is bringing it into her own musical territory.

Overall it sounds more smooth, soothing, and heartfelt. It just seems to work perfectly with the room she’s singing in, doesn’t it?

Transforming A Tune

As Kendra McKinley’s cover of “When You’re Smiling And Astride Me” illustrates, it doesn’t matter how intricate or “produced” a song is. With enough creativity, it can be re-purposed to just the vocal line and an accompanying instrument. It doesn’t always have to be an acoustic guitar. You might try an electric guitar with a processed signal, or even a ukulele, piano, synth, bass, or even drums.

The post Before and After: Covering Father John Misty appeared first on Musical U.