Lesson 2 - Tuning Makes Way for that Sweet Sound

Tuning your guitar is the first and most important part of basic guitar learning. It will be difficult to learn to play an instrument when the tuning is incorrect because you won’t get the true and accurate sound.

The easiest way to tune your guitar is with an electric tuner. You can purchase this at any music shop, and these days you can even find them at places like Target. Tuners can range from 5 dollars to 25 dollars, depending on the quality and their features..

Learning how to tune the guitar means that you have to get acquainted with its anatomy. There are six strings on a standard guitar. The strings start from the lowest-pitched and thickest in diameter, to the highest-pitched and thinnest strand. The strings go as follows:



Some tuners even offer a metronome, which is used to make sure you keep your beat when you are actually playing, or coming up with your own songs. If you cannot afford an electric tuner just yet, or you are not sure how serious you are going to be about learning, a pitch pipe is also a good tool to use, but not as user-friendly.

A pitch pipe is a device that has six tubes that represent each string and exactly how they are supposed to sound. When tuning a string, you blow into the pitch pipe and match the sound of the pitch pipe with the sound the guitar string produces. I would recommend you use this as a last resort.

When it comes to learning how to play the guitar, it is a smart move to pay extra bucks for good equipment. If you do not have available cash on hand, you can always browse the Internet and find yourself an online tuner. I have found that this works just as well as a store-bought electric tuner. If you are using an electric guitar, modern guitar amps themselves have built-in tuners, so all you have to do is plug it in, pluck your stings, and viola, you have your perfect tune. If all else fails find a friend that knows how to play and ask him or her to teach you to tune. If you are the type of person that learns best with hands-on experiences, then hanging out with a guitar-playing friend would be a perfect way to learn how to tune.

Just remember that when it comes to playing your guitar --- whether it is for yourself or for a band --- make sure that you have a well-tuned instrument on hand. A well-tuned guitar will give you accurate sound. Once you get used to the sounds, you will soon learn which strings are out of tune.

The key to perfect tuning is always practice and more practice. The Internet is a good source for tuners, videos on how to tune, step-by-step directions. So if you find yourself stuck and feeling frustrated, open up your Internet browser and surf your way to mastering the art of guitar playing.