Why John Frusciante is Out Of Tune
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- čas přidán 12. 05. 2019
- I'm looking into a tuning issue I had when playing along with a song. What I found out was... shocking! Here's a story about tuning the guitar.
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Hi, my name is Paul Davids! I am a guitar player, teacher, producer, and overall music enthusiast from the Netherlands! I try to inspire people from all over the world with my videos, here on CZcams.
If you want to know more about me, check out PaulDavidsGuitar.com
Thank you for watching!
Paul - Jak na to + styl
Additions/corrections:
On 2:43 we hear the major third interval of C-E instead of D-F. I used the wrong fragment in the edit.
at 3:42 I'm stating that half notes are all equally distanced from one other, but actually they are calculated using the 12th root of 2. However, if they are equally spaced on a logarithmic scale.
Did I really think that Frusciante gave so much thought to tuning his guitar? I don't think I need to answer that, it's pretty obvious, and to be honest, it doesn't really matter.
Have the Buzz Feiten tuning system implemented so the entire guitar is tempered like a piano and it will blow your mind! It solves the very issue you describe and it doesn't change key to key. In fact, playing with a piano goes from what is typically embarrassing for the guitar player to being beautiful.
There will never be any perfect tuning for any instrument until they stop using Pi as their means of measure. If anyone made an instrument tuned to Phi that would be the true perfection.
The trouble is that many people don't recognize the classic stuff as sounding correct unless it's similarly out of tune in the same way!
So while the guitar may be tuned differently to play more scientifically accurate, it won't sound like "The Guitar" that most everyone is already accustomed to.
Bravo. Both for the video and for the corrections you wrote here... That 12th root thing was bugging me.
Still, you really opened my mind. I am not a guitar player, I am really bad, but I've got great "ear" and the thing with tuning for a chord vs. tuning by the rules has been driving me nuts for decades. Typically, for strumming chords in an inelegant fashion, I would always go for a tuning that fit G chord in a natural way. And that would always have the B string out of tune. Now I know why! Thanks! You made my day.
That's the point, he didn't gave much thought. A musician just hears.
3:06 he just tried to pull a vibrato on a launch pad
classic guitarist
Haha that's actually hilarious!
Always happens to me too! 😂
Always happens with me when I'm trying to play the keyboard haha
omg ikr i don't even notice it
@@anshdeo so do I! And it always feels odd and like something is missing to the sound I unconsciously expect...
I'm just hoping I won't ever end up with one less piano key, trying to accomplish a bending on it
Great practical demonstration of just intonation dude!
Adam Neely
Hey Adam!
Make videos about Frusciante. I know it is not your ‘thing’ but it would be awesome to watch him from you!
Also, I’m sure you will find something great to talk about from his records.
He did your question and answer style Adam!
Adam, Paul, get a room already!
Hey, are you going to sue CZcams and/or make a video response to Leonard French saying you should sue CZcams for that copyright blocking stuff?
Adam Neely in a Paul Davids comment section? Today is a good day. And thank you to both of you for helping me understand tuning systems. I've learned that particular bit of theory entirely from youtubers like you guys!
John seeing this video be like : "Yea that's um what I was doing yea"
bruh he knew exactly what he was doing, you dont need to know jargin to use your fucking ears
I mean, considering how well-versed Frusciante is musically, how much he's listened and studied people like Zappa and Fripp, and having Julliard-level parents as musicians, he probably heard how it originally sounded, was like "that sounds too sharp and bright for what I want," lowered it a fraction and was like "much better." That's how most things musically are done, and then afterward a theorist or musician studying their work will be able to explain it. It's basically how all of classical and jazz theory and analysis work. You take what you hear and figure out the why afterward, see if that why explains other pieces of music, and then boom; you've got a new premise in music theory made that can be applied in new compositions.
"yea thats just um thats just what i was doing yea"
He definitely right i guess. Cuz i don't know why every guitar i played when i tuned the g string with the tuner it always sound like off pitch
John is a man of few words
I remember learning this song and getting so frustrated that it didn't sound the same as the recording. Now I know why!
Same!
I knowww!!!
Funny but that string always goes out a half a tone On My Guitar. It's anyone's guess if he intentionally did it.
what song is it??
@@owenlewthwaite5644 it's the song of your life
Ok. I was John's guitar tech for his entire second tenure with the peppers (from around 98-08). When he rejoined the band, no-one was sure what was going to happen. We did a few shows, then they went in to write and record what became the Californication album. Since no-one was sure what was going to happen, I went to work for Ozzy and Korn, while the peppers worked on the album. The band's then drum tech Louie Mathieu took over all backline chores for the recording of the album. I can guarantee you that when the song Scar Tissue was recorded not nearly that much thought went into the tuning. The slightly off tuning was surely an accident. Although John may have noticed how it sounded, and approved of it.
I tuned John's guitars for every single time John played it live since then. And I tuned directly to what my Peterson strobe tuner told me to. A-440.
Beauty strat by the way!
Great video.
I had wondered if the anomaly mentioned in the video was perhaps a suggestion from Rick Rubin or one of the engineers.
Sounds like a really cool job dude! 👍😊
@@snakeson_aplane I don't think Paul is claiming that Frusciante did the math or checked the charts, or studied up on just intonation. He would probably agree with your comment. He is encouraging viewers to take the analytical route to get the same result, and that could be a mistake. Maybe his closing remarks should be more along the lines of: don't blindly follow your tuner. Do what sounds good.
You have the same name as my dad and younger brother. I can’t verify your story though.
@@johnbahler its open to one desires and experimentation. I think theory is great but its part of something bigger, you must use your taste too..
Great content Paul! Careful though, that B note might be copyrighted somewhere in CZcams's database
Haha underrated comment
lol everything is copyrighted these days
The B note is owned by Barclays the C by Citigroup, and the D by DBS bank. Who in their turn, own the record companies. So all revenue for their usage forthwith, to go into their fat, greedy and non-creative pockets.
Sad but true :(
Pretty sure Warner Bros own B. ;)
I only been playing for one year and don’t know anything of what he’s saying, but this is awesome
I have been playing for 3years and I feel the same like you.
I've been playing for like 3 months and I still can't play guitar, lol.
I’ve been playing for about 14 years, don’t feel bad, I’m always learning something new. You never stop learning
Twenty years. Not a bloody clue.
@@theimmoralcookie6344 dw you'll get better. I felt the same way. I still can't play very well but I've only been playing for about 10 months
First video I’ve ever watched of yours and I love it! I’m not very musically inclined but the way you speak, explain everything and break it down with captivating visuals really makes it easy to follow and fun to learn! You’re amazing!
Just described what my ears always knew I’ve argued with my b string for 20 years.
legit same, always fiddling with it, it my most worn out tuning peg.
Yeah! And the argument is always louder after a spliff. My ears say no! That’s wrong! I’ll fix it, it sounds great, but up the neck is awful. Arrggh...
I agree with Paul though - I tend to trust the tuner more when playing in a band. When playing solo at home I’d prefer the ears because I’m tuning to the acoustic guitar resonance itself and that sounds sweeter to me than digital. But damn bro, you’re not wrong about that B
Yes, exact same over here
Yo deadass.
wow... I've thought this was an intonation issue and always fiddling with the B-string cuz standard tuning always sounds off
You just solved a 30 years mystery, my ears were telling me that the tuner was wrong... always wondering why, now I know. Thanks Paul.
Totally. That's exactly why I never had a tuner as a kid. If I ever tried one I just ended up retuning it after anyways
same. only 20 years for me though, so i guess i'm lucky lol
40 years here.
bruh i've been having problems with my B string for 15 years now I was not crazy
Ive been having the same problem for 72 years
Hey, Paul! Rick Rubin had mentioned your video to John Frusciante in a recent podcast called Broken Record.
Dude I heard it!! Sickkkk 😱
@@PaulDavids I heard that and Frusciante said and interesting thing. Something like he was listening to alot of blues record's at the time. I think it's weird he would decide to tune the guitar himself for a studio recording however maybe you can do a video on how blues musicians are not in tune.
Paul, the way you teach and produce these videos is amazing! I've been learning a lot from you. Thank you.
I heard there was a secret chord, that Frusciante played and it pleased the Lord
@nick f Why aren't you going to show the chord to anybody? 😆
Apparently, it goes like this..
Holy shit is that a fucking hallelujah reference?!1
Sammie Bootle no
and that is going up on my facebook profile status rn lol LOL
I really enjoy Paul's videos!
#1 - Best video and sound quality
#2 - Constructive content
#3 - Great character!
He is definitely one of the best CZcamsrs out there to learn from.
Thanks Paul :)
also, no.4 beautiful stratocaster!!
@@rockyoursoul326 Legit ;)
Strong beard too.
@@andrewnicorn Definitely a strong one!
Perino Loenda Fiesta Red I believe
I’ve noticed this only recently when using a tuner to tune my guitar perfectly. Some chords sounded… off. I’d tune the string by ear playing that chord and it’d sound better, but then worse on other chords. Wish I’d never noticed because now it just seems there’s no perfect tuning.
Don't obsess about it, because sounds are important but imo what emotions we try to express matter the most. It's better to be genuine and inperfect than perfect and sterile
@@biohazard8295 This is all true but some people have to understand things completely before they are able to apply said thing. I never understood music for years untill I realized this fact about the math. It never made sense something was off but when I finally understood what it was that was off I was able to ignore it. And use it.
I remember Steve Vai I think came out with a guitar that had frets bent and squiggly looking instead of straight across to capture the true intonation
It seems like there is no perfect tuning because there *is* no perfect tuning! It's mathematically impossible. Moving some of the fixed pitches around to move some intervals towards their just ratio will always push other intervals further away. The only "solution" is to keep adding more pitches to help you form just intervals with whatever your current root note is until you are satisfied with the number of "consonant keys" available to you.
Instruments that do not have a fixed set of pitches, such as fretless instruments, certain wind/brass instruments, etc. (violin family, fretless bass or guitar, trombone, human voice, etc.) theoretically do not suffer from this problem, because they can constantly adjust the pitch of each note depending on the context. There are still issues that arise from this though. At the end of the day, compromises generally have to be made somewhere in most music.
Besides, 12-TET is fine. It is great for genres like jazz too. Listen to piano music, it's not dissonant unless you're trying to find dissonance in it.
I noticed it too, when I play a specific song, thought my guitar had problems and then I realized that the same issue happened with another guitar 😅
This video opened up a whole new world for me. I finally understand why some stuff I play sound better with a slight bend. It also realised why even though my tuning is perfect there are always specific notes on my recorded songs that sound slightly off tune. I thought it could be something wrong with my guitars.
Thanks Paul, your videos are awesome.
Change that title from “didn’t” to “doesn’t” cuz HE’S BACK BABY 🤟
Envy San Diego 💯
Envy San Diego yeap
Eric Viethzer Alvez No shit Sherlock. I’m just excited he’s back. Nothing against Josh, but I personally didn’t like him as the guitarist that much. Watch them at the Grammys, you’ll see what I mean lol.
@@LittleTinyElvis All the best RHCP albums are with Frusciante.
Chrissan - well the 2nd and 3rd album with Hillel Slovak are pretty indispensable.
Excellent, fun albums. Uplift Mofo and Freaky Styley.
6:23 "Sorry steve-t for stealing your look" 😂😂😂
exactly the comment i wanted to make except without the stupid emoji faces, god damn it
@God cause it's written on the screen for a split second.
What I like so much about you Paul is that you did not forget all the uncertainties, questions and difficulties one goes through when learning guitar. Your videos are a real gold mine for any guitarist of any level!
This explains so much. Thank you! I've always thought my G chords sounded better with a "flat" B string but then it would sound like garbage when playing an E. I didn't know why until now.
You've just explained in a most graceful way the reason my ears are never satisfied with a "perfectly tuned" guitar. Thank you.
Jacob S probably why some players went fret less.
This is the definition of quality content
Henry R you are severely misguided if you think this is quality content.
@@alextoli2486 I'd love to hear your argument explaining why this isn't quality content!
Henry R manufactured to be clickbait and I personally don’t find it appealing. Only reason I got here is because the algorithm is trying to jam it don’t my throat. Don’t get me wrong he’s not a bad guy or anything and I have no problem with him as a person but there’s channels like Signals music studio and Rick Beato. Those are the two juggernauts but there’s more like Let’s talk about math rock, trevor wong, adam neely, sideways, 8 bit music theory, 12 tone on a good day.
Henry R there’s so many musicians on youtube trying to offer something. I would never consider this to be quality content when there are channels like those ones who do hard research and don’t make 8 and a half minute videos on half baked ideas.
Henry R Nahre Sol and David Bruce Composer. Samurai guitarist
I have watched a lot of your videos/lessons and this one got my sub! This video is incredible. I absolutely love the way you provided such important info.
Very insightful and well presented. I have heard these concepts tried to be explained before but this is cohesively shown and easy to understand. Great work!
Last time I was this early, Frusciante was still in RHCP.
Too soon 😭
Too soon....
Good for you you want a doggie biscuit?
Sad reacts to this
Underrated comment
I'm seeing a lot of comments about 'true temperament' guitar necks, but that's an entire different thing. They are designed to compensate some of the design flaws of the guitar and supposedly tune the guitar better to 12-TET than regular guitar necks. So the flaws/errors of 12-TET are still there, even with the 'wiggly' frets.
I've never tried such a guitar.
Good vid! I First read about temperament about a decade ago and was perplexed. Basically all chords and keys can't be "in tune" at the same time. Very interesting as the piano has same problems and it takes a skilled tuner as there are different tunings(compromises) based on the music.
Great explanation. Yeah, the major third is particularly 'out of tune' in equal temperament, but our modern ears are, to some extent, trained to hear it as ok. Historic mean-tone temperaments have beautifully pure major thirds, but are quite limited as to which keys work well. Viola da gambas (which are related to the guitar rather than the violin) have moveable frets so the performer can adjust to the temperament needed for a particular piece. I'm not sure if guitars with moveable frets exist, but they would be interesting to experiment with...
What you say is %100 accurate about the True temperment system and Just vs Equal temperment.
Most guitar players don’t know this stuff and too many blindly rely on electronic tuners.
On a similar note do a video on why you can’t tune a guitar using harmonics.
@@2204JCM
Just a couch strumming drummer here who also happens to love
guitar (especially acoustic).
I've made my biggest improvements on guitar thanks to a CZcams genius with a channel called "Shut up and play". He has a ( simple ) tuning method that, I * think* may addresses this problem. Go into his channel and submit your email (no problems with b.s.) and you can download the short instructional video.
PS, You never see his face and he wears all black so only his hands are showing. Without a doubt the best guitar tutor ( song by song ) on CZcams.
Really helpful info! I've been having an argument with my guitar over the major third sounding too sharp in an E major, but I just kept checking the tuner and it said the notes were spot on. Thanks!
Thank you! I didn't understand why it sounded off and it was really frustrating not understanding why. Now I just randomly had a question answered for me. You've just improved my playing experience forever.
Frusciante guitar is broken in scar tissue video. Makes sense. 😋
saved some cents on the string makes lots of cents.
look at all the cents i give!
The best thought
It's a music video. The instruments aren't even plugged in. This happens with all guitars
@@cambell9 way to miss the joke
@@KyuubiReign it's hard to tell because some millennials are that stupid
Been tuning the B string a little flat for over 35 years.
And now I know WHY!!! LOL.
THANKS PAUL. 😃
i think that's more a problem with the guitar itself. b and g strings often tend to be awkward.
Yeah! I've always done this too! I always thought It was just the cheap guitar I'm playing! Good to know it's not 'wrong'.
Oh do tell us more about how you were the first to do this.....
I actually read a long time ago where James Taylor did that with his b string as well, and I’ve done it ever since, because well, he know a shitload more than I do. Lol. Glad to now know why as well!
@@Mr.M1STER
I'm certainly not the 1st lol.
That's a great video Paul! Very well explained to the last detail! well done man, keep up the great work!
I know this is just another comment but your channel (and you! 😊) have completely relit a fire in me for playing the guitar again. I’ve not played with intent for over 10 years. I started to learn guitar many moons ago when I broke my back, I was laid up for so long the only thing I could do was sit up so I taught myself to play and Frusciante was my inspiration. So for me to find your incredible channel which inspired me to play again (and I’m loving it like it’s new to me again!) then to find you break down Frusciante tunes further it’s like this was made for me. Thank you so much. You’ve no idea the positive impact you’re having on us all. 🙌🏽🫡
When you put science and math, to the human ear. That damn B string has always been a problem lol.
Funny, the g string has always sounded out of tune to me.
@@iant419 same
B sounds terrible no matter if its in tune or not, 100% agree 😂
@@iant419 An ancap would have a bad opinion like that.
@@thetumans1394 g strings are for commies bro.
Would love to see more John frusciante video's!
I'm glad you brought this up, Paul. Anyone who takes up the pedal steel guitar will run into this subject eventually. "Peterson Tuners" have several alternative tunings built into the tuner to compensate for exactly what you have discussed here. Several strings, in the E9 standard (and I'm sure any other tunings), are detuned by a few cents (sweetened) to adjust for inherent interactions of the different combinations of raised/lowered strings as a result of the pedals and knee levers. I got the basic idea of why but never truly understood all of the theory behind it. I just went with it because guys like Buddy Emmons did all the heavy lifting for us. I may have to revisit the reasons why the particular strings are detuned the way they are. Thanks for this little reminder.
This explains so much particularly with that Gmaj chord example. The number of times I’ve played a chord, check the tuning, played again, checked again. I’m so glad it’s not me. Thanks Paul 👍
This is literally the best video I've seen on this topic. Love that you used John Frusciante to illustrate a topic that so many others try to illustrate with Bach! Keep doing what you do :)
But why would showing Bach when talking about just intonation be bad?
@@xmvziron He didnt say it was bad I assume he likes it taight this way because its more relatable to a lot of electric guitar students?
So exactly this ^ Thank you! Also, this video is just a fresh take. Bach famously wrote a piece called "The Well Tempered Clavier", which was used to popularize an early version of the "just intonation" system described in this video. Bach wrote 24 short pieces, one for each of the 12 major and 12 minor keys. It would have been impossible to play this collection on most instruments of the time, as they would have been tuned to meantone temperament which, as Paul Davids masterfully explains in this video, would mean some pieces in some keys would sound beautifully in tune, and others would sound horribly out of tune. So, again as per Paul Davids video, The Well Tempered Clavier required the pianist to tune the piano so that each key was slightly out of tune, and that made it possible to play in all 24 keys. It's worth noting that in the canon of classical music, this practice of writing a collection of 24 pieces, one for each key, is actually EXTREMELY common. Chopin has a great set. Rachmaninoff as well. And many, many others. However Bach's collection was literally THE FIRST such work for piano, and it was literally designed as an attempt to popularize the more modern system of tuning, which the name "The Well Tempered Clavier" indicates. So, in addition to providing some context and history for anyone who might be interested, my point is this: Bach did it first, and the impact of The Well Tempered Clavier is impossible to understate. BUT BUT BUT...as a result, it seems like everyone who wants to make a video about this topic starts with BACH! As you can probably tell from this response, I've seen my fair share of Bach videos! Hence the motivation for my original comment: I love that Frusciante was used to illustrate a topic so many others try to illustrate with Bach :)
Good stuff sir. Well informed and well produced. Nice post work. Cheers mate
You just cleared a very bid doubt of mine!! Verry much appreciated. I always thought that my tuner inaccurate by a few cents. But could never figure out why that happened.
Love from India for your channel. 🔥🔥🔥
Tier 1guitarist : tune his guitar according to the tuner
Paul Davids : tune his tuner
I've tried to tell people that sometimes 'detuned' sounds better and no one ever believes me. Thanks for the explanation.
Maybe if you were John they would believe you 🤔🤔
In the past we didn't have tuners,all was by ears and we spent much times tuning ,nowdays is all by tuners,that's it.
The guitar wasn't "detuned", it was tuned properly. Each time someone changes the intonation of an instrument in purpose it becomes the new desired tuning. "Detuned" describes in essence when it happens without purpose or intention (like when a singer tries to sing a melody and isn't able to match the desired frequencies).
This scratches an itch I've had forever. You are a very good teacher. I really needed to know this!
Been reading about this on wikipedia, but it is a very "dry" way to learn the facts. This video explained so much, in a manner that makes it so esay to grasp. Thank you, I really enjoyed the video! And thank you for all your other videos on youtube, they are brilliant!
Paul, I'm gonna be honest here. We NEED a hair style tutorial. It's glorious!
Steff nice 👍 that made me chuckle. Terrific hair for sure
And for beards maybe??
Yes definitely
Surly a 100 percent horse stud muffer, glorious.
Just visit your nearest hipster friend and u're all set...
Frucsiante didn't tune his guitar to match untuned voice of Kiedis.
Hahaahhahahahaha
LMAO
So true. Ever tried to listen to the sound tracks only and not want to jump out of a window after 1 hot minute?
Real shit lmao
Best comment
I learned more about intervals in this video than years of taking music theory classes. Thank you Paul.
Brilliant Paul! An explanation very easy to understand. Thank you, I really enjoy it ;D
John frusciante is why I play. Sometimes outside the grain thinking results in innovation. Great video man.
Exactly. Frusciante is such a great guitarist he can make simple things like triads sound beautiful and can create a beautiful melody with a detuned string
@@thetrump9974 yeah man, as soon I I became good enough I started learning all of the stadium arcadium album. I know it's not a lot of people's fav but that album perfectly shows how good he is as well as shows how HIS melodies enhanced the entire bands music. Flea and frusciante are hands down the greatest bass and guitar combo of all time for me.
I always try to think outside the grain! :P
Plenty of guitarists adjust the B string actually and if you have been playing guitar for a while you would know the instrument is not a perfect designed instrument from an intonation point of view which is why I always tune by ear. One way to get around this issue, is by using True Temperament Frets: czcams.com/video/hCVcSimXgdk/video.html
He was hardly the first. Fretless instrument players have done this on the fly for ages, and many slide guitar players frequently do this as well. He’s still awesome though!
One guitar for each chord - problem solved 🤷🏼♂️
Classical trumpet players actually do this - Bb, C, D(Semi Rare), Eb(Semi Rare), G (rare), A (Vintage), and Piccolo. French horn is in F. I would guess that the main reason for some keys being much more common than others is in large part due to this.
hahahaha
actually, there was some of that going on in Slash's Guns & Roses recordings.... where some takes were just single chords custom tuned.
Kevin Shields does that
Better solution, play a slide in open tuning
Fascinating!! That's real food for the really curious about the guitar. Keep on Paul.
Norm from Montreal
This is very interesting! Great video! I was always baffled when hearing Scar Tissue! You can hear the string being out of tune (TET) but it just sounds amazingly pleasing!
You need to tune the B string the same way for Over the Hills and Far Away. This video saved my sanity.
... wait, really? F**k, no wonder that song sounds s**t when I play it. Thanks!
For nearly 30 years I thought I was doing something wrong. I've always slightly detuned the open B-string on my guitars, and it's driven me crazy, because the tuner "disagrees" with me, but when I ease it back a little in pitch, most of the open chords sound more "right." Maybe now I can finally shake that weird feeling of guilt I still get when I tune a note against the will of the guitar tuner. Thanks for the insight, Paul.
Lol, same. Not 30 years tho, about 5-6 years, but I thought I just don't have a balanced ear (lol) because B string always seemed a bit higher then right according to a tuner. Fuck tuners, ears all the way.
It's also gonna depend on the kind of music you play. In my experience, certain intervals will sound better tuned by ear, but at the cost of certain other intervals sounding much, much worse. I used to get by just fine by slightly adjusting the tuning between songs, depending on the key, but over time, I found it to be somewhat limiting.
I tune by tuner nowadays, and it still never sounds exactly right, but it sounds only slightly off across the board, rather than perfect in some places and terrible in others.
I wonder if this is why I prefer the G chord where you add the D on the B string... because the voicing with the open B doesn't sound as good to me...
Yes well if your nut isn't cut properly i.e too high that can also be the reason as the first frets will sound too sharp.
same here.
Great video. I always though the live version sounded different, now I know why.
Excellent explanation of the difference in tuning (summed differences) and true harmonic intervals (ratio).
For another example just like "Scar Tissue" just check out the triads in the main riff to "Running with the Devil" - you have to flatten the b string to get it to sound correct
So you're telling me he did it because it made cents?
You have a great cents of humour.
@@mikeshoults4155 I cents a note of sarcasm.
I'm hard
@@mikeshoults4155 that joke fell flat. See what I did there?
It made less cents
Holy cow! For 20 years, I've been wondering how my hearing can be so off - now I've finally learned that it's actually perfectly fine. Thank you very, very much for this insightful explanation! 👌😀👍
6:21 Me: That sounded nice
*"Wow... That sounds horrible"*
Huh! This explains why when tuning or even just a quick tweaking of the tuning by ear before playing sometimes puts my guitar 'out of tune', even though it sounds better!
Your videos are excellent man. I'm a servicable guitarist, better than an amateur but certainly no pro, and your vids are really helping me clear up a LOT of things and correct some bad habits. I'm hooked 👌
I agree with Luke , your videos are 100/100 bro
Holy shit. I'm not much of a theory guy but have spent a few minutes playing guitar. It's always drove me crazy that some things sounded slightly out of tune despite being 'perfectly' tuned.
This explains so much, thank you for this video.
same!
Dude just use your tuner!probably you are playing something wrong!
All these years I thought I had a bad ear but I was actually picking this up! Thanks Paul! Continuing to learn from your awesome work 👏!
Very interesting..... you answered a perplexing issue I have constantly heard and I’ve always wondered about ‘the why’ of it. Seems to really stand out on old strings.
So glad you discusses these issues as I thought I was going mad? When recording I will sometimes detune a string for certain important chords so they sound more musical also. Another problem I found years ago. I always thought old synths sounded out of tune with them selves. Upon research I discovered that they only used one sample (unlike today). They may have been mathematically correct but not logarithmic correct if you know what I mean thus making them sound very unharmonic.
This was terrific!! Fantastic gateway for a Ton of guitarists to understand the inherited imperfection of the guitar. Bravo good man!!
wow, I've been fighting with my b string tuning for years. Thankyou for this I can stop doubting my ear!
This is one of my favorite videos of yours. Question: just wondering if you've already done a video about the original Telecaster bridge being "more in tune" for some chords than others? I've never owned a Telecaster but I've heard Telecaster players talk about it (years ago). Thanks & keep up the great work here.
Works quite nicely with open tunings and delta blues. Tuning the major third to the 4th fret harmonic on the open string root note is a quick way to do this. With standard tuning, locate the string on which the major third occurs the most frequently in a particular song (normally the g string in the key of E) and detune it slightly. I've got so used to doing this now that the 12ET major third is pretty irritating to me now!
Your content is STELLAR. 20 year musician here and you finally put words to something I’ve always struggled with . Heard whispers of “true tuning” but nothing like this. Thank you!!!
Hey! Its a good explanation but i think you should add that this problem occurs only in "fretted" instruments, like guitar and keyboards, and the reason is because if you tune it to just intonation, modulation to any other key wouldn't be possible. Fretless instruments like strings from the orchestra don't have this problem, as you can move your finger even a milimeter to get the right pitch you're looking for. In equal temperament system you sacrifice pitch accuracy in order to gain the possibility of key modulation.
However! If, for instance with Chopin's Piano Concertos, you have a piano performing with an orchestra or string section, the players still need to be in tune with the "fixed" tuning of the piano. Naturally, the fifths of the stringed instruments have to be tuned in accordance with either tuning system, or the result will be a pretty annoying experience for the players having to compensate.
Could you point me towards a string concert performed in the old true temperament, because I'd be fascinated to hear it. I have only ever heard evenly tempered ones as of yet.
Bends and vibrato sometimes come in handy.
you can also get guitars with "True Temperament". Listen to Mattias IA Eklundh(hhhh) for showcase of such, with his signature Caparison.
OMG. Thanks to this comment I just realized how incredibly difficult it must be to play those type of instruments.
Maybe that's the reason, why John is playing solo on b-string with glass slide.
Thank you -- you just solved a mystery about tuning that has puzzled me for years. I always used to tune by ear and felt I had a great sense of what sounded right. Some chords amd intervals would sound amazing and then others wouldn't. I thought it must be that my guitar needed setting upI but the problem still persisted. So I started using a tuner thinking that my ear was not as good as I thought it was. But then even using a tuner I still get that same sense of some chords / intervals being slightly off but have ignored it and put my 'trust' in the tuner. Now I understand what is going on. Again, thank you, and I will start trusting my ear again. And I absolutely love the fact that Frusciante did that on Scar Tissue.
I’ve been wondering about this for years. Thank you
"Did that sound out of tune to you? Because my B String was a little flat"
- J. Frusciante (Under the Bridge acoustic in Amsterdam video 1991)
wow, that's cool
Hahahahahaha I've just checked, awesome. You can hear it's out of tune, though the singer says "naah" xDD (only because I was looking for it maybe)
Anthony Kledis wouldn't notice if the B string was missing lol
Heh - very cool, maybe it was a habit of Johns czcams.com/video/Y1Zc0Nd5uxY/video.html
Marcus Graham both were probably high as shit. Lol
Very educational. You made it easy for a simple man to understand, but I'm sticking with my tuner. Thank you, Paul.
I frequently tune my guitars (especially acoustic) by just strumming an open major chord and adjusting until it sounds right. What you did at 7:20 made me realize why it always ends up sounding off when I do that then start playing anything up the neck on the high strings.
The physics of sound and music best College class I ever took ! Thanks for sharing 👍
Great video. I’m a die hard rhcp/frusciante fan and I appreciate you diving in so accurately. Thanks.
Haha this is wonderful, yesterday I saw your first video I ever stumbled across - about the Acoustic adventure, and commented how I enjoyed that many of the examples you played reminded me of John Frusciante. And first thing this morning - youtube throws me in this recommendation to notify me you actually have a video about Frusciante! :D
So a guitarist with quite a talent for explaining, and who loves Frusciante like I do? Will be revisiting this channel ;)
Thanks, Paul. You do great stuff! Also, that's a very pretty Strat.
Great as usual Paul! I had a vague understanding of the concept, your video really clarified things.
The Cure are known for doing this, I think it's most noticeable on their Wish album.
John Lennon always put his D string out of tune as a trademark, btw.
I've heard Eddie Van Halen did it too
John Frusciante actually said The Cure was a huge influence on the entire Californication album, especially the title track.
Wow, Paul! I have heard this dissonance so many times and changed the tuning of my guitar (and other's), never knowing the reason. I used to first tune my guitar with a tuner and then 'fine-tune' by playing some chords and listening if I'm happy with the sound. I would adjust (normally the B-string) always thinking it must be a function of the actual guitar I'm playing on and never knew about this theory. In future, I will adjust my B-string (or anyone else's for that matter) with more confidence... Thanks for this really insightful video!
So cool! I think most guitarists eventually learn to adjust with string pressure, especially with strings always detuning a little as you play and they warm up some. Vocalists have it made, they can make the note sound best to whatever accompaniment they play to. Also interesting is that fact that just the distance we bend the string to the fret is always pushing the note a cent or so sharp, depending on where you are on the fretboard and how high the action is. Kind of funny when you listen to the Grateful Dead all tuning stringed instruments by ear back in the day, coming to some sort of groovy consensus eventually, playing around the notes. Totally organic.
This is really good.... A nice way to build up the understanding of a difficult topic to explain and understand!!!!
Back before everybody had those LED tuners, each player had his own approach to tuning the instrument, which contributed to his personal sound.
Though, common strobe tuners came around the late 60's ('67), LED tuners didn't hit stands until the 80s. ACDC's Highway to Hell is one of the more notoriously tuned rock-guitar albums (alot of A-Ab, and other songs are a half step down). The song "Strawberry Fields Forever" has a VERY interested tuning situation - 1st part recorded in A at a faster pace, 2nd part recorded in C at a slower pace. A-Section was sped up, and the C-section was slowed down to "match" each other. It adds character that we couldn't imagine without a bit of experimentation.
own approach to tuning... in tune or out of tune.
Well no. You can't play well out of tune unless you know how to tune in the first place.
I am glad to hear you speak about this. You are only the 3rd person I have heard mention it.
Almost like a taboo!
I've always played by ear. THANK YOU for restoring what tiny amount of sanity I had before picking up my first guitar...44 years ago. Better late than never. To Frusciante...thank you for being the musical genius you've always been. Genius is supposed to have limits. Thankfully, John, you keep breaking new ground, and Mr. Davids clearly explained HOW he did it. You're both are on my permanent "Nice" list after this. More than my words could ever explain. William
I've been scratching my head for years as to why my b string always sounds like shit right after i finish tuning for some songs.
Shoulda called this video: "This is why your b string always sounds out of tune."
its a very common google search
great vid!
funk you oh man I’ve always hating that string, I can’t stand ever leaving it open cause it can practically ruin the sound of your song.
10 years tuning my guitar by ear doing the G chord, and finally a explanation of that. Thx bro, you're amazing.
I heard a long time ago that Eddie Van Halen did this, and this allowed him to get a very sweet sound with 3rd intervals with distortion, as opposed to most rock metal guitarists who avoided the 3rd, which is why so many rock songs only use "power chords" (root & 5th)
Well the literal definition of a power chord is just a root and 5th. Which means it's not major or minor so you can do more with the melody
Paul, you are awesome! Skills and sound!
Loved the video, Paul. Keep up the good work. Love and respect from India.
Haha awesome vid! I've been tuning my B string slightly flat for a while now ever since watching a Phil X guitar demo and he mentioned it making it sound better like when playing a Gmaj chord
Wow! That was a real revelation. After over 30 years of playing guitar I had no idea about that. Now I understand why I’ve often found certain chords sound better with one of the strings (usually the G or B string) slightly off from what my tuner says is ‘correct’ (even though my guitar’s intonation is spot on). At least I know know I’m not going crazy and that my guitar tuner isn’t inaccurate (compared to my hearing). Thanks Paul. That was brilliant! 👍
This is so cool, super informative 👏
This is awesome, totally informative and entertaining, thanks Paul!!
Makes sense now! I always noticed that on the b string on Scar Tissue. Thought I was just pressing to hard on strat with slightly higher action 😅.
Great Vid as always, Paul
Wow! I finally get why I regularly doubt my ears when I tune by ear and then have the tuner tell me I'm way off. I'll definetely try a more "just" tuning when recording. Very well explained, thanks!
Great description!
Thanks! Very interesting. Froosh is one of my favourites, and your explanation was good.