GUITAR TIP: Why you should tune by ear

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  • čas přidán 28. 06. 2024
  • If you're not tuning by ear, you are missing out on the opportunity to develop your listening skills. Today I'm challenging you to put aside your electronic tuner and start using your ear!
    Also applies to electric guitar, bass, ukulele, lutes, and more!
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    #classicalguitar #guitartip
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Komentáře • 1,6K

  • @brandonacker
    @brandonacker  Před 4 lety +793

    The #1 question being asked is "But how do you get the 1st string E in tune?" Answer below:
    -This is when it is okay to use a tuner. I recommend having the tuner sound the pitch E and then using your ear to match it (instead of just accepting what the LED screen says).
    -If you're playing with another musician who is in tune, you can also get the E from them. (Disclaimer: Some instruments, like the piano, are difficult to tune to.)
    -If you are changing your strings, use a tuner to get the strings stabilized at the right pitch. The strings will be going wildly out of tune for at least a day or so. Once the strings stabilize, you can begin using your ear.
    Thanks for accepting my challenge!
    ~Brandon

    • @longschlongsilver7628
      @longschlongsilver7628 Před 4 lety +11

      It somewhat reminds me of when tuning my violin, only somewhat different. Once the A is tuned correctly, I then play double stops on the open strings until they resonate in perfect 5ths, A for when you're tuning, then A and E, then D and A, then G and D. I'm not gonna try and use the fingerboard for this, because A it's fretless, and B I'm not even remotely close to the grade where I can safely move my hand into that higher register.

    • @chriskwok5170
      @chriskwok5170 Před 4 lety +1

      Thank you so much

    • @donatolepore3520
      @donatolepore3520 Před 4 lety +3

      You need a reference note to start ...funny when I first started playing I could hear the beats better with hi distortion electtic amplification ie with a fuzz box

    • @cebenezer
      @cebenezer Před 4 lety +5

      I think
      it's always worth referring back to a good quality electronic tuner - while its good to train your ears, you get the maximum benefit by training them against a good reference. I wouldn't' want to go back to the days when most players never tuned their guitars to a fixed reference between visits to their teacher.

    • @barryhall3971
      @barryhall3971 Před 4 lety +9

      You could try a D'Addario PWFT-E 329.6Hz tuning fork - or maybe the A 440Hz one.

  • @Tubulousity
    @Tubulousity Před 4 lety +1244

    Three things don't lie: Chord rips, Shakira's hips and Brandon's tips!

  • @AndruJorj
    @AndruJorj Před 4 lety +1840

    Clark Kent is an excellent teacher.

    • @Itouks
      @Itouks Před 4 lety +67

      Mix between Clark Kent and Peter Parker 2000's version

    • @spooky3120
      @spooky3120 Před 4 lety +27

      He's really SUPERGUITARMAN!

    • @kedduff1814
      @kedduff1814 Před 4 lety +13

      Watch him play some songs the speed that his hands shift the camera can’t keep up. His hands are moving at over 60fps

    • @trialaccount2184
      @trialaccount2184 Před 4 lety

      😂😂😂😂

    • @aarieftwentysix7282
      @aarieftwentysix7282 Před 4 lety

      @@Itouks on point!

  • @JumpMasterJef
    @JumpMasterJef Před 3 lety +264

    I feel like finding you through Rob Scallon was like being given the key to the secret forest of musicians.

    • @richardb8104
      @richardb8104 Před 2 lety +15

      Same here. The Rob video with historical guitars got me into the world of Brandon.

    • @infledermaus
      @infledermaus Před 2 lety +6

      It's actually the secret musicians' castle nestled in the forest.

  • @frogandspanner
    @frogandspanner Před 3 lety +97

    When dad moved from post-war Netherlands to UK he brought his record albums and his classical guitar. I remember him showing me the 55545 tuning method when I was about 9 or 10, but then he tuned in a way that deviated from that. By ear it seemed that his tuning was slightly different from the standard tuning at higher frequencies. It is only in my dotage that I have begun to learn guitar, and I wish I had been able to ask dad why his tuning was ever so slightly off the standard that he had taught me.
    I remember that dad loosened his strings after each playing. I wondered why, but I think I now understand. It was a classical guitar, but during the war he was in a band where he played guitar with steel strings, such strings being easier to source that catgut. As the guitar had no truss rod the extra tension needed to be relieved asap.
    I have his 78 albums (I need a reinforced floor for them), but I accidentally broke the guitar, although I still have that scarred beloved instrument, which serenaded my mother and resulted in me.

    • @downpipe
      @downpipe Před 2 lety +12

      That's quite a story! I would love to hear his music!

  • @giabea.
    @giabea. Před 4 lety +1569

    “ two things don’t lie, shakiras hips and chords”
    Im DYiNg

  • @papersquares
    @papersquares Před 4 lety +373

    Brandon has the most heartwarming smile and laugh for some reason.

    • @colinmoran9807
      @colinmoran9807 Před 4 lety +3

      Not if I eat it first

    • @karmaldk1974
      @karmaldk1974 Před 4 lety +1

      And voice

    • @jackcarter1897
      @jackcarter1897 Před 4 lety +1

      @ He has a wife

    • @cypherusuh
      @cypherusuh Před 4 lety +10

      Being a profession classical acoustic guitarist is also very helpful
      I honestly not sure if his voice and subtle body gesture affect the majestic guitar playing he's doing, or it's the other way around, playing classical guitar makes you more chill and "fluffy"

    • @MissPoplarLeaf
      @MissPoplarLeaf Před 4 lety +3

      He has a lot of grace in his movements and facial expressions

  • @phileandro
    @phileandro Před 2 lety +29

    Even teaching guitar tuning Brandon is so elegant and classy that the lesson becomes a hypnotic spectacle of magic and beauty!

  • @Maddy29
    @Maddy29 Před 4 lety +22

    You're probably the first person to lucidly explain what exactly you have to listen for when tuning. I asked a lot of people when I was learning. Not one of them was able to explain it accurately. I also liked your idea of tuning every string to the high E. Thank you so much.

  • @nickcapalbo6919
    @nickcapalbo6919 Před 4 lety +1743

    Now, in order to tune by ear, we’re gonna have to learn how to hear what are called, Beats...
    Which brings me to today’s sponsor.
    Back in the turn of the 17th century, Dr. Dre revolutionized the music industry...

  • @anshb4154
    @anshb4154 Před 4 lety +729

    He was so proud of his Shakira joke lol🤣🤣

  • @lucasduque8289
    @lucasduque8289 Před 4 lety +41

    You people should listen to him, he's been tuning guitars for centuries.

  • @AnnaStafford-zh1sz
    @AnnaStafford-zh1sz Před rokem +6

    When I began playing professionally (1961) there were no electronic tuners. I learned each of your techniques over the years. I have played electric bass extensively and found the beat system invaluable for tuning. Very few players, at leas that i have encountered, can successfully tune a bass guitar by ear. Thanks for your music, your time, and your lessons.

  • @Podcastage
    @Podcastage Před 4 lety +221

    I choked on my coffee when you dropped that joke out of nowhere. "Tow things don't like. Shakria's hips and chords". Awesome video!

  • @kamransmdli8816
    @kamransmdli8816 Před 3 lety +3

    Brandon, dude! Your videos are as therapy. I am gonna advise your channel to my friends who don't know, even the "G" of the guitar.

  • @yourguitarpal
    @yourguitarpal Před 3 lety +1

    At 4:14 you magically made the tab appear with your fretting hand, awesome!!

  • @Exgrmbl
    @Exgrmbl Před 4 lety +280

    The advantage of having this ability of course is also that you know when you sound right, no matter what the tuner might claim.

    • @ErimlRGG
      @ErimlRGG Před 4 lety +41

      yup. I've come across players that say "but the tuner says I'm in tune", the tuner can say whatever it wants, you don't sound good and in tune

    • @jameslouder
      @jameslouder Před 4 lety +15

      As I wrote in another comment, inexpensive clip-on tuners are frequently no more accurate than ± 3 cents. Tuning apps are usually somewhat better, because the electronics are better--and on today's phones the *microphone* is generally better. But nothing beats the human ear.

    • @schmidth
      @schmidth Před 4 lety +7

      @@jameslouder wait, so the tuning apps are genuinely good? I was always a little skeptical.

    • @jameslouder
      @jameslouder Před 4 lety +4

      @@schmidth Yes, the apps are as good as all but the most sophisticated stand-alone tuners--the German ones that cost a thousand smackers and up. The only problem with the apps is the omnidirectional mic on the phone, which is easily thrown off by ambient noise. A contact mic works much better.

    • @fakename287
      @fakename287 Před 4 lety +5

      @THE URANIUM CAFE the whole point of tuning an instrument is to sound good when it's being played, and only a human ear can judge what sounds "good"

  • @NeesyPlaysGuitar
    @NeesyPlaysGuitar Před 4 lety +149

    Actually sooo happy you mentioned beats. I always heard this phenomenon and thought it was in my head since nobody ever mentioned it. You've given me a new sense of confidence in my hearing, which i always thought was terrible since i can't sing a damn note!

    • @NeesyPlaysGuitar
      @NeesyPlaysGuitar Před 4 lety +5

      @@lowaimnobrain I have terrible control over my vocal chords. equivelant of playing a guitar with a broken neck, but I bet it does make a big difference! I just can't make the notes in my head with my voice. I guess I learned to sing through guitar to a mediocre level. Not dismissing your advice, just clarifying why i'd find it hard to follow! :)

    • @kedduff1814
      @kedduff1814 Před 4 lety +1

      Eamonn Neeson the best things in life aren’t easy. Even if it’s super hard try it anyways.

    • @uglypinkeraser
      @uglypinkeraser Před 4 lety

      you have to be careful tuning to the beats, it works great if the two notes are the same, or are the same note across octaves. But if you start tuning intervals other than octaves by eliminating harmonic beating you start to introduce tiny discrepancies that add up as you tune multiple strings to each other. This is why his method of tuning every string to the high E is a great method.

    • @anuvette
      @anuvette Před 4 lety

      We had to study about beats in our grade 12 physics class

  • @sekisc
    @sekisc Před 6 měsíci +2

    This is the most thorough and helpful guide for tuning I have found so far on the internet, this clarified a lot for me

  • @tenkaiechi01
    @tenkaiechi01 Před 2 lety +6

    Great way of expressing the importance of ear tuning. Eventually this can lead to an improvement in the overall ability to hear and identify notes/chords. 10/10

  • @DennisTrovato
    @DennisTrovato Před 4 lety +754

    *Because the guitar is a cruel mistress that refuses to conform to conventional concepts of perfect tuning.*

    • @Scodiddly
      @Scodiddly Před 4 lety +35

      ᛞᛖᚾᚾᛁᛋ ᛏᚱᛟᚹᚨᛏᛟ thanks to the differences between equal-tempered and just tunings it’s like the whole damn tuning system is rigged against musicians.

    • @RuzGaming
      @RuzGaming Před 4 lety +1

      DEN NIS TROWATO?

    • @poodle3507
      @poodle3507 Před 4 lety +19

      @@Scodiddly it's not just that, the guitar is imperfect due to the frets being perfectly straight, meanwhile the strings have different thicknesses (which means everything will be a little out of tune) , so the guitar, despite being an equal tempered instrument, will still be out of tune relative to the equal temperament on F. E. Piano. It's a cruel world

    • @longschlongsilver7628
      @longschlongsilver7628 Před 4 lety +3

      @@Scodiddly Not to mention the fretboard isn't even set out properly for equal temperament.

    • @NeesyPlaysGuitar
      @NeesyPlaysGuitar Před 4 lety +5

      @@poodle3507 equal temperment guitars are basically pointless. It makes no difference really unless you're already a masterful guitarist, and nobody who needs this video is there yet. I'd argue there's more variance in the pressure and bend on the string from a mediocre guitarist than the squiggly frets would compensate for. polishing a turd is a bad idea! signed, a turd.

  • @themennissvids
    @themennissvids Před 4 lety +175

    A couple of small warnings about harmonics on the guitar.
    Harmonics that are octaves of the string are ±0 cents, and so checking with them against others is TOTALY FINE.
    Eg. the harmonics above the 5th fret of the 6th string (the fourth harmonic) should be a unison with the open 1st string.
    BUT!
    Harmonics that are not octaves are justly tuned! So the harmonic above the 7th fret of the 6th string (the third harmonic) would be a unison +2 cents from the 2nd string. This is too small for most people to hear, even trained musicians, but it can add up if you're tuning with harmonics across the strings!
    This gets even worse if you use the harmonic just behind the fourth fret on the 3rd string (which is -14 cents from an equal tempered third).
    Tuning by harmonics can get you straight into fun tuning theory territory if you want to do it on purpose, though. ;)

    • @eiker3211
      @eiker3211 Před 4 lety +10

      That's the benefit when you tune with harmonics. You get perfect fifths, they are not +2 cent sharpened. The tone on the 7th fret is 2 cents to small (-2). I think you misunderstood that.

    • @themennissvids
      @themennissvids Před 4 lety +1

      @@eiker3211 Ah! I'm upside down!
      Either way you still have commas that break octave equivalency.

    • @eiker3211
      @eiker3211 Před 4 lety +2

      @@Philrc Yes its all about compromises, but on the classical guitar you will hear very often open strings on end of pieces or phrases. These are the crucial ones, at least for me. And you need to adjust your tuning to every piece, like he mentioned.

    • @eiker3211
      @eiker3211 Před 4 lety +5

      @@Philrc There is no correct Tuning. Therefore you have to adjust to your acquirements. If you need a "good" sounding A major, you have to flaten you b string, to achieve a okayish c sharp. As you said, it's all about compromises.

    • @davetbassbos
      @davetbassbos Před 4 lety +1

      @@Philrc Exactly, you have to accept the compromise (and hopefully the audience accepts it too!)

  • @FiikusMaximus
    @FiikusMaximus Před 4 lety +13

    Man I could listen to you reading Mein Kampf out loud and it would still be music to my ears.

  • @user-xp1rf6im8k
    @user-xp1rf6im8k Před 4 lety +4

    So, my guitar was being repaired lately. And the luthier took a tuner off of it and forgt to put it back on before sending the instrument back to me. Now I'm temporarily without the tuner, but you've inspired me to use this opportunity wisely :)
    Thank you!

  • @arcaneminded
    @arcaneminded Před 4 lety +11

    I gave your tip about the beats a try and tested myself with a tuner afterwards.. perfect. I've never been able to do that before, I'm just blown away.

  • @paulomelo1792
    @paulomelo1792 Před 4 lety +4

    It's a privilege to have you giving us these tips. Thank you very much, Brandon! 👍🏼

  • @gchungus
    @gchungus Před 4 lety +15

    I stopped playing violin after going into high school, and when I pulled out my violin after a while, I tried tuning by ear and had a Thor I AM STILL WORTHY moment when the tuner said I was spot on XD

    • @kayalyssmay
      @kayalyssmay Před 3 lety +1

      Samee but I got discouraged because it kept on detuning and no matter how I force in the pegs it pops out.

    • @petergoodwin4652
      @petergoodwin4652 Před 3 lety

      @@kayalyssmay Try putting some powdered resin on the peg. It'll give it grip without pushing it in so hard you risk splitting the head.

  • @eugenedanker2377
    @eugenedanker2377 Před 3 lety +1

    Such a calm, relaxing voice

  • @Cyrus_II
    @Cyrus_II Před 4 lety +35

    I started with a tuner but like you said I got better and better at detecting dissonance. The trick was to do my best to tune by ear as hard as it was every once in a while and try to listen very carefully. I've still got ways to go because I still can't tell easily when my drop d string is out of tune when I'm playing capricho arabe. Unless I stop playing and check it with the other d string.

    • @sahamal_savu
      @sahamal_savu Před 4 lety

      I think that will take some practice to be able to catch the drop D out of tune. I am very good at it but I spent many years playing metal/rock music that was in drop D so I can tell immediately by playing a power chord on the 4,5,6th strings. I actually find it easier to get it tuned properly by playing the A string as well, sounding that open D power chord, like Brandon suggested playing the chord of the key you're in. Hope that helps a little.

    • @jameslouder
      @jameslouder Před 4 lety +1

      Drop D is only a matter of tuning the 6th string to the 4th string, in a pure octave. Some people prefer to strike the harmonic on the 6th string at the 12th fret and tune that to the 4th string as a unison. As Brandon advises in the video, train your ear to listen for beats, the soft pulsating sound two notes make together when they're *almost* in tune. Beats are easy to hear with bass notes--give it a try.

    • @jameslouder
      @jameslouder Před 4 lety +1

      @si james Guitarists aren't the only ones. Pianists are notoriously bad at not knowing or understanding how their instrument is tuned, because a professional always does it. Lots of people come out of music departments--all instruments--without knowing what an acoustical beat is, still less why it's important.
      The problem in teaching guitarists has much to do with how fast the sound decays. When you're trying to open somebody's ears, amplified sound can help a lot, and a sustain pedal even more. It's a real kick to see the look in their eyes when they finally get it!

  • @Markstarscoobs
    @Markstarscoobs Před 4 lety +7

    I am glad i learned Violin in School because by the time i got to guitar i had devloped an ear for tuning based on a reference note.

  • @handiman5
    @handiman5 Před 4 lety +1

    Great sharing of 'new' ideas and techniques. What impresses me (that's why I subscribed) is the manner in which you teach! Easy to understand without talking 'down' to a student. You teach with a non-judgemental attitude! Very clear, and easy to understand. Thank you!

  • @0Iive
    @0Iive Před 3 lety +3

    Love how mellow these vids are

  • @vaclavhanusekv1717
    @vaclavhanusekv1717 Před 4 lety +9

    I started tuning by ear when I was lazy to find my lost tuner a year ago.

  • @anguscos4506
    @anguscos4506 Před 4 lety +79

    I often tune by ear because sometimes I can't be bothered opening my phone, I also enjoy playing around with different and microtonal tuning

  • @DjJMuna
    @DjJMuna Před rokem +2

    I have got to pay for your lessons! I learn so much from your videos and I know I can learn more from your lessons. Thank you

  • @Labroidas
    @Labroidas Před 4 lety +1

    Somehow your videos give me such a nice calm feeling, they really brighten up my day. Thank you for the tutorial, you're not just one of the best guitar players i know, but one of the best musicians!

  • @AndreSilmberg
    @AndreSilmberg Před 4 lety +43

    I've been tuning by ear for almost 7 years now. There are rare occasions when my ears feel that a bit lower or higher tuning sounds a lot better than the standard tuning, don't know why.
    Tuning by ear saves a good amount of time.

    • @stratocactus
      @stratocactus Před 4 lety +12

      It's totally normal. The guitar frets are positioned at constant ratio distances from each others (12 tones equal temperament), but the just intonation would require every fret on every string to be placed at a slightly different location on the fingerboard (to achieve just intonation on the entire neck). So the guitar is approximating that to get the best possible intonation everywhere on the neck. It's not perfect but this is what we've got :)

    • @ErimlRGG
      @ErimlRGG Před 4 lety +1

      Same here. Almost every time I tune if I check I'm like less than 1/4 of a note sharp, my ears just like the sound better

    • @elimg.3684
      @elimg.3684 Před 4 lety +3

      @@stratocactus the strandberg true temperament are not justly intonated. True temperament just means it makes up for string tension, thickness and action.

    • @stratocactus
      @stratocactus Před 4 lety +1

      @@elimg.3684 you're right. I wrote my comment too fast and mixed those 2 concepts. I'm deleting the last part. Thanks.

    • @elimg.3684
      @elimg.3684 Před 4 lety +1

      ​@@stratocactus I didn't mean that in a negative way btw, I just thought I'd clear that up because that whole concept confused me at first.

  • @kblin517
    @kblin517 Před 4 lety +5

    I learned how to do it, i picked my guitar and said: today imma tune this by ear before I practice. Took me 2 pleasant hours but hey, I've done it

  • @silasginell9251
    @silasginell9251 Před 3 lety +1

    Dude your demeanor and tone of voice is extremely soothing, not to mention the quality of content on your channel. Awesome stuff!

  • @vicentesaiz1670
    @vicentesaiz1670 Před 4 lety +3

    I was getting a bit down because of this pandemic and the fact that I'm a smoker that has not been hable to quit. Amidst that depressing feeling I found your channel and the "Introducing series" and it has cheered me up. So I subbed. Thank you!

  • @pauljoyko5320
    @pauljoyko5320 Před 4 lety +7

    Thank you sir, I’m gonna tune by ear now

  • @NathanaelDuke
    @NathanaelDuke Před 4 lety +4

    When 5th fret tuning, I always intuitively re-adjusted my high or low E to match the one I’m tuning to, check my second fret on the D string, then play a C chord to hear it all together and refine the tuning on the other strings.

  • @mfa9502
    @mfa9502 Před 4 lety +1

    How peaceful is this video!
    Super quality content

  • @kaushikravindran3587
    @kaushikravindran3587 Před 3 lety +2

    Watching your videos is like watching asmr. You're awesome!

  • @EliasReda
    @EliasReda Před 4 lety +3

    When I started playing guitar, I was looking for a way to tune my guitar without a tuner because I didn't have one. I found this ridiculous method that suggested to listen to your landline phone so you pick the note and tune one string to it and with the 5ths method you tune all strings. I thought it was silly and nonsense because then I thought I wouldn't be able to recreate a note that I can hear. Years after that and being able to use a tuner, I remembered that I can do the 5ths method and tune my guitar, it works perfectly and it trained my ear.
    Thank you for this lesson, this kind of lessons are the ones that make you understand how music works, or at least understand what's happening when you hear it.

  • @Ian-jx3ln
    @Ian-jx3ln Před 4 lety +3

    So glad you made this vid, i want to master this

  • @dadmadforgot4050
    @dadmadforgot4050 Před 4 lety +1

    What a great teacher

  • @blahdiblah2169
    @blahdiblah2169 Před 3 lety +1

    I forgot to come back and comment. Last time I watched this video I tried your method and it worked. I showcased both a tuner tuning, and ear tuning to my wife who is a pianist. She agreed your method sounds that little bit better.

  • @rodrigomuller
    @rodrigomuller Před 4 lety +50

    I didn't have a tuner back when I played base guitar on a band, so what I did was pick up the phone to listen to the tone and tune the A string and then the other ones by ear.

    • @beckypugh4041
      @beckypugh4041 Před 4 lety +1

      Lol! Really?

    • @BeowWulf
      @BeowWulf Před 4 lety +1

      That's how I learned too!

    • @dimasgomez
      @dimasgomez Před 4 lety +1

      That's an old trick, it's a perfect 440 Hz. I've heard stories of band pros that did it for years and years. It has to do with the music industry and vinyl discs rotation speeds. We got standards from that time.

    • @francescosisto7131
      @francescosisto7131 Před 3 lety

      did the same!

    • @jynxmangrove1769
      @jynxmangrove1769 Před 3 lety

      @@BeowWulf it's hip to be square

  • @thescowlingschnauzer
    @thescowlingschnauzer Před 4 lety +52

    Roll the chord very slowly, and when you find the string that sounds like a banjo, you know that one is wrong.

  • @lamecasuelas2
    @lamecasuelas2 Před 4 lety +1

    Brandon, your videos are solid musical gold! Thank you very much my Man!

  • @locle7998
    @locle7998 Před 4 lety

    I always like your clips on guitar tips. You explain it in a way that’s very easy to understand. Thanks a bunch.

  • @MishaPitsenko
    @MishaPitsenko Před 4 lety +4

    Dude, thank you! Ive been tuning with the 5th fret method for years and always run into still being out of tune. Thus, Ive resorted to the clip on tuners. Looking forward to trusting my ears.

  • @gabrielperrymusic
    @gabrielperrymusic Před 3 lety +3

    Fantastic video! No one ever talks about tuning, or rarely it seems people discuss tuning. As I've gotten older, I have found tuning all strings to the high E is the most effective method for getting the guitar in tune without using a pitch fork or electronic tuner. Anyway, bravo! Great video.

  • @Tereb1
    @Tereb1 Před 3 lety +1

    Your voice and way of speaking are really soothing!

  • @echa9446
    @echa9446 Před 4 lety +1

    GHAWD I LOVE THIS GUY he's a genius in playing all the plucking instruments

  • @chiragmidha2878
    @chiragmidha2878 Před rokem +3

    I recently started tuning by ear after watching this video, and only after doing it for a week I am confident that I can tune a guitar without the tuner now. I use the low E string to tune instead of the high E because the low E is always the most in tune string.

  • @HoisinCrispyOwl
    @HoisinCrispyOwl Před 4 lety +4

    He gets my vote for nicest man alive.

  • @johnduffy6546
    @johnduffy6546 Před 8 měsíci +1

    GREAT info! I've been playing for 54 years and have never been shown this technique...Makes perfect sense!

  • @roberthunt1540
    @roberthunt1540 Před 4 lety

    Started playing guitar in 1966. This might just change my life! Thanks!

  • @billrogers5219
    @billrogers5219 Před 4 lety +18

    I used to tune mostly with harmonics and a bit with the 5th fret method. One thing that I noticed, though, is that the major thirds of chords didn't always sound right. So the E would sound fine as the root of an E major chord, but not as the third of a C major chord. I think that this is because we are used to equal temperament tuning, in general, but when you tune with harmonics you are using "just intonation" and so you end up a hair out of tune in keys that are far from the D,A,E that are common fro guitar. One advantage of the electronic tuner is that it will plop you down into equal temperament, at least for the open strings.

    • @Cyrus_II
      @Cyrus_II Před 4 lety +1

      The harmonics which which you tune aren't all that far apart from equal temprerament. You can use harmonics to start things then use other methods to iron out the difference. Personally my ears aren't sensitive enough to hear it.

    • @jameslouder
      @jameslouder Před 4 lety +2

      You're right in general, but the thing is, in equal temperament, *all* major thirds are already very sharp--about 14 cents* sharp of pure. Anything that makes them even a tiny bit sharper will quickly grate on the ear. The major third on middle C-E, ( guitar C-2/I + E-1/0) beats at more than ten per second. And you're also right, it's only because we grow up with the sound of equal temperament in our ears that we'll tolerate something like that!
      ________________________
      *In acoustical parlance a "cent" is 1/100 of an equal-tempered semitone--so 1200 cents to the octave. It lets us use ET as a baseline for comparing intervals without the tedium of calculating frequencies and correcting for octaves.

    • @jameslouder
      @jameslouder Před 4 lety +3

      Here's an important tip about tuning with harmonics: *only use them for tuning unisons and octaves, NOT fifths.* Because the guitar is fretted in equal temperament, only unisons and octaves are pure and beatless. The acoustically pure 12ths (8ve + 5th) produced by harmonics at the VIIth fret will be slightly sharp of the fretted note. For example:
      Suppose you begin by tuning A-5/hV to the tuning fork, unison (440 Hz). Great, you think, now let's tune E-1/0 (open first string) to the beautiful clear E-5/hVII, unison. Then check A-5/hV against A-1/V, unison and…WTF, they're out of tune! What did I do wrong?
      What you didn't reckon with is that the pure 12th A-e at 5/hVII is not the same as the equal-tempered 12th you need for A-1/V. The un-tempered E-1/0 you just tuned is 330 Hz; whereas you must have a tempered E at 329.63 Hz to get an A = 440Hz at the Vth fret. And that untempered E-1/0 will make a tenth with C-5/III that's even worse than "normal."

    • @nickyork8901
      @nickyork8901 Před rokem

      @@jameslouder excellent point. I also play in string quartets, and they have to be careful because their instruments are tuned in 5ths, but cumulatively this adds up to an out of tune cello, unless you deliberately tune to 'narrow' 5ths.

    • @jameslouder
      @jameslouder Před rokem +1

      @@nickyork8901 Exactly so. Indeed, if you had a 5-string baroque 'violoncello piccolo' with an upper E string, tuning in pure fifths would make a "Pythagorean" third (or 17th, if you prefer) with your low C. This dissonant interval is a whole syntonic comma (22.5 cents) higher than a pure third. It's at the very limit of what the ear will accept as a major third--or beyond it, depending on whom you ask. Ever wonder why medieval theorists classified the major third as a dissonance? It's because they used the Pythagorean scale, which derives entirely from pure fifths!

  • @sembodotechnicianz882
    @sembodotechnicianz882 Před 4 lety +4

    This guy deserve more subs. Way more subs

  • @geneh.smalley-px4kr
    @geneh.smalley-px4kr Před 10 měsíci +1

    Thanks for another great lesson. They are amazing...

  • @marvinromero2949
    @marvinromero2949 Před 4 lety

    You’re literally the MVP for doing these videos! Thanks man! Been playing for years but haven’t really progressed as much as I could have. I hope to play some of the beautiful pieces you have mastered! I will look out for your vids!

  • @calebtombado1114
    @calebtombado1114 Před 4 lety +6

    I tune by ear, but it's the first time i learned about that "beat". It will actually help me a lot now thanks for the lesson!

  • @jgrossma
    @jgrossma Před 4 lety +14

    Apart from just training your ear, a really good reason to learn how to tune by ear is in case you need to play with another instrument that isn't in concert pitch. Your electronic tuner probably won't help you there.

    • @janakipejov3667
      @janakipejov3667 Před 4 lety +2

      You just set it up to different Hz

    • @joshstarkey8883
      @joshstarkey8883 Před 4 lety +2

      @@janakipejov3667 Depends on the tuner, it's awkward or impossible on some. Either way, sometimes tuning by ear is just the simplest

    • @esposoman
      @esposoman Před 4 lety

      Good point here

  • @philip7211
    @philip7211 Před 3 lety +1

    What a great guy!! Brilliant content and teacher.

  • @rrheipel
    @rrheipel Před 3 lety +1

    I really enjoy your lessons!

  • @bingbongtheory
    @bingbongtheory Před 4 lety +35

    I try to avoid using overtones that aren't octaves to the string because the other harmonics will differ from their equal tempered counterparts

    • @31leoceara
      @31leoceara Před 3 lety

      But how can one avoid that? You just tell your guitar "hey you, no overtones"?

  • @spendingtimetogether8428
    @spendingtimetogether8428 Před 4 lety +4

    Interesting as I've always heard of tuning from the low E for the 'Fifth Fret' method. Yours makes more sense, will learn it in addition to tuning by ear. Thank you!-Mr STT

    • @dsifriend
      @dsifriend Před 4 lety +1

      If you're playing a concert, you'll be tuning to concert pitch (A440Hz), which is on the high E string.

  • @radiantsweep1212
    @radiantsweep1212 Před 3 lety +1

    His voice is so soothing

  • @biggstavros5876
    @biggstavros5876 Před 4 lety

    Thanks Brandon. Much appreciated.

  • @evenseb7574
    @evenseb7574 Před 3 lety +3

    Great video, you are such an ispiration. I would only like to add that since the strings' pitch tend to raise after you start playing, you could warm up the strings for some seconds with the palm of your hands, lay them flat upon the strings , and then move up and down the fretboard and down to the bridge a coupe of times. I found out that I then don't have to re-tune the guitar after some minutes playing. Often I do not have to tune at all, if the strings have set for some weeks. Just a tip from the cold Norway :)

  • @Benginator1
    @Benginator1 Před 4 lety +3

    I’ve been playing guitar since I was around ten. Learned the fifth fret method by 13 and always been annoyed with the fact that those tiny errors I’d make would compund. I’m 25 now. I saw this video a few months back and tried out the second tuning system shown here and it’s incredibly satisfying. I just can’t believe I’ve been annoyed by this for so long yet never bothered to look a better method up lol

  • @johnspeidel7097
    @johnspeidel7097 Před 4 lety

    Thank you for describing beats. I have been playing for about two years and couldn’t really tune by ear. I knew how to do it but didn’t know what to listen for. After your video I gave it a go and was spot on.

  • @taruchumccullough9045

    Thank you for this Brandon 🙏💕

  • @VeteranVandal
    @VeteranVandal Před 4 lety +22

    Shakira's hips are truthful indeed.

  • @organbuilder272
    @organbuilder272 Před 4 lety +9

    Hey, Brandon. I tuned my first organ, a giant containing over 6000 pipes, when I was 15 - FIFTEEN. It is not difficult, Yes, all you need to do is flatten the beat. YES - the strings should be tuned an octave apart. Yes, definitely tune to one string so you do not get cumulative error as a result of drawing. You tuning was close - but not perfect. but your theory was perfect.

    • @jameslouder
      @jameslouder Před 4 lety +2

      Organ pipes are absolutely the best things to learn with. Because the sound sustains at an even volume for as long as the bellows supplies wind, hearing and counting beats is a piece of cake. An equal-tempered fifth beats quite slowly, about 2 beats in 3 seconds in the middle octave. That can be hard to hear, let alone count on an instrument like the guitar with its very quick decay. But anyone can count 20 beats in 30 seconds.

    • @panteleymonschekochikhin-k1978
      @panteleymonschekochikhin-k1978 Před 3 měsíci

      @@jameslouder I feel like i can tune an organ now

  • @laotzu1111
    @laotzu1111 Před 4 lety

    I'm so glad that you're advocating tuning by ear :) a true hero

  • @Harpoika
    @Harpoika Před 2 lety +1

    I think this is the best single music tip I've ever heard.

  • @tane4652
    @tane4652 Před 4 lety +13

    3:43 background music plays E right before he plays E. Intentional or not?

  • @ErimlRGG
    @ErimlRGG Před 4 lety +3

    I've never owned a tuner because it bothered me how it sounded out of tune when playing (when I started I didn't understand why, now I do). I just simply have a song (Juicebox by The Strokes) that I tune the low E string to (I have the pitch memorized) and used to do the 5 fret method (now I just get in tune every string by ear) and then do a barre G chord and tune until that sounds nice because I find I get the nicest sound when I do that because I mostly play between the 3 and 12 fret. I'll try this method out and compare results because I do find I'm usually a tiny bit sharp with my method but isn't a big deal when I practice
    I do use a tuner once in a while (the one in BIAS FX) because I don't know if it's just me but there's day where my ear just doesn't respond, maybe when I'm tired but that's super rare

  • @boeingviola1842
    @boeingviola1842 Před rokem +1

    Wow again Brandon. Thanks.
    God bless you more.

  • @N8theMFnDoGG
    @N8theMFnDoGG Před 3 lety

    Been dabbling all my life, learning piecemeal on the innerwebs the last few years, and really enjoying your lessons. Thank you!

  • @danieltan513
    @danieltan513 Před 4 lety +43

    SHAKIRA’S HIPS

  • @Ice_Karma
    @Ice_Karma Před 3 lety +4

    I'm not a guitarist, but I'm cursed with perfect pitch, and I've been known to snatch guitars out of people's hands at parties and tune them-by ear, of course. >.>

  • @arkansastrey9694
    @arkansastrey9694 Před 4 lety +1

    Awesome! been wanting to learn this

  • @glizzard1894
    @glizzard1894 Před rokem +1

    I could listen to you play and talk guitar forever. I'm a little late to the party but these are great tips. I have good relative pitch, i.e. I can tune easily from the 6th string E. I end up using a tuner to check how close to pitch I am after a little while. I expect a great variance but usually I am 25 cents flat or less. Perfect pitch would be great for tuning, etc. but I've only met one person in my 30+ years of musical experience with it. Learning to tune from intervals, harmonics and beats (didn't know this had a name!) is very practical advice for the rest of us! I'm new to guitar and I've fallen in love with it.

  • @MrMedeiros223
    @MrMedeiros223 Před 4 lety +86

    Your tuning method is heavily reliant on correct guitar intonation.

    • @dsifriend
      @dsifriend Před 4 lety +20

      At least on a modern electric guitar you can check the intonation using a similar method and correct it yourself. On classical, that's probably better left to the luthiers to deal with.

    • @classicalmannick101
      @classicalmannick101 Před 4 lety +3

      @@dsifriend really depends on the quality of the instrument you buy. I've had my Gnatek classical guitar for coming on ten years, and even though the belly has arched a wee bit, the intonation is 100% perfect, same as the day i bought it.

    • @spaceshipable
      @spaceshipable Před 4 lety +6

      One thing you can do to alleviate that is by checking the tuning at the 7th fret. 7th fret on the A string is an E and so on. You can balance the tuning so it fits somewhere between the 5th fret and 7th fret methods. I always tune like this regardless of the instrument as I find it produces the best results

    • @andsalomoni
      @andsalomoni Před 4 lety +3

      There are two kinds of guitar: intonated and not intonated. It is better to have an intonated guitar.

    • @PragmaticDany
      @PragmaticDany Před 3 lety

      @@classicalmannick101 ehh... Not really almost any electric can be intonated perfectly, you know, those moveable saddles really do some magic.

  • @plei4420
    @plei4420 Před 4 lety +4

    I did this and now my ears are so sharp im legally an elf

  • @ricardofreitas7505
    @ricardofreitas7505 Před 4 lety

    Thank you Brandon! Your lessons are fantastic and help me a lot. Here is my thank you for share your knowledge.

  • @touchtennis
    @touchtennis Před 4 lety

    Thank you. Love the tips videos! And this tuning video especially. Makes me feel like I can copy your speed and clarity for once in my life when you’re picking!

  • @cpmathews2566
    @cpmathews2566 Před 4 lety +6

    440 tuning fork to get that first note to tune from, Especially when re stringing a guitar. This works for me. What do you think.

    • @IAm-qf2xb
      @IAm-qf2xb Před 4 lety +1

      Curt M The major third and/or B string is a beast. If you are playing music with major thirds and minor thirds, it is pretty straightforward, but for rock or blues the major third should be slightly sharper, matching up with the fifth more than the root. The man is right-chords must sound good, so make sure your G chord sounds good with the keyboard player’s G chord, that is more important than what your tuner says. Trust your ear.

  • @Jason-mg3fk
    @Jason-mg3fk Před 4 lety +62

    Why has this channel not passed pewdiepie yet

    • @chessvodkaopera
      @chessvodkaopera Před 4 lety +1

      To be honest Brandon just seems unnatural with the whole calm guy act.

    • @doom7872
      @doom7872 Před 4 lety +2

      @@chessvodkaopera Not gonna lie, I get Patrick Bateman vibes from him.

    • @chessvodkaopera
      @chessvodkaopera Před 4 lety +1

      @@doom7872 That is a mean thing to say, I don't know if he is evil to that extent. His smile has a deeper meaning and definitely reveals something oddly sinister. The devil sure can play hell of a guitar tune, and I am comfortable with the distance separating us.

    • @jimhouse9961
      @jimhouse9961 Před 4 lety +3

      So much 'jelly' in this thread, why not just 'jam'?

  • @primomizu
    @primomizu Před 4 lety

    Excellent video!! Really enjoyed it. Gonna use it every time I play the guitar

  • @aydrienrod4998
    @aydrienrod4998 Před 2 lety

    Nailed it, Thank you!

  • @adrenalinegroove
    @adrenalinegroove Před 3 lety +7

    I'm a bassist by trade, but I have a classical guitar from the 60s that sounds beautiful, but was always tough to tune without something sounding off. After a little tweaking and tuning with your method, it seems to be much more in tune with itself than before

  • @JH_Phillips
    @JH_Phillips Před 4 lety +3

    4:11 is when he describes his tuning technique.

  • @kasunmaduwage2316
    @kasunmaduwage2316 Před 4 lety

    Absolutely great.... I didn’t know about your system but now I can apply it to mine too.. thank !

  • @shahradazari1170
    @shahradazari1170 Před 4 lety +1

    man I love your voice
    it's so relaxing
    in addition to be a guitarist, you should be a voice actor too