Tuning a guitar using and Equal Temperament method

[Michael Gamble]

Hello Steve
I thought the frets would be placed so that each note produced using them
(as opposed to "open" strings) would be in equal temperament... is that not
so? This being the case, and having tuned one string against a tuning fork,
cannot the remaining strings be tuned beatless against the their adjacent
strings held on their fret? I also tune by ear, and play the 'cello. Tuning
that, I use harmonics in the adjacent strings to get beatless 8ves.
Regards from a Sunny Sunday in the Downs.
Michael G.(UK)

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Borgstrom [mailto:orchman@comcast.net] 
Sent: 17 September 2005 22:55
To: Pianotech
Subject: OT:Tuning a guitar using and Equal Temperament method

I tune pianos aurally and also play classical guitar. I would be  
interested to hear from any tuners who also play guitar and need to  
tune same whether they think there is any merit to the following  
method of tuning a guitar.

The rest of you should have deleted this OT post by now! <big grin>

Thanks in advance.
Steve
---
(I posted the following to a Classical Guitar Forum)

Any methods using fretted partials (harmonics) will introduce an  
error due to the Pythagorean comma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ 
Pythagorean_comma) if you are trying to produce an equal temperament.

I tune pianos aurally and have found that I can use basically the  
same method I use on pianos, on guitar. It is simply this:

Tune your 5th string (A) to a fork or an electronic tuning device.

Sound your 5th and 6th string together. Listen for the beats produced  
what would be the 5th fret partial (harmonic) on E and 7th fret  
partial on A. Make the E-A interval slightly wide, 1 or 2 beats per 5  
seconds.

Do the same for A(5th string) to D(4th string). Again listen for the  
5th-7th fret harmonic beats and make the interval slightly wide, 1-2  
beats per 5 seconds. It shouldn't sound like "beats" really, just a  
slow roll.

Do the same for D(4th string) to G(3rd string), making the interval  
slightly wide, but not as wide as the lower strings.

Tune the E(1st string) to the E(6th string) as pure a double octave  
as you can, or maybe just slightly wide.

Then tune the B(2nd string) to E(1st string) at 1 beat (or less) per  
5 seconds.

I then check intervals of a 5th on the open A(5th), D(4th), A (2nd  
fret on G 3rd string), D(3rd fret on B 2nd string), A (5th fret on E  
1st string) and make sure they are slightly narrow.

If you've nailed it, the G(3rd string) to E (1st string) interval  
sounded together will produce a beat of about 8 beats per second.

This sounds helluva cumbersome, but once you get used to it you can  
tune a guitar in 30 seconds or less with it. :-)

If the guitar was WAY out of tune to start with, do the process again  
to balance string tension. Keep in mind that cruddy strings and a mal- 
adjusted bridge/saddle/nut will affect tuning greatly. Bridge and nut  
adjustments are best left to a luthier, IMHO. :-)

It takes me between an hour to an hour and a half to tune a piano, so  
I consider my self lucky I play guitar!

I'd be interested to hear if anyone uses a similar technique or finds  
this to be useful. If you are new to tuning guitars, this is NOT the  
technique for you. It takes a while to train your brain to be able to  
filter through what you are supposed to be listening to using this  
method.

Happy tuning!