I had a guitar for ages and really want to play it but everytime I try and tune it I just get stuck. 4 times I've spent around 40 minutes just trying to relative-tune it. I thought I had done it once but then the chord I played sounded nothing like the one on the cd. I'm going to get one of those automatic tuners tomorrow but I'm wondering is there any point. If I can't tune it does that mean I'll don't posses any ability?

rainman1985 said:

Dont worry man, yours ears will become more sensitive to pitch as time goes by.

rainman1985 said:


Getting a tuner is the best thing you could do at this point.To tune can initially take 1/2 an hour, but once you get your guitar in tune your 'ear' will become accustomed to what it should sound like, and you'll be on your way to great pleasure. Many proffesional players have tuners to keep in tune on stage, with all the background noise. Your inability to tune up at the moment in no way reflects upon your musical ability.Go 4 it !!!

I always recommend a pitch pipe. It's very inexpensive (usually around 4 bucks) and its very simple to use. It helps to train your ear. All you have to do is keep it clean

Once you start playing out, though, a tuner is the way to go.

Cool thanks...

I went through the same phase for years; unable to tune relatively and getting a decent chord. The g and b strings are just evil.

I finally got over it when I bought a tuner. I'll use relative tuning if I HAVE to now, but I rely on electric tuners for the most part.

But I WILL tell you that if the intonation on your guitar is off, then relative tuning will always end up sounding bad when you play a chord. And if the intonation is really off, even an electric tuner won't help you much.

I did the intonation on one of my guitars last week, it was really easy and my guitar plays better now. I highly recommend checking the intonation. When you get your electric tuner, play your string at the 12th fret, and then play the harmonic at the 12th fret. If your tuner shows that the two tones are NOT both in tune, you'll need to work on the intonation.

If you fell like getting into intonation, let me know, and I'll point you to some great sites that make it very easy to understand how/why to do intonation on guitars.

Iwas gonna say;"it's been 2 days now "rainman1985" and you haven't reported back that your guitar is singing like a bird with your new tuner, pitch pipe, whatever.Therefore you're tone deaf and should give it away. "
otan's comment is 1nce again important. "Intonation" ; the length of each string is relative.If you have a simple bridge and the guitar has sounded fine in the past this shouldn't be a worry, but if your bridge has sliders which move forward and backward and it's ability 2 B tuned has fucked up do that simple check; that the open string gives the same note on your tuner as compared to the 12 th Fret.I've spent hours with a nail file in the past with a fixed bridge adjusting the intonation on my acoustic guitar, which was set up left handed when i bought it. Was well worth the effort. Depends if your a practicle person whether you wanna muck around with this or take it to "the Shop".

P.S. i just spent 1/2 an hour with an electronic tuner getting tuned up, as the temperature in a room changing can also put it out!