GUITAR TIP: Why you should tune by ear

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  • Опубліковано 13 тра 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

КОМЕНТАРІ • 1,6 тис.

  • @brandonacker
    @brandonacker  4 роки тому +788

    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 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +1

      Thank you so much

    • @donatolepore3520
      @donatolepore3520 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +9

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

  • @Tubulousity
    @Tubulousity 4 роки тому +1239

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

  • @AndruJorj
    @AndruJorj 4 роки тому +1835

    Clark Kent is an excellent teacher.

    • @Itouks
      @Itouks 4 роки тому +67

      Mix between Clark Kent and Peter Parker 2000's version

    • @spooky3120
      @spooky3120 4 роки тому +27

      He's really SUPERGUITARMAN!

    • @kedduff1814
      @kedduff1814 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому

      😂😂😂😂

    • @aarieftwentysix7282
      @aarieftwentysix7282 4 роки тому

      @@Itouks on point!

  • @KaShuto
    @KaShuto 3 роки тому +263

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

    • @richardb8104
      @richardb8104 2 роки тому +15

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

    • @infledermaus
      @infledermaus 2 роки тому +6

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

  • @frogandspanner
    @frogandspanner 3 роки тому +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 2 роки тому +12

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

  • @giabea.
    @giabea. 4 роки тому +1567

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

    • @VeteranVandal
      @VeteranVandal 4 роки тому

      I lmfao.

    • @gerardgrenier8573
      @gerardgrenier8573 4 роки тому

      Im cryyyyyiing

    • @xgntwrxgaming674
      @xgntwrxgaming674 4 роки тому +1

      Gia S. Appropriate comment after the super bowl halftime show!

    • @edrdavenport78
      @edrdavenport78 4 роки тому +1

      My orchestra teacher in high school made the same joke about false harmonics. It killed.

    • @leom8101
      @leom8101 4 роки тому

      Where?

  • @papersquares
    @papersquares 4 роки тому +371

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

    • @colinmoran9807
      @colinmoran9807 4 роки тому +3

      Not if I eat it first

    • @karmaldk1974
      @karmaldk1974 4 роки тому +1

      And voice

    • @jackcarter1897
      @jackcarter1897 4 роки тому +1

      @ He has a wife

    • @cypherusuh
      @cypherusuh 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +3

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

  • @Maddy29
    @Maddy29 4 роки тому +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.

  • @phileandro
    @phileandro 2 роки тому +29

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

  • @anshb4154
    @anshb4154 4 роки тому +730

    He was so proud of his Shakira joke lol🤣🤣

    • @oldgoat381
      @oldgoat381 4 роки тому +74

      And rightly so, I don't think anyone expected it and it made perfect sense

    • @Baby_boodle
      @Baby_boodle 4 роки тому +18

      It made me giggle that's for sure. xD

    • @Bladavia
      @Bladavia 4 роки тому +12

      S A C R I L E G I O U S

    • @barbarannop1799
      @barbarannop1799 4 роки тому +2

      When did he say the joke?

    • @dont.think.feel.
      @dont.think.feel. 4 роки тому +8

      6:43

  • @nickcapalbo6919
    @nickcapalbo6919 4 роки тому +1742

    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...

  • @kamransmdli8816
    @kamransmdli8816 3 роки тому +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.

  • @AnnaStafford-zh1sz
    @AnnaStafford-zh1sz 11 місяців тому +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 4 роки тому +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!

  • @Exgrmbl
    @Exgrmbl 4 роки тому +279

    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 4 роки тому +40

      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 4 роки тому +14

      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 4 роки тому +7

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

    • @jameslouder
      @jameslouder 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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"

  • @gchungus
    @gchungus 3 роки тому +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 3 роки тому +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 3 роки тому

      @@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.

  • @sekisc
    @sekisc 5 місяців тому +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

  • @NeesyPlaysGuitar
    @NeesyPlaysGuitar 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +1

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

    • @uglypinkeraser
      @uglypinkeraser 4 роки тому

      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 4 роки тому

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

  • @blahdiblah2169
    @blahdiblah2169 3 роки тому +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.

  • @user-xp1rf6im8k
    @user-xp1rf6im8k 4 роки тому +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!

  • @DennisTrovato
    @DennisTrovato 4 роки тому +753

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

    • @Scodiddly
      @Scodiddly 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +1

      DEN NIS TROWATO?

    • @poodle3507
      @poodle3507 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +3

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

    • @NeesyPlaysGuitar
      @NeesyPlaysGuitar 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +1

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

    • @eiker3211
      @eiker3211 4 роки тому +2

      @@Lobstrominous 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 4 роки тому +5

      @@Lobstrominous 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 4 роки тому +1

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

  • @tenkaiechi01
    @tenkaiechi01 2 роки тому +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

  • @lucasduque8289
    @lucasduque8289 4 роки тому +41

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

  • @arcaneminded
    @arcaneminded 4 роки тому +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.

  • @Markstarscoobs
    @Markstarscoobs 4 роки тому +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.

  • @DjJMuna
    @DjJMuna Рік тому +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

  • @vicentesaiz1670
    @vicentesaiz1670 4 роки тому +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!

  • @paulomelo1792
    @paulomelo1792 4 роки тому +4

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

  • @Ian-jx3ln
    @Ian-jx3ln 4 роки тому +3

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

  • @0Iive
    @0Iive 3 роки тому +3

    Love how mellow these vids are

  • @eugenedanker2377
    @eugenedanker2377 3 роки тому +1

    Such a calm, relaxing voice

  • @EliasReda
    @EliasReda 4 роки тому +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.

  • @MishaPitsenko
    @MishaPitsenko 4 роки тому +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.

  • @peridot1313
    @peridot1313 Рік тому +1

    Holy crap this single video taught me more than my own father did in 30 years, might pick up a guitar finally
    :)

  • @dadmadforgot4050
    @dadmadforgot4050 4 роки тому +1

    What a great teacher

  • @anguscos4506
    @anguscos4506 4 роки тому +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

    • @TheWhatthefuck12
      @TheWhatthefuck12 4 роки тому +12

      wow you are cool

    • @portlandshomlessproblem1728
      @portlandshomlessproblem1728 4 роки тому +23

      I too like to play out of tune sometimes

    • @jackhorvat7979
      @jackhorvat7979 4 роки тому +5

      I have never tuned my guitar

    • @sebaba001
      @sebaba001 4 роки тому +29

      I often find myself pluggin my acoustasonic into my asshole and I feel the tune through my arm hairs.

    • @eatmyshorts9815
      @eatmyshorts9815 4 роки тому +1

      tabundo001 wtf 😂😂 funniest shit I read in a min

  • @kblin517
    @kblin517 4 роки тому +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

  • @marvinromero2949
    @marvinromero2949 4 роки тому

    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!

  • @locle7998
    @locle7998 3 роки тому

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

  • @pauljoyko5320
    @pauljoyko5320 4 роки тому +7

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

  • @chiragmidha2878
    @chiragmidha2878 Рік тому +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.

  • @handiman5
    @handiman5 4 роки тому +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!

  • @lamecasuelas2
    @lamecasuelas2 4 роки тому +1

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

  • @rodrigomuller
    @rodrigomuller 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +1

      Lol! Really?

    • @BeowWulf
      @BeowWulf 4 роки тому +1

      That's how I learned too!

    • @dimasgomez
      @dimasgomez 4 роки тому +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 3 роки тому

      did the same!

    • @jynxmangrove1769
      @jynxmangrove1769 3 роки тому

      @@BeowWulf it's hip to be square

  • @NathanaelDuke
    @NathanaelDuke 4 роки тому +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.

  • @taruchumccullough9045
    @taruchumccullough9045 Рік тому

    Thank you for this Brandon 🙏💕

  • @Labroidas
    @Labroidas 4 роки тому +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!

  • @FiikusMaximus
    @FiikusMaximus 4 роки тому +13

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

  • @gabrielperrymusic
    @gabrielperrymusic 3 роки тому +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.

  • @mfa9502
    @mfa9502 4 роки тому +1

    How peaceful is this video!
    Super quality content

  • @silasginell9251
    @silasginell9251 3 роки тому +1

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

  • @Cyrus_II
    @Cyrus_II 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому

      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 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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!

  • @brandonacker
    @brandonacker  2 роки тому +19

    💥My new online guitar course is open! classicalguitar-pro.com
    Sign-up for lifetime access to this 6-hour course and start playing elegant classical music today!

    • @yukikofujiwara2144
      @yukikofujiwara2144 Рік тому

      What string tension would you recommend for people "converting" from steel strings for the course? And what is your personal preference (brand, material, tension)?
      I know it boils down to the player's comfort, but whatever tension strings came with my Takamine kinda have a "wub wub" to them that, as a steel string player, I'm not used to hearing. I saw that La Bella seems to dominate the classical string market, and there's different kinds of nylon and carbide something-or-others, brass-wound, steel wound... These are new concepts to me, I'm not used to my guitar string choice actually drastically mattering to the sound.

    • @slavkopijerov1216
      @slavkopijerov1216 Рік тому

      6

    • @hellomate639
      @hellomate639 Рік тому

      I like harmonics of octaves on the fretboards when I look at this.
      Any other harmonics and then you have to start worrying about Just Intonation vs. Equal temperament.
      If you tune by the fretboard, its all equal tempered.
      If you tune by perfect harmonic fourths (i.e. hear no beats) going up the fretboard, your top and bottom string should actually be off a bit.

  • @ricardofreitas7505
    @ricardofreitas7505 4 роки тому

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

  • @philip7211
    @philip7211 3 роки тому +1

    What a great guy!! Brilliant content and teacher.

  • @AndreSilmberg
    @AndreSilmberg 4 роки тому +42

    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 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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.

  • @evenseb7574
    @evenseb7574 3 роки тому +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 :)

  • @kaushikravindran3587
    @kaushikravindran3587 3 роки тому +2

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

  • @rrheipel
    @rrheipel 3 роки тому +1

    I really enjoy your lessons!

  • @spendingtimetogether8428
    @spendingtimetogether8428 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +1

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

  • @organbuilder272
    @organbuilder272 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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 2 місяці тому

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

  • @biggstavros5876
    @biggstavros5876 4 роки тому

    Thanks Brandon. Much appreciated.

  • @mmgw2791
    @mmgw2791 4 роки тому +1

    Thank you so much for this, I just learned something and it brought me joy :-) Love your style & energy.

  • @vaclavhanusekv1717
    @vaclavhanusekv1717 4 роки тому +8

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

  • @sembodotechnicianz882
    @sembodotechnicianz882 4 роки тому +4

    This guy deserve more subs. Way more subs

  • @loganocchionero6621
    @loganocchionero6621 4 роки тому +1

    This was mesmerizing

  • @touchtennis
    @touchtennis 4 роки тому

    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!

  • @HoisinCrispyOwl
    @HoisinCrispyOwl 3 роки тому +4

    He gets my vote for nicest man alive.

  • @Benginator1
    @Benginator1 3 роки тому +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

  • @primomizu
    @primomizu 4 роки тому

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

  • @aydrienrod4998
    @aydrienrod4998 Рік тому

    Nailed it, Thank you!

  • @jgrossma
    @jgrossma 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +2

      You just set it up to different Hz

    • @joshstarkey8883
      @joshstarkey8883 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому

      Good point here

  • @billrogers5219
    @billrogers5219 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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 Рік тому

      @@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 Рік тому +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!

  • @echa9446
    @echa9446 4 роки тому +1

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

  • @shahradazari1170
    @shahradazari1170 4 роки тому +1

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

  • @Ice_Karma
    @Ice_Karma 3 роки тому +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. >.>

  • @ErimlRGG
    @ErimlRGG 4 роки тому +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

  • @Harpoika
    @Harpoika 2 роки тому +1

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

  • @Tereb1
    @Tereb1 3 роки тому +1

    Your voice and way of speaking are really soothing!

  • @calebtombado1114
    @calebtombado1114 4 роки тому +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!

  • @thescowlingschnauzer
    @thescowlingschnauzer 4 роки тому +52

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

  • @jackquentin1950
    @jackquentin1950 3 роки тому

    This is so helpful. I'm definitely gonna try and tune more with my ear. Thanks Brandon!

  • @boeingviola1842
    @boeingviola1842 Рік тому +1

    Wow again Brandon. Thanks.
    God bless you more.

  • @plei4420
    @plei4420 4 роки тому +4

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

  • @VeteranVandal
    @VeteranVandal 4 роки тому +22

    Shakira's hips are truthful indeed.

  • @johnspeidel7097
    @johnspeidel7097 4 роки тому

    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.

  • @johnduffy6546
    @johnduffy6546 6 місяців тому +1

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

  • @bingbongtheory
    @bingbongtheory 4 роки тому +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 3 роки тому

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

  • @danieltan513
    @danieltan513 4 роки тому +43

    SHAKIRA’S HIPS

  • @kasunmaduwage2316
    @kasunmaduwage2316 4 роки тому

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

  • @kebman
    @kebman Рік тому

    Thanks for playing!

  • @adrenalinegroove
    @adrenalinegroove 3 роки тому +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

  • @tane4652
    @tane4652 4 роки тому +13

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

  • @Toshio13337
    @Toshio13337 4 роки тому

    These Tips are really handy! Trough the time i learned guitar i always had the feeling that i'm missing something or that i am doing something not 100% correct. These tips polishes my incorrectness! Thanks i cant wait to see more

  • @pratikmusic4670
    @pratikmusic4670 3 роки тому

    Love your video brother
    And your tips actually helps 👍

  • @cpmathews2566
    @cpmathews2566 4 роки тому +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 4 роки тому +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.

  • @flowersknives0257
    @flowersknives0257 2 роки тому +3

    As an Asian guitar player, I tune my guitar just like how I measure the water in rice before I cook it.
    I wait for my ancestors to whisper in my ear, "It's already in tune, child." And just hope for the best without checking it thoroughly.

  • @laotzu3415
    @laotzu3415 4 роки тому

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

  • @N8theMFnDoGG
    @N8theMFnDoGG 3 роки тому

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