Guitar/Setting up the Guitar

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Advances in guitar manufacturing has solved many of the problems associated with tuning the guitar though guitars are still extremely sensitive to their environment. If you tune your guitar in a room with a certain temperature and humidity and then take the guitar into another room that is hotter or colder with a different humidity; your guitar may go out of tune. When the guitar experiences a change in humidity or temperature, it causes the wood and strings to expand or contract. It is best to let a guitar acclimatise itself in the room in which it will be played and then make adjustments and tune it. Extreme changes in humidity or temperature can damage your guitar with warping; especially in the neck area. If you have a guitar neck that is warped then some structural aspects of the guitar can be adjusted. The neck, fretboard or truss rod can be adjusted and this may solve some warping problems. See the Adjusting the Guitar appendix.

When new strings have been put on a guitar they will often fall out of tune very easily. New strings will stretch until they reach a point where their elasticity diminishes and then they will remain at the correct tension and frequency; strings need to be broken in. It will take time to work all the slack out of the strings but the process can be sped up. Put on new strings and tune to just below concert pitch using an Electronic guitar tuner. Then pull each string an inch away from the fretboard and this will instantly put them out of tune. Use your Electronic guitar tuner to re-tune the strings to just below concert pitch and repeat the process. After a while the slack should be gone from the strings and the guitar can be tuned to concert pitch and should stay in tune.

Modern instruments use equal temperament tuning and the guitar is no exception. Equal temperament tuning was first proposed in the Baroque period because of the problem of certain intervals sounding out of tune. Using equal temperament means that the effect of the Pythagorean Comma is reduced.

Contents 1 Tuning the Guitar 1.1 Regular Tuning 1.2 Harmonic tuning 1.3 Alternative Tuning 1.4 Problems with Tuning 2 Amplifier setup 3 Tremolo Bar torque

[edit] Tuning the Guitar

Sound is created by the disturbance of particles in the air. The vibrations of a struck string causes the air particles to moves in waves which the ear receives and reproduces. When a string is attached to two points, as the strings on a guitar are, then striking it causes a sound to be produced at a certain frequency. The length, thickness and tension of the string determines the pitch of the note it produces. If you had a string of a certain length and tension stretched across a wooden board which produced a known frequency (sound) and you wished to double the frequency or put another way: produce the note an octave above; then you simply halve the distance that it is stretched across and keep the same tension. This is exactly what happens on a guitar when you fret any of the open strings at the twelfth fret.

There are many different tunings for the open strings of the guitar but the most common is known as "standard tuning" or E tuning. In standard tuning the open strings should be tuned to the notes E A D G B e.

Standard tuning is often represented in a method similar to the diagram below. Note that the upper case E represents the thickest string and the lower case e represents the thinnest string. This represents how the guitar looks when a player looks down on it. For further information, please see the Tablature section.

e|-----------------------|
B|-----------------------|
G|-----------------------|
D|-----------------------|
A|-----------------------|
E|-----------------------|

To adjust the pitch of a string you turn the tuning peg. The tighter the string the higher the pitch. If a string is manufactured to sound a note at 440Hz and you turn the tuning peg until the string reaches its maximum tension; it is likely that you have put your string far above the tension it was manufactured to withstand and the chance of string breakage increases. For this reason it is important to make sure you are turning the correct peg for the string you are trying to tune and the use of an Electronic guitar tuner is recommended since it shows the frequency of the string.

Until you have developed your musical ability, it may be difficult to know exactly what a particular note should sound like. Any music store will sell tuning aids, such as tuning forks, pitch pipes and electronic tuners. These allow you to precisely tune each string to the appropriate pitch. Every guitar player should own some sort of tuning aid and new players are encouraged to purchase one as soon as they buy a guitar. Tuning aids are important because they give you the reference notes for tuning each string.

Each fret on the guitar is a half-tone. In an octave there are twelve half-tones. To find the octave of any note on the same string; move up 12 frets. Two notes are called an interval and we use intervals to tune the guitar. The first tuning method most guitarists learn is Regular Tuning.

[edit] Regular Tuning

Regular tuning is sometimes called the fifth-fret method or 4-5 method. It involves getting a single string at the correct pitch and using that as a reference point for tuning the other strings. Because of this, a tuning aid is useful to ensure that the first string is properly tuned. It is best to use the open A string as the reference string . This is also the note that the Oboe sounds as a reference note (A = 440Hz) for the rest of the orchestra and it has become an international standard.

If you don't have a tuning aid then you will have to tune by ear without a reference note. This is perfectly acceptable but there is a good chance that you will not be tuned to concert pitch. Concert pitch is an internationally agreed standard that all tuning aids follow and the majority of artists use. This means that tuning to concert pitch will allow you to jam along with your favorite artist.

The diagram below is to give you a quick reference to where the fretted notes are.

e|-------------------0---|
B|---------------0---5---|
G|-----------0---4-------|
D|-------0---5-----------|
A|---0---5---------------|
E|---5-------------------|

Follow these six steps to tune your guitar using the 4-5 Method:

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6

It is recommended when tuning to bring the string up to its correct pitch. By tuning down to a pitch, you introduce slack into the string and it goes out of tune much faster. If the string is too high, it is best to tune it very low and then bring it back up to the correct pitch. The 4-5 Method of tuning has the disadvantage of increasing inaccuracies by the accumulation of mistakes.

[edit] Harmonic tuning

Another more advanced method of tuning is called harmonic tuning. In this method you use the harmonic tones produced by a string to tune. The harmonic note lacks the fundamental and this produces a series of overtones which are more defined. It is easier to tune using harmonics because even minor changes in pitch are noticeable. Rather than actually pressing the string down to a fret, lightly touch the string without depressing it, directly above the fret. Then pluck the string and quickly remove your finger. This should produce a high pitched silvery tone known as the harmonic.

The easiest places on the string to produce a harmonic are on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th and 12th fret. For more information, please see the Harmonics chapter of this book. The fretboard diagram below shows the pairs of harmonics that are used. Tuning the B string to the G string should be done by using the regular 4-5 Method. You start by tuning the harmonic on the A string with the harmonic on the low E string. Then the harmonic on the D string is tuned to the harmonic on the A string and so on for the remaining pairs.

The diagram below provides a quick reference for the necessary harmonics.

e|-------------7*------------|
B|--------5*-----------------|
G|-------------7*------------|  * = Play a harmonic at this fret
D|--------5*---7*------------|
A|--------5*---7*------------|
E|--------5*-----------------|

It is also to be noted that this method will not provide a perfect equal temperament tuning. It is extremely similar but many guitar players prefer the previous technique.

[edit] Alternative Tuning

This method uses the open high e string as the reference note. You tune the unison and octave E notes that are found on the other strings to the open high e. This method is recommended because it applies the concept of equal temperament. Hold the fretted note down as you turn the tuning peg; you will feel the string move under your fingertip. This involves striking the strings with your right hand and then using the right hand to turn the tuning pegs. If may feel awkward at first but with practice it should become second nature. Some guitarists and luthiers recommend that the fretted note on the 5th fret of the B string is tuned wide by the amount of two beats per second in relation to the high e string. Experiment with tuning the B string wide.

[edit] Problems with Tuning

If there is a substantial difference in pitch after tuning using the Regular or Harmonic method then try the Alternative method. If the Alternative method doesn't work then this may indicate that the intonation of your guitar is not correct. Intonation refers to the same note being in tune regardless where it is played on the fretboard. For example, the note of the open high e string is also found on the 5th fret of the B string, 9th fret of the G string and 14th fret of the D string. A more common sign that the intonation needs to be adjusted is when chords played open on the first four frets (first position) sound fine but when the same chords are played as barres at the 5th fret or above sound out of tune. The easiest way to tell, is to perfectly tune your 12th fret harmonic with a tuner, and then fret at the twelfth. If the 12th fret is not in tune, while the harmonic is, your intonation needs adjustment. Electric guitars allow for easy adjustment of the action (change the height of the bridge) and each individual string (adjust each string's saddle). All you need is a set of screwdrivers and an Electric Guitar Tuner. The Electric Guitar Tuner allows you to see the whether the adjustments you have made are producing an open string note that is the same as the note at the twelfth fret of the same string. If on your first attempt you put all the saddles out of alignment and you've found your guitar sounds worse than a quick search of the internet should have pictures of the saddle and the action of your model.

If your guitar absolutely will not go in tune, be patient and remember that even the best guitarists sometimes have trouble tuning. If the guitar has trouble staying in tune ask an experienced guitarist to take a look or take it to a repair shop. There may be something wrong with the neck or frets and an experienced luthier can discover the problem. A good rule of thumb is to ensure you are using the right gauge strings for your model. The nut of the guitar has to allow the strings to pass through to the tuning pegs. If you buy the heaviest gauge strings for a guitar set-up for medium gauge strings then the strings may not sit in the groove of the nut correctly. When you take a guitar to be set-up by a luthier; they will naturally ask you what make and gauge of strings you intend to use. They will then buy multiple sets of these strings to test the variance in gauge and then file your nut specifically to take that make and gauge of strings. Guitar intonation tuning method.

[edit] Amplifier setup

Unless your amplifier only has the preamp control, you have many other knobs you can play with to make your guitar sound great. Before you begin setting up your amp, you should always make sure that you:

1. Set all the volume knobs and gains to its lowest setting.
2. Set the guitar volume to the lowest setting, and plug it into the amplifier. Always plug in before you turn the amp on, so you do not make it "pop".
3. Turn on the amplifier. If it is a tube-based model and has the standby switch, throw it to standby mode too, to warm up the tubes.
   1. If it's a tube base model, Wait at least 15 seconds; optimally you should give it 5 minutes, especially for the large amplifiers. Otherwise skip to next part.
   2. If you have a passive pickup, plug into "high" plug. If you have an active pickup, plug into "low". If you have only one plug, just plug it in.

After this, there are three main ways that have been used.

Method 1:

1. Bring the guitar's volume knob somewhere between low volume and medium. Play a chord
2. Begin to bring amplifier master volume up (if you have one), then channel volume, then gain up, to 5. This should be your basis for setting up. If it's too loud, bring down the volume, and if not enough distortion, bring up the gain.

Method 2:

1. Bring the amplifier's gain and volume to 11
2. Tweak the volume with the guitar volume knob. If there are too much distortion bring down the gain.

Method 3:

1. Bring the guitar volume knob to its max.
2. Gradually bring up the volume on the amplifier. You should not need to bring it above 2.
3. Bring up the gain; bring down the volume when needed.

Aside from the gain and volume setting, you may want to tweak the EQ settings. Here's a few samples:

• Clean: Clean channel; Gain 1-5; bass 5, mid 5, treble 5
• Blues: Overdrive channel; Gain 5; bass 7, mid 3, treble 5
• Metal: Overdrive channel; Gain 11; bass 11; mid 2; treble 7

When you have finish playing, turn all the knobs to the lowest settings first. If it's a tube amplifier, you may even need to let it cool down (either on standby or just on) for another 5 minutes.

[edit] Tremolo Bar torque

One of the first things you will have to set up on electric guitar, especially if you find the tremolo bar keeps falling toward the ground. There are a few different methods.

• On a low end models like Squier Stratocaster, you just need to screw in the tremelo bar, by rotating the bar clockwise, Until it tightens up. The problem with model is that you do not have much control on the bar's position during playing.
• On other models, that you merely plug in the whammy bar, you may have a capscrew, which you insert the bar through it into the bridge. Afterward, screw it in until tighten.
• Another approach for the plug-in whammy is to tighten with an Allen Key hole, nearby the bar's hole on the bridge. The instruction booklet will usually explain where it is, and how to tighten it.

Ideally you want the bar at a 45 degree angle toward the ground, allowing it to be easily grabbed.