Newbie Question - Is there an easy way to tune?

Craig Hawks · Post by **Craig Hawks** » 25 Feb 2005 1:02 pm

I've got 30+ years of guitar playing, but very new to steel and am having trouble tuning.

To anyone's knowledge, are there mp3's or samples that I can play to tune my steel? The instruction DVD's and CD's that I have just blow through the tuning and I spend more time backing up the tapes than I do tuning.

I'm starting with C6th, but would like other tunings as well. Any help would be appreciated!

Ron Victoria · Post by **Ron Victoria** » 25 Feb 2005 1:58 pm

I am fairly new to the 6th tunings. I like A6th low-high, C#,E,F#,A,C#,E because it can be changed to C6th in a jif. Retune C# to C and F# to G, and that's it. I like A6th as the 3 high strings give you the major chord and if you drop down one string you get the minor chords. As I said, I'm new to this tuning and I'm sure the veterans will give you more.

Ron

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 25 Feb 2005 2:19 pm

Do you have a good chromatic tuner? They're very inexpensive and almost essential for making sure you're in tune.
Quite a few tuners will give you the actual note to which you need to tune as an audio tone.
If you're just looking for reference tones against which you can tune your guitar, try doing a search on Google for "online guitar tuner". There are several online tuners, one of which might fit your needs.

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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

Cindy Burch · Post by **Cindy Burch** » 25 Feb 2005 2:24 pm

This is an 'okay' program I have used in the past.
I didn't purchase it, I just used it in demo mode for a while.
You can check it out here: http://www.astoundit.com/products/guitarshed/index.html

Have fun![This message was edited by Cindy Burch on 25 February 2005 at 02:25 PM.]

Ron Victoria · Post by **Ron Victoria** » 25 Feb 2005 2:29 pm

Brad, I have an autotuner with the 3 lights flat, in-tune, sharp. Even after I use it, notes sound off to my ear. So what your saying the better tuner is the one where you hear the note? What is an avg price for one as my b'day is coming up.

Ron

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 25 Feb 2005 2:29 pm

If you would like to Tune via Just Intonation ...

This may help ...

It gives you the deviations from Equal Temperament (ET)... if you use a chromatic tuner ...

Also a step by step method for tuning using harmonics ...

The explainations are geared toward C6 or C6/A7 ... but once you "get it" ... any tuning can be done quickly and accurately.

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Aiello's House of Gauss


My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

[This message was edited by Rick Aiello on 25 February 2005 at 02:46 PM.]

Jeff Au Hoy · Post by **Jeff Au Hoy** » 25 Feb 2005 2:47 pm

I hear fifths and fourths better than I do thirds. (Not sure if that applies to everyone, though. I think it does?) I therefore tune the fifth and fourth intervals first.

For example, if I'm using C6 (Hi to Low: E C A G E C), I tune the top E to the other musicians first. Then I tune the A to the E. Hearing octaves is real easy (basically the same note) so next I tune the lower E to the high E. With the A and E tuned I find it easier to hear whether the C is on pitch... I play the top three strings as a chord... the C is sandwiched nicely and if the chord sounds off then I know the C needs adjusting. Then I tune the G which is a fourth from C. The low C should match the high C. Once all that's done I do a final check--all of the octaves and fourth/fifth intervals should match up, and I test out various triads (e.g., strings 1-2-3, then 1-2-4, 2-4-5, 4-5-6) to make sure they dont sound funky.

Also, I think it's good practice to always tune up to a note. That is, tune the string flat first, then wind it up to pitch. [This message was edited by Jeff Au Hoy on 25 February 2005 at 02:51 PM.]

Paul Arntson · Post by **Paul Arntson** » 25 Feb 2005 3:51 pm

What Jeff and Rick said.

Tuning up into the note loads the gear teeth on the side they will remain in when you quit turning. Also gotta make sure they are stretched out well.

Thirds are an artificial interval imposed by industrial society. That's why microtonally varying them sounds cool. (I just made that up...but it might be true.)[This message was edited by Paul Arntson on 25 February 2005 at 04:08 PM.]

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 25 Feb 2005 9:24 pm

If you're using A6-tuning, tune your 1st. str. to the open (E) – Straight-Up. If you're using C6-tuning, try tuning your 2nd. str. to open (C) – Straight–up. If your reasonably familiar with the overall sound of the tuning, tune by ear. Don't spend too much time on each string. Just set the string-pitch slightly flat and then bring it up to picth ‘slowly’ and stop there. The longer you linger on one string, the more tired your ear becomes and the worse it will sound. If it starts sounding bad, just walk away for a little while and then start over. Eventually it will come out right and then from then on you'll start shortening the time it takes to run through the process! Back in ’57, when I got my first Sho-Bud, I was so fussy about being in perfect tune, that I cancelled working a gig one night! The faster you tune, the better-off you'll be! I understand a lot depends on the sensitivity of your ears in hearing correct-pitch! Good luck!

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“Big John” Bechtel
’49-’50 Fender T–8 Custom
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15” Eminence

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 25 Feb 2005 9:27 pm

BTW: When you tune, always pick at least any-2-strings together.

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“Big John” Bechtel
’49-’50 Fender T–8 Custom
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15” Eminence

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 26 Feb 2005 3:44 am

Just for the sake of clarity and continuity ...

What Jeff and John describe is another "way" to get your steel tuned using Just Intonation.

I use "harmonics matching" ... or a chromatic tuner which has increments in cents (when it is too noisey to hear beats) ...

They are descibing ... "string matching".

All three "ways" will get you tuned JI ...

It's just easier for me to hear the beats dissapearing using harmonics ... because you are tunin' "unison" pitches ...

Hope this helps ...

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Aiello's House of Gauss


My wife and I don't think alike. She donates money to the homeless and I donate money to the topless! ... R. Dangerfield

c c johnson · Post by **c c johnson** » 26 Feb 2005 4:21 am

get bobbe seymours "perfect pitch" cass and you will learn to tune in no time. CC

Craig Hawks · Post by **Craig Hawks** » 26 Feb 2005 7:44 am

Thank you everyone! I've now got enough to keep me busy this weekend!!

You all are so generous and kind. I accidently hit the Pedal Steel and Steel Players button the other day and they're down right mean to each other, so I think I'll stay over here where it's nice and helpful. Heck, if I wanted mean people I'd have just stayed at work!

Craig Hawks · Post by **Craig Hawks** » 26 Feb 2005 7:15 pm

Ok, the Intellitouch on the cord worked perfectly!! I might not need anything else for the time being.

Thanks!!