Tuning tips sure to make your life easier and audience happier.
My first instrument was violin. I picked it up a year before I got my first guitar and I played for about seven years. Though I haven't practiced in years, I think playing violin had a profound impact on my ear and my desire to play in tune at all times. There are no frets to guide you on the violin, so you have to be constantly aware of your intonation. There's nothing more excruciating than listening to an out-of-tune violinist! This month, I'm going to focus on maximizing the tuning stability of your electric guitars.
Setting intonation.
Because the guitar uses equal-temperament tuning, it can never actually be perfectly in tune. The best we can hope for is a sort of happy medium, and the length of each string from the nut to the bridge saddle must be adjusted precisely in order to maximize and maintain that happy medium. This is called intonation, and I highly recommend checking your guitar's intonation on a regular basis.
Most electric guitars feature adjustable bridges that allow you to individually modify the scale length of each string. It's a good idea to make intonation adjustments after you've adjusted anything else on your guitar—such as the truss rod—that could affect the length of the string from the bridge to the nut.
You should use a quality electronic guitar tuner to check intonation. First, play the 12th-fret harmonic of the 6th string and make sure it reads perfectly in tune. Now play the fretted 12th-fret note. If it reads flat, the bridge saddle must be moved forward towards the nut. If the fretted note is sharp, the bridge saddle must be moved away from the nut. Tip to remember: Flat equals forward.
It's important that you only attempt to adjust intonation using relatively new strings. Once strings develop pits and flat spots from making contact with the frets, they simply won't intonate properly. Speaking of which, change your strings fairly frequently if you want to be as in tune as possible, and stretch them properly when you first put them on. After re-stringing, I pull each string firmly but gently away from the fretboard over the entire length of the string from the bridge to the nut. Then I re-tune and repeat until the strings don't go flat anymore. Proper stretching of the strings will go a long way towards alleviating tuning headaches later on.
Using a dab of lubricant in each nut slot keeps the string friction to a minimum, and I do this every time I change strings.
The nut.
For the open notes to sound correct, the strings need to break over the nut at an angle and create downward tension as they head over the headstock toward the tuners. Some friction is unavoidable, so the trick is to minimize that friction. Having a nut that's cut properly is crucial: If the nut slots are cut too narrow for the string gauge you use, this can cause the string to bind—certain to cause tuning headaches. If the nut slots are not cut deep enough, action can suffer and fretted notes can sound noticeably sharp. Too deep, and the strings will buzz against the 1st fret. It's a fine line, and making sure your nut is optimized is a job best left to a competent tech or luthier. Even expensive guitars straight from the factory sometimes need the nut to be adjusted and tweaked to maximize playability and tuning stability. A replacement nut made of slippery material like graphite can greatly help alleviate binding, but keep in mind that nut material affects tone.
Fender-style guitars.
Electric guitars with Fender-style six-on-a-side headstocks usually have relatively straight string-pull, meaning the strings don't fan out from the nut. Straight string-pull is a good thing in my book, because it means the string faces less resistance on its way from the bridge to the tuning peg. However, headstocks like this normally don't slant backwards at an angle like Gibson-style headstocks, and that's why string trees are used to create enough downward tension on the strings as they pass through the nut. But string trees are another place the strings can possibly bind. You can avoid using string trees on Fender-style guitars by winding the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd strings quite low on the tuning posts to create enough downward tension.
My Suhr instruments use locking tuning pegs with staggered-height posts that create more downward tension on the high strings. These tuners eliminate the need for string trees, and because they are locking, they also eliminate the need to wind the string around the post, which removes yet another potential source of tuning stability issues. I highly recommend retrofitting Fender-style guitars with locking, staggered tuners.
Gibson-style guitars.
Guitars with three-on-a-side headstocks often don't have straight string-pull across the nut and the strings fan out somewhat from the nut to the tuners. With downward tension from the slanting back of the headstock also a factor, tuning issues can develop. That's why I religiously lubricate the nuts on my Gibson-style guitars. Using a dab of lubricant—such as Big Bends Nut Sauce—in each nut slot keeps the string friction to a minimum, and I do this every time I change strings. Adding a little to the point where the strings break over the bridge saddles doesn't hurt either.
One other tuning tip for Gibson-type axes: I'll check the tuning on the 2nd string at the 3rd fret as well as the open B. I often find that I need to tune the open B ever so slightly flat, otherwise the 3rd fret D note will be slightly sharp and that makes many chords sound sour to me. Once again, it's a balancing act and impossible to get a guitar perfectly in tune.
I hope you find these tips useful. It goes without saying that the more in tune you play, the more your audience will appreciate it!
[Updated 10/22/21]
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Neil Young announces the love earth world tour, kicking off this summer.
Starting on June 18 in Rättvik, Sweden, the first leg of the tour travels through the EU and UK. The North American leg begins in Charlotte on August 8 before concluding in Los Angeles on September 15.
Tickets are available beginning tomorrow, February 25 via an exclusive, 48-hour presale for Neil Young Archives members. General on-sale begins Friday, February 28. Click HERE for tickets and see the full list of dates below. More dates will be added shortly.
With his band, the chrome hearts—Spooner Oldham (Farfisa organ), Micah Nelson (guitar and vocal), Corey McCormick (bass and vocal), Anthony LoGerfo (drums)—Neil Young (guitar and vocal) is bringing his music and songs, new and old, to you. Their recent single “big change” is the first introduction of what’s to come on the love earth tour.
Neil Young is proud to partner with Farm Aid (co-founded by Neil Young in 1985) to bring HOMEGROWN Concessions to this tour, leading the way to change the live music food system. HOMEGROWN Concessions brings family farm food — produced sustainably with a fair price paid to the farmer and served on compostable serviceware — to music venues.
love earth world tour dates:
Jun 18 — Rättvik, Sweden — Dalhalla
Jun 20 — Bergen, Norway — Bergenhus Fortress
Jun 22 — Copenhagen, Denmark — Tiøren
Jun 26 — Dublin, Ireland — Malahide Castle
Jun 30 — Brussels, Belgium — Brussels Palace Open Air, Palace Square
Jul 01 — Groningen, Netherlands — Drafbaan Stedpark
Jul 03 — Berlin, Germany — Waldbühne
Jul 04 — Mönchengladbach, Germany — Sparkassenpark
Jul 08 — Stuttgart, Germany — Cannstatter Wasen
Aug 8 — Charlotte, NC — PNC Music Pavilion
Aug 10 — Richmond, VA — Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront
Aug 13 — Detroit, MI — Pine Knob Music Theatre
Aug 15 — Cleveland, OH — Blossom Music Center
Aug 17 — Toronto, ON — Budweiser Stage
Aug 21 — Gilford, NH — BankNH Pavilion
Aug 23 — New York, NY — Jones Beach
Aug 24 — Bethel, NY — Bethel Woods
Aug 27 — Chicago, IL — Northerly Island
Sep 01 — Denver, CO — Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
Sep 05 — George, WA — The Gorge
Sep 06 — Vancouver, BC — Deer Lake Park
Sep 10 — Bend, OR — Hayden Homes Amphitheater
Sep 12 — Mountain View, CA — Shoreline Amphitheater
Sep 15 — Los Angeles, CA — Hollywood Bowl
A digital pedal designed by Andrew Barta to replicate the dynamics and responsiveness of analog tube amplifiers. This stompbox offers preset clean, dirty, and lead tones, MIDI interface, and rugged all-metal housing.
As a staunch proponent of analog, Andrew Barta has never had the desire to venture into digital designs. The inventor of the SansAmp tube amplifier emulation technology, which debuted in 1989, Barta has remained loyal to the analog domain. That is, until now.
According to Barta, “To me, the main drawback of a digital modeler is the feel and the sound quality. It lacks dynamics and responsiveness. It sounds one-dimensional and it isn’t touch-sensitive, so the nuances of your playing style get lost. It limits your ability to change the tone by using your volume knob, picking lighter or harder. No matter how hard you hit the strings, the result is mostly the same. There’s no headroom and it doesn’t breathe. You are forced go to a different patch for a different tone. Ultimately, you have to conform to the device and play in a different way. So your artistic expression suffers. Artists have told me it’s like being in a cage. You have to wrestle harder to squeeze out the results and their fingers get really tired.
“Whatever device you’re using, be it an amp or SansAmp or modeler, it’s really a part of your instrument. Your instrument actually consists of the entire signal chain, not just the guitar. Digital is just a numeric translation and isn’t capable of preserving the individual personality of the guitar you use. The output is pretty much the same whether it’s a Fender or Gibson or Ric.”
Just as the original SansAmp was a personal mission to encapsulate tube amplifier sounds in a compact, portable pedal, Barta has long been on a quest to do the same in the digital domain. Never one to jump on a bandwagon, Barta wouldn’t “go digital” until he found a way to replicate the dynamics, responsiveness, and fluidity of its analog counterpart.
After many years, Barta “cracked the code.” This happened to coincide with the opportunity to collaborate with Marty Friedman. The result is the Marty Friedman Signature SansAmp.
An iconic guitarist who eloquently serves up enchanting and tearful melodies, as well as complicated notes that make your head spin, Marty Friedman surprisingly likes to keep his arsenal quite simple. The goal for Tech 21 was to embody his tone in a neat, compact, plug-and-play footprint. Marty’s focus is always on the music taking the spotlight rather than complex gear with distracting bells and whistles or requiring a cumbersome learning curve.
The Marty Friedman programmable Signature SansAmp comes preset with his main clean, dirty, and lead tones. Operationally similar to the SansAmp PSA 2.0, there are two modes: Performance mode to have your 3 main presets at the ready and Studio mode for up to 128 locations for custom presets.
Says Marty, “This is it! This pedal has been in the works for a long time and only an exceptional design engineer like Andrew Barta could make something with these beautiful tones so incredibly simple to use. Such bonehead easy-to-use effects haven’t been known to have world class sounds in them until now. I’m proud to put my name on the first one."
Controls include Reverb, 3-band active EQ, Drive, and Level. There’s also an adjustable Gate that dynamically and smoothly cleans up the signal, rather than cutting it off abruptly. Filteralters the tonality by manipulating the mid-range and is specifically voiced for Marty’s unique sound.
Other features include a MIDI interface to control the SansAmp externally, a chromatic tuner, an effect loop, 1/4-inch and XLR Outputs, and rugged all-metal housing and knobs. Utilizes included 9V DC auto-switching power supply with interchangeable international plugs for use anywhere in the world. Measures 7.5”l x 5.25”w x 2.0”h.
For more information, please visit tech21nyc.com.
There’s so much to explore when you decide to dip your toes into altered tunings.
There’s so much to explore when you decide to dip your toes into altered tunings. The jangly beauty of DADGAD and the new shapes found in open E and open C offers new inspiration. Caitlin Caggiano teaches you not only the easiest way to get into these tunings, but also a few handy shapes that will kickstart your playing today.
An imperfectly perfect routing job.
Take a moment to appreciate those quirks in your instruments that reveal their maker’s hands.
Let’s talk about obsessions for a minute. They come in all sizes and shapes; some are benign and harmless, while others can be cruel, crippling, or even life threatening. Members of 12-step and self-help programs remind us of how insidious our own self-delusion can be, which intrigued me enough to take a look at my gear and, ultimately, myself.
I took stock of any compulsive behaviors or things that kept me up at night. I tabulated items that pushed my buttons or irritated me. In the end, I had to admit that I’ve got issues—I’m obsessed. I can’t help myself, but I don’t want to either.
There are names and acronyms for what I have, but it all boils down to one thing: I’ve been obsessed with the little details. The little stuff that most people can pass by without a second thought. That candy wrapper teetering on the edge of the waste bin; I wonder, who could possibly tolerate that? That screwdriver with a worn tip? I’ve got to replace that! A small gap between a maple top and the binding? We can’t let that go. An uneven seam? To the bandsaw it goes, and then the dumpster. Those are the little glitches that make a statement individually and add up to a total that is less than what it could be. No, make that should be. Or should it?
The ancient Greeks were fascinated with the concept of arete, which refers to excellence or virtue. Arete represents the highest quality or state that something or someone can achieve. The German auto designer Ferdinand Porsche considered it almost a religion—indeed, the company’s motto has been interpreted as “excellence is expected.” I’m not imagining that I have the chops of a Porsche engineer, but we all have goals.Of course, there is a limit; otherwise, I’d never get anything done. I’m not crazy. So, in order to save myself, and possibly you, I encourage embracing a get-out-of-jail-free concept of sorts known to the Japanese as wabi-sabi.
Wabi-sabi plays a profound and integral role in Japanese culture and traditions, influencing various aspects of art, philosophy, and daily life. This aesthetic concept, ingrained into Japan’s culture, actually celebrates imperfection, impermanence, and simplicity. Some of the aesthetic principles of wabi-sabi include appreciating asymmetry, valuing roughness and simplicity, recognizing beauty in natural things, and embracing natural wear and tear. I think those of us who appreciate a real road-worn vintage instrument may already be part of the way there!
“As much as I don’t want my toaster to project sloppy construction, I do want beautiful instruments to approach perfection, while leaving little breadcrumbs that are evidence of the maker’s hand.”
For me as a musician and builder, I’ve come to soften my obsessions to appreciate and even look for the little “mistakes” in music and craft that tell me that a human being actually created those things. Things like off-mic banter in studio recordings, or fret buzz. As much as I don’t want my toaster to project sloppy construction, I do want beautiful instruments to approach perfection, while leaving little breadcrumbs that are evidence of the maker’s hand. Of course, under the microscope anything can be dissected and proclaimed imperfect, but there is a beauty to something that says, “This is as good as you need it to be.” Furthermore, you could say it’s beautiful the way it is because it has character shaped by virtues and flaws, just like a human being.
So, before I jump to a conclusion or judgement on a guitar, song, or most anything that is created by humans, I take a breath and consider character and personality. You might say that a perfect execution of lutherie might be flawless, but it’s the cold, sterile presence of the totally immaculate that I find flawed. When I look at the flatness of the finish on the top edge of a Collings headstock, I marvel at the determination behind it. But it’s not the entire beast, for that same guitar has telltale marks that prove it was made by people, not an alien force. They are the wabi-sabi—the maker’s mark.
I once owned a vintage Telecaster that was stunningly mint, but had a tiny knot in the maple fretboard, just past the 12th fret. Would I have returned it as unacceptable if I had been the original owner? Even at the time, many decades ago, I recognized the character that birthmark brought to my guitar. Even though it’s long gone from my collection, if I ever saw it again, I’d recognize it like an old compadre. And that, my friends, is what makes our instruments real to us. And I’m now obsessed with that.
