This is something that all guitar players and bass players must know because depending on where you are playing, not knowing how to tune a guitar or bass without a tuner might hurt you.

Why does having a guitar tuned help?

For a guitar that is not correctly tuned, it can be impossible to get the pitch right, this is why mastering the Art of Tuning Your Guitar Without a Tuner can be very beneficial.

Not properly tuned will make it impossible for your guitar to sound right even when you are playing correctly.

Guitar tuning for beginners is a guide that will help you learn more about guitar tuning and why it is one of the most crucial skills that can make a difference in your guitar career.

However, I will show exactly how to Master the Art of Tuning Your Guitar Without a Tuner” effectively, in no time, and in the easiest way no one ever thought.

In this blog, you will learn how to master the Art of Tuning Your Guitar Without a Tuner”?

1. Why tune by ear is important
2. What are the different methods of tuning a guitar
3. Tune your guitar effectively without a tuner.

The Ultimate Guide to Tuning Your Guitar by Ear

Before I tell you more about let me give you a brief story of how I started learning guitar, it will be easier to understand the importance of tuning a guitar without a tuner.

When I was learning guitar back in 2002, only rich people could buy a good instrument for their kids, but unfortunately, I was not one.

I said that because back home where I am from, no parents would ever invest in music for their kids, most parents dream of their kids becoming lawyers, doctors, or engineers.

Second, my parent didn’t want me to learn music, but fortunately, I always have musicians in my neighborhood.

I used to play guitar made with an oil container, and a 128oz oil can that some family in the neighborhood used, and we took the gallon shape it like a guitar body and nails a wood shaped like a guitar neck.

Create some tuners with pieces of wood to shape the headstock and use nylon strings.

Nowadays kids have choices that old people in their 40s now didn’t have.

Now if could not afford a guitar I don’t want to talk about buying a tuner, I remember the first form of tuner That I used was something called a diapason.

At that time, only professional musicians would own a diapason.

Why is tune-by-ear beneficial?

There are a lot of benefits in tuning your guitar by ear, I always tell my student when I teach music that, music is not played by hand but by ear.

Your hands just execute what your ears send to them, someone who can’t figure out when a pitch is right will have difficulties playing music or singing.

here are some benefits of tune by ear:

1. No tuner available

In case you are in a situation where you have to play but something happens and have no tuner with you, tuning by ear will help you.

2. Battery dead

Let’s say the show already started and there’s no way to stop by the closest store to purchase batteries, If you don’t know how to tune without a tune you’re fired.

3. Good ear training

Learning to tune your guitar without a tuner will help you train your ear, and help you to identify the right pitch all the time.

Playing with other musicians will help stay on track and stay in the same tune that the other musician is playing.

That as well will build strong pitch matching, because the more you practice tuning a guitar without a tuner your ears will be sharper, and your listening skill will be more on point

Another benefit of tuning by ears is, let’s say you’re playing and one string is giving you a lower pitch that makes your tune not right.

At that moment either you’re playing lead or you’re soloing, if you can’t tune your guitar while you are playing, you might be in the headline of a magazine the following day.

And when that happens someone’s career is in danger.

What are the different methods of tuning a guitar?

There are different methods of tuning a guitar, of course, you already know the electronic tuner method since we are talking about how to tune my guitar without a tuner.

Here are some methods used to tune a guitar properly without a tuner.

The first method I’m going to talk about is the matching pitch method(5th fret method)

Matching pitch method, I use for a long time, because I could not afford a tuner, and also it was not easy to find where I’m from.

To find one it’s either you have someone leaving in another country and they can gift you one, or tune by ears.

How does it work?

If you are playing alone just tune the first string at the desired pitch not too high and not too low either because you will use the first string to tune the other 5 strings.

Some people start on the 6th string to get to the first but for me, starting from the 1st string to the 6th string works better for me.

But either way, you will get the same result.

Here’s the formula:

Press the second string on fret 5 and match the pitch with the first string open

Then press the third string on the 4th string and match it with the 3rd string open

The fourth string on the 5th fret matches it with the 3rd open string

Press the fifth string on the fifth fret and match it with the fourth open string

and last press the 6th string on fret 5 and match it with the fifth string open

1st string open, press the 2nd string on the fret 5

2nd string open, press 3rd string on the 4th fret

3rd open, press 4th string on the 5th fret and so on.

After done with this process play the c scale or any scale up and down on all 6th strings on the guitar, then play a major chord.

If the sound is still not right repeat the process but be careful not to set it too high, keep it as low as possible, and if you have a runner available you can compare the pitches.

Conclusion

This will require some practice and it is worth the time spent practicing Master the Art of Tuning Your Guitar Without a Tuner.

I wish you luck on your guitar learning process, check these 10 steps to take your guitar skills to the next level.