There are several different ways that you can tune your guitar. These include a pitching fork, manual tuning or pitching pipes. However, one of the most popular methods is to use an online guitar tuner.
Provided you have access to the Internet, you can tune your guitar this way no matter where you are. It is also free and simple to use too. Generally, there are two ways to use this type of tuner – either with or without a microphone – and we’ll take a look at both here.
When to use an online tuner
Ideally, you should tune your guitar on a regular basis, regardless of whether you have identified a tuning problem or not. This will improve your playing no end and it’s especially helpful when you are trying to learn guitar chords.
However, you are more likely to use this type of tuner when you realise that one or more of your strings is actually out of tune. This may be when you are practicing your guitar chords and guitar scales or when you are simply playing a piece of music.
Using an online tuner with a microphone
If you have a microphone connected to your computer, then this is the easiest way of using a guitar tuner online. First, you click on the string that you want to tune on the online tuner. Next, you simply play a string into the microphone and the tuner will tell you whether it is flat or sharp.
This is usually demonstrated visually with a needle that swings from the left to the right or on a scale. You must then adjust the string and play it into the microphone again and repeat this until the tuner tells you that the string is in tune. You then repeat this with every string until each of them is playing correctly.
Using an online tuner without a microphone
Even if you do not have a microphone attached to your computer, it is still possible to use a guitar tuner online. However, you will need to do this by ear. Click on the note of the string you want to tune online, then play the same note on your guitar. You will need to listen to whether it sounds flat or sharp. Adjust your string accordingly and then play the note again. Repeat this until the note you hear when you play your guitar sounds the same as the note you hear online. Repeat this for each of the strings on your guitar.
Either way of using a guitar tuner online is simple. Once your guitar is in tune, you will find that your guitar chords are much crisper and this will improve the overall standard of your playing. Doing this on a regular basis will not only keep your guitar in tune, it will also give you greater pleasure while you play.