MP3: Culkin - Pay per fist

What do you get when two ex-bassists from KVLR form a new band together? Could it be noisy 90s-style indierock? Why, yes it could! Surprise! Seriously though, why aren't there more bands playing this kind of stuff? I do love big pop melodies buried in fuzz, especially when layered with huge effects-laden guitar hooks. And when they get that off-kilter, curved-air quality? Perfect! Don't let this sound die, people! It's not retro, it's just good. This is what I consider true (tr00?) indie rock. As a bonus for all you nerdy Swede-rock historians, they even cover "Allegiance" by Blithe - how cool is that? Download today's track and then head to myspace to hear more: http://www.myspace.com/culkin

For most songs, use a tuning of E A D G B E (starting from the lowest pitched string). This is called standard or open E tuning. The word open in this case refers to a note played by plucking a string without pressing down on a fret.

The G String compares to the G on the piano keyboard that is 3 white keys to the left of middle C.

Here Are The Steps:

How To Tune A Guitar To A Piano or Other Reference Sources

The Low E String (the thickest and lowest sounding) compares to the E on the piano keyboard that is 12 white keys to the left of middle C.

3. Compare your strings to the reference.

2. Find an accurate reference sound source for the notes of each string.

1. Decide which Tuning Standard or an Alternative

This article will focus on how to tune a guitar using the reference tuning method which involves comparing each string of the guitar to a sound of the correct pitch that is known to be in tune.

The D String compares to the D on the piano keyboard that is 6 white keys to the left of middle C.

Pluck one of the strings starting with number 6 (the lowest pitch), at the top of the guitar neck. Compare it to the reference sound. Is it higher in pitch (sharp), lower in pitch (flat) or exactly the same (in tune)?

3. Make it a game. Tune against a reference sound then compare it to the electric tuner to see how many times out of 10 you get it right. Compete against a friend.

1. Make tuning a part of every practice session. It will soon become second nature.

Above all relax and be patient with yourself. Some days you will be able to quickly tune and others, even after you become pretty good, you may feel confused. This is very common. If you give this the importance and practice frequency of other aspects of learning guitar you may be surprised how quickly you will develop the consistently sensitive hearing required for this important task.

5. Try to hear the sound pulses that come from simultaneously playing a reference sound and an out of tune guitar string. The slower the pulses the closer they are to being in tune. When both notes are perfectly in tune the pulses disappear completely.

4. Make sure that you are rested and in a quiet room for best concentration.

At first, you may not be able to tell if one note is flat or sharp compared to the other. It takes experience and patience just like learning to coordinate the fret hand and the strumming hand. Here are a few tips for developing a tuners ear:

The High E String (the thinnest and highest sounding) compares to the E on the piano keyboard that is 2 white keys to the right of middle C.

The A String compares to the A on the piano keyboard that is 9 white keys to the left of middle C.

Tuning a guitar using a piano is a simple matter of finding and comparing the notes on the keyboard that correspond to each open string of the guitar. Since a traditional piano has strings that can go out of tune it is often more accurate to use an electric piano or keyboard.

It Takes Time To Develop An Ear For Tuning A Guitar

If it is flat the string needs to be tightened so that it will vibrate faster to produce a higher pitch sound that matches the reference. This is accomplished by plucking the string again then turning the tuning peg that is associated with that string.

4. Adjust the tension of the string until it matches the reference.

The B String compares to the B on the piano keyboard that is 1 white key to the left of middle C.

Tuning With A Piano As A Reference Source

If the string is sharp it needs to be loosened to match the reference pitch. However, do to the mechanical characteristics of most guitars it is important to first loosen the string until it is lower in pitch than the reference. Then tighten it up to the reference. The reason for this is that a freshly loosened string often will continue to change in pitch after you think it is in tune. A freshly tightened string tends to be more stable.

This can be an electric piano, a tuning fork or an Online Guitar Tuner just to name a few.

The key to this method is finding the middle C key on the piano. On a full sized, 88 key piano the middle C is four octaves up to the right of the lowest C on the far left of the keyboard. It is also four octaves to left of the highest C on the right.

2. Use a chromatic electronic tuner as a double check.