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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → Tuning and Electronic Tuners
I just started playing the guitar 5 months ago. I bought a Korg GA30 tuner. I was playing on the weekend and a guy said that my guitar was way out of tune. He has been playing for a number of years. I checked it with my tuner and it was bang on. Who is right the tuner or him?
Hey jolt.
Just checked the Korg site and there are two possibilities here.
1: Your tuner has a "Flat" function which means that it will tune all the strings equally flat; for instance Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Bb, Eb for 1 semitone flat or D, G, C, F, A, D for 2 semitones flat. If there is another tuner or an electronic keyboard you can check your tuner against these. I don't know this model, but I presume that if you did hit the "Flat" button by mistake it will be reset when you switch off and on again.
2: Your guy tuned wrong (if he had a guitar) and set his guitar equally flat OR sharp (as in the above).
While writing I've thought of a third possibility:
He wanted to put you down to big himself up. In which case - don't let them grind you down! If I'm wrong, I apologise to him unreservedly.
If this last IS the case, and I do hope it's 1 or 2, I bet he's not a member of Chordie where everyone I've swapped posts with (or just read) will give you a hand up rather than a put down.
I hope this solves your problem or entices those here who know more than I to put things straight.
Keep going! Keep practicing! Keep meeting and talking with other musicians and if in doubt as to their sincerity check with Chordians!
Good luck! 
I have a sabine and it has a calibrate funtion which is similar if you play a note and press this switch it will concider this as pitch and if you turn the tuner off it defaults back to A 440 (concert pitch) I dont know about korg but I would imagine its similar 
Hey Russ.
(See what I mean jolt, this guy will always steer you right!!! )
I checked before answering and couldn't see a calibrate function. Here's a pic and the link in case I've been typically stupid and missed something:
http://www.korg.co.uk/products/tuners/ga30/tu_ga30.asp
Thanks for the help guys. I think this person thinks that these things are not accurate and is skeptical about them. I am pretty sure that i had it tuned properly. The green light was lit on all 6 strings. Thanks again for all the help.
If 2 of more guitars are playing together what should you do?
1. Does each playier tune independently from each other?
2. Do you tune each guitar to be exactly the same?
3. Do you tune by electronic tuner?
4. Do you tune each guitar by ear?
5. Do you call each other a dirty name and pack up your toy's and go home?
Nela
Nela,
We usually tune up with chromatic tuners,then check each other out with a few chords to see if we have it right.Alot of times one of us will use a capo and play the same key in a different progression up the neck.
In regard to tuners I recently purchased a chromatic tuner that was alittle over a half step off.I didn't notice it right away,so I don't know if it come out of the box like that or not.I noticed it when I broke a b string on a kids guitar and thought i better check it out and sure enough it was a little over a 1/2 step off.The store replaced it and has sold 100's of them and hadn't seen it before but I guess If I had any doubts on a tuner I would check it with another source.
The Sabine stx1100 I have is dead on I also have tuner funtion in my Boss br-8 digital recorder and it is identical with regards to A 440 with my sabine tuner I think I paid around $60 for it 15 yrs ago it was concidered the best at the time I think its cost more now, I dont know what the korg sells for but im sure they have a chromatic tuner like mine that has the same feature but more costly. KajiMa I checked out your link and I couldn't locate any calibration funtion so I think this is one of there basic tuners
Hi Jolt....just because the green light is on, does not mean the string is in tune if it is the wrong string showing up. If you are tuning the low E string for example....make sure the tuner is showing the RIGHT string as in the picture of the turner above....same thing for all the following strings...6E, 5A, 4D, 3G, 2B, and 1E. I only mention this as a know a new guitar player that made this mistake. It does happen! You can't just depend on a green light! Happy tuning!
Hi All,
Back to the tuning multiple guitars line of thought.... when our group gets together, everyone tunes with their own electronic tuners. I check mine periodically with a tuning fork as it's "reference" can be recalibrated. Then we tune to each other by ear which compensates for small differences in intonation.
Works for us, but your mileage may vary!
Take Care;
Doug
Hi Vxn911,
I had made the mistake you mentioned when i first got the tuner, but have since learned how to use it. Thanks for the input though.
In the studio it's always my tuner and mixing people live it's always the artist(s) call.
For our Monday night session we always tune ourselves to our own tuners after leaving instruments to acclimatise. There's only one other guitar player and not only is he a (not THE) southpaw, but he has his own open tuning and the two work together - this guy makes his guitar SING!!!! Perhaps it's the plethora of different instruments - average Monday, not busy -
2 guitars, one mandolin, one banjo, one Irish bazouki, one concertina, one uke, 3 harmoniums, one piano accordian, Northumbrian pipes, penny whistles, recorder, 2 violins, two bodrans (pronounced Bohran) various voxes AND a hammered dulcimer. All acoustic!
If everyone plays together it's all you can do to hear your own instrument and vox, but thankfully this doesn't happen often and theirs plenty of opportunity for small groups to spring up here and there and most people are considerate.
Wouldn't a tuning fork go out with air pressure/temperature/bangs and dings more than an electronic tuner? Don't know, I'm asking.
The best tuning is to be had with a Strobe tuner
or an oscilloscope, but these are expensive.
I would love to know if anyone has any different techniques but I almost exclusively use the 12th fret harmonics through the pick-up of my electro-acoustic.
And, it's important with any stringed instrument to tune it from flat to tune, never from sharp to tune - it avoids the slack taking the strings flat (ter) as the tension only builds to in tune.
But aint that what makes this such a wonderful world? that most people do things differently giving the learner the chance to pick what works best for them.
Except in my studio - less time wastage, less arguments!!!
Thanks for the help guys. I think this person thinks that these things are not accurate and is skeptical about them. I am pretty sure that i had it tuned properly. The green light was lit on all 6 strings. Thanks again for all the help.
Trust the machine over your ears every time. If the dude wants to argue with an electric tuner, let him. If he wants to continue with that, go buy an A-440 tuning fork and validate the machine.
Hi KajiMa,
In answer to the tuning fork question: Incredibly durable and accurate device. Always on pitch regardless of environment, and never never never needs batteries! I think you could ruin one by tossing it in the fire at your next sing-along (by cooking the temper out of the steel), but otherwise bulletprooof. Also only about $8.00 USD. Worth owning and makes an excellent paperweight to keep your music from blowing away if it is not too breezy.
Take Care;
Doug
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → Tuning and Electronic Tuners
