Tuning by Harmonics

Some time back, Guitarist Mag's 'Broadcaster' supplement featured Ben Bartlett demonstrating how to fine-tune using harmonics around the 7th fret and tuning in octaves, etc.

Of course, I've lost this valued document

take a harmonic from above the 5th fret of your fat E and the 7th fret of your A string and tune until the waves stop. then repeat this again using 5th fret of A vs 7th of D, 5th of D Vs 7th of G and 5th of B Vs 7th of E. There isnt a harmonic way of tuning the B string as far as I know so I tune that to the 4 th fret of the G string.

Hope thats clear for you.

You can tune the open B string to the harmonic at the 7th fret of the low E string which is the same pitch.

Oh, and TV is crap in everyone's house every night (IMO)

The '5th and 7th fret harmonics' method has an inherent problem. The reason for this boils down to mathematics and is sort of explained at the website below. Also explained is a method of tuning which avoid the problem with the 7th fret harmonics.

IMHO the method recommeded relies heavily on the guitar being well setup. Any issues with string height at the nut or heavy finger pressure will cause problems which are just as bad as those inherent in the '5th and 7th fret' method. But it works for me - at least when I'm not using an electronic tuner.
http://users.adelphia.net/~cygnusx_1/equal_temperament.html

Cheers, Steve W

No disrespect to m'colleague Ben, but I'd steer clear of the 7th fret harmonics for precision tuning duties. The 5th of the harmonic series (which is what the 7th fret harmonic is) is slightly different from the 5th in our Equal Temperament system (which is what you want). So it's safest to stick with the octave harmonics (12th and 5th frets).

Here's the method I use...

1. Get the D string in tune from an external source (I prefer to work from the middle outwards; Eric Johnson apparently does a similar thing but starts on the G string).

2. Hit the 12th fret harmonic on the D string and use it as a reference for tuning the G string 7th fret and B string 3rd fret.

3. Hit the 12th fret harmonic on the G string and use it as a reference for getting the E string 3rd fret in tune (alternatively, use the B string harmonic to tune the E string 7th fret).

4. Hit the 12th fret harmonic on the A string and tune it to the D string, 7th fret.

5. Hit the 12th fret harmonic on the E string and tune it to the D string, 2nd fret.

You'll notice that most of the fretted notes I've used are around the 3rd-7th frets; this is based on the assumption that most of your everyday playing is going to be in that area. Also, this method assumes that you have a correctly positioned and slotted nut (ie that the relationship between the open strings and fretted note pitches will be correct).

Have anyof you guys experimented with Feiten or Earvana doobreyfirkins?

<< Have anyof you guys experimented with Feiten or Earvana doobreyfirkins?

I recall some rather good weed in Edinburgh, around 1978...

;0)

Earvana Doobreyfirkins was a welsh girl on my computing degree ISTR.

Seconded.

Have you guys heard 'Follow Me' by the Pat Metheny Group. The whole head of the tune is played on harmonics. You can hear the head here. Downloads in about 30 seconds http://makeashorterlink.com/?M553215C5

Cheers, Steve W

Bear in mind that your B string will be slightly sharper than an equal temperament B. The 7th fret harmonic gives a note 3x above the open E string (E = 82.407Hz):

82.407Hz x 3 = 247.221Hz

Equal temperament B (19th fret on the E string):

82.407Hz x 2^(19/12) = 246.942Hz.