How to Tune A Guitar...

If you're a beginner and wondering how you make sure you play the right notes, or wondering why you sound so rubbish, it might not be lack of skill that's making you sound bad...it could be that your guitar isn't it tune! Don't put it down just yet...let us show you how.

You might be reading this as you're looking to buy your first guitar (or buy someone their first guitar) so make sure you include a guitar tuner in your list of essential accessories...or your Christmas stocking filler list! Most of our guitar starter packs come with all the essential accessories you need as a beginner, if not check out our range of tuners.

Anyway, moving on...read on to see info on how to tune your acoustic, electric and bass guitar and out our recommended list in a range of prices.

How often should you tune your guitar?

We'd recommend tuning your guitar every time you play it. Playing a lot can cause it to become out of tune - and it'll do no harm whatsoever to tune it regularly! Plus, you'll sound better. Tuning your guitar to an electric tuner regularly will help you learn to tune in 30 seconds instead of 5 minutes, and if you're a beginner you'll learn to distinguish the difference in sounds more easily whilst learning the notes- a problem that loads of beginners struggle with at first.

Electric tuners

Using an electric guitar tuner is way easier than using another instrument like a piano to help you. Firstly, you can buy electric tuners for as cheap as £9 which are very portable and easy to use.

To tune your acoustic/electric/bass guitar you have to pluck the string you wish to tune. The tuner will use its built-in mic to pick up the sound and the indicator will tell you how close you are to the right pitch and whether you're sharp or flat.

Dolphin Recommends

Korg tuners have become worldwide favourites thanks to their high accuracy and superb functionality. They also are the cheapest in our range here at Dolphin...yet they also are the most expensive! Here are a few of our bestsellers from cheap tuners to expensive, top of the range tuners.

Korg GA-1 - £9

Features:

• Ultra-compact design. 
• High-precision LCD needle-type meter for stable tuning
• Quinta Flat Tuning mode lets you tune 1--5 semitones flat
• Supports 7-string guitar tunings.
• Sound Out can produce a reference tone from the internal speaker.
• Auto Power Off function conserves battery life.
• Approximately 100 hours of continuous use.

Fender Green Tuner - £29.99

• No need for batteries!
• Built in microphone for tuning acoustic
• 1/4" jac for tuning electric instruments
• Built in flashflight

Korg GT-120 - £50.07

• Dedicated chromatic tuner for guitar and bass that supports seven-string guitars and six-string basses.
• Dual display combines a needle-type indicator with an easy to read backlit LCD screen. 
• Choose from two tuning modes: Auto or Manual. 
• Built-in reference tone plays in a 5 octave range. 
• Flat Tunings: 1-4 in half-note steps. 
• Five types of open tunings (D, E, G, A, DADGAD). 
• Broad range of calibration adjustment (438Hz – 445Hz). 
• Built-in mic for tuning acoustic guitars. 
• Long battery life of more than 100 hours, plus a battery status indicator. 
• Durable suede-type soft case is included

Boss TU-88BK Micro Monitor Tuner - £55.25

• Three tuning modes (Chromatic, Guitar, Bass), Flat Tuning function, and ACCU-PITCH verification with an audible beep
• Built-in headphone amp lets you tune, warm up, and check your effects in private
• Built-in metronome with selectable rhythmic patterns and volume control
• MIX IN allows jamming with an external music-playback device (iPod, etc.)