Tuning question

David Rupert · From: Mesa, Arizona (via Mahopac, NY & Missouri).

Tuning Question.

I'm currently using an app to tune my pedal steel guitar...until I can replace my Peterson StroboPlus tuner.

I have it set to 442.5 hertz...I forget why. Should I set it to 440 hertz?

Not in love with tuning all A400...I temper tune. It will have to do for now.

Thanks!

Bill C. Buntin · Posted 9 Dec 2024 7:44 am

David, look at the current thread “see if you can answer this”. I think it gives plenty of answers to your issue.

Bill

Jon Voth · From: Virginia, USA

FWIW, A=440 is the standard tuning. Guitars and bass if they use their tuners will tune to this.

David Rupert · From: Mesa, Arizona (via Mahopac, NY & Missouri).

Thanks! I'm going to take it down to 440 as it should be...still don't remember why I set it at 442.5 hertz. I'll use this until I can buy an actual Peterson Strobe tuner again...love 'em!

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

Push the pedals down and then tune your forth string to 440. Let off the the pedals and see what you are tuned to.

That might help to answer your question.
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Bob

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

I believe this is the later Jeff Newman scheme, SE9 and SP9 on the HD. The A is 4 cents sharp on the E9 neck and 6 cents flat on the C6 neck.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

I tune to E=330, which equates roughly to A=441

Then when our guitarist, who is a good player and tunes carefully, plays his A chord, I find that it agrees perfectly with my open AB

Not sure why it works, but it does Smile

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Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

If A440 is the standard it just make sense to tune the 3rd string G# to A pedal to 440. That's the frequency we're tuning everything to. I know E is the root, but tuning the E, which has a frequency of 329 Hz. and some change, to straight up on the tuner doesn't put the guitar in A440 tuning.

As Bob H. stated, tuning your E to straight up on the tuner with the pedals down takes out the guitar's detuning factor. So if you tune your G# to A strings to A440 pedals down, that will put the relaxed E's a couple cents sharp. When you tune like this, you don't have to avoid open fret pedals down A chords/licks which I use a lot.

I don't use a Peterson but a chromatic tuner I have. I tune as above and tune everything else to ear from there as close to ET as possible. Another factor is that all guitars don't detune the same so a global chart might get you closer than not, but they're just not perfect for every guitar.

As I play D10s, I'll go a step further and use the relaxed E's on the front neck as a reference for the C6 tuning and tune those E's to the no pedals down E on the front neck.

Sumpin' gotta be the same for both necks.

So, that puts the C6 tuning a little sharp, but that works fine for me. Ears can tolerate a bit sharp more than flat.
I can still play open string C6 licks and chords that sound in tune with everybody else.

David Rupert · From: Mesa, Arizona (via Mahopac, NY & Missouri).

Thanks everyone...for all of the great advice...I appreciate it!

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