Guitars that are really in tune sound dramatically clearer, bigger, meaner and just plain more musical. Creating this perfect pitch involves overcoming many guitar tuning problems. Common faults include the guitar's action, the age or quality of the strings, string stretch, string slippage, and of course, the competence of the musician.
The human being is by far the biggest variable in the complex world of tuning. Emotions and psychological factors play a considerable part in the way in which a person hears and responds to the sounds of music. This is also true of the way in which they judge tunes. Chemical and hormonal levels within the body vary drastically at different times and change the way humans interpret the music they hear. This is a recognized phenomenon known as "psycho acoustics".
Physical conditions of your body also impact on the way you feel about pitch, intonation and tuning. The human ear canals and sinus cavities are examples of human physical variables that can do strange things with regard to perception. Allergens and different air temperatures interact with the physics of hearing. Even the cycle of electrical motors humming at the wrong resonance clashes with the harmony of musical instruments in the human brain.
Environmental elements also produce problems. Air currents, stage lighting, sunlight, and particularly humidity and thermal changes can produce problems with the mechanics of this instrument. Wooden components are most susceptible to these variations.
Causes of poor intonation include the physical placement of the saddle. Wear on the string's contact points, such as the frets, nuts and saddle, is another consideration. Very tall frets, the gauge of the strings and an action that may be too high can also complicate the pitch setting. This is all before the playing technique is even mentioned.
Experts have already seen how the human is the single biggest variable in tuning. Physical considerations such as the environment, the quality of the guitar itself and in particular the strings also interact with the process of human hearing. Science and art meet in the determination process.
Scientifically, what may appear to be a simple musical note to the human ear, is in fact far more elaborate. Playing an individual note generates a "harmonic series" of integer overtones. The intervals between these vibrations are known as "octave stretching". Elasticity of a guitar string depends on the alloy and can deteriorate as the string is played and bent, causing variations along the length of the string. This difference in vibratory behaviour along the string's length is a major headache when tuning.
Guitar tuning problems are where art and science meet. Tangible things, the strings and instrument, the environment combine with psychological issues of human perceptions. Artistic compromises must be made.
The human being is by far the biggest variable in the complex world of tuning. Emotions and psychological factors play a considerable part in the way in which a person hears and responds to the sounds of music. This is also true of the way in which they judge tunes. Chemical and hormonal levels within the body vary drastically at different times and change the way humans interpret the music they hear. This is a recognized phenomenon known as "psycho acoustics".
Physical conditions of your body also impact on the way you feel about pitch, intonation and tuning. The human ear canals and sinus cavities are examples of human physical variables that can do strange things with regard to perception. Allergens and different air temperatures interact with the physics of hearing. Even the cycle of electrical motors humming at the wrong resonance clashes with the harmony of musical instruments in the human brain.
Environmental elements also produce problems. Air currents, stage lighting, sunlight, and particularly humidity and thermal changes can produce problems with the mechanics of this instrument. Wooden components are most susceptible to these variations.
Causes of poor intonation include the physical placement of the saddle. Wear on the string's contact points, such as the frets, nuts and saddle, is another consideration. Very tall frets, the gauge of the strings and an action that may be too high can also complicate the pitch setting. This is all before the playing technique is even mentioned.
Experts have already seen how the human is the single biggest variable in tuning. Physical considerations such as the environment, the quality of the guitar itself and in particular the strings also interact with the process of human hearing. Science and art meet in the determination process.
Scientifically, what may appear to be a simple musical note to the human ear, is in fact far more elaborate. Playing an individual note generates a "harmonic series" of integer overtones. The intervals between these vibrations are known as "octave stretching". Elasticity of a guitar string depends on the alloy and can deteriorate as the string is played and bent, causing variations along the length of the string. This difference in vibratory behaviour along the string's length is a major headache when tuning.
Guitar tuning problems are where art and science meet. Tangible things, the strings and instrument, the environment combine with psychological issues of human perceptions. Artistic compromises must be made.
