Do “Sweetened” Tunings Really Make You Sound Better?

[@thegreenembers]

I use something called les Paul tuning, basically you put your guitar in tune play for 2 minutes. Then the guitar puts itself in a sweetened tuning

[@WW-1995]

Wow this joke is so original

[@astr43us]

The G string goes out by a half-step after one bend

[@WW-1995]

@@astr43us You need to string it differently, there's plenty of tutorials on KZbin. That might solve your issue.

[@astr43us]

@@WW-1995 It's a Gibson joke

[@aeoteroa818]

@Chill Music 4 Study w w is right, 0/10 weak ass boomer joke

[@notanotherguitarchannel]

I use the standard, "close enough for rock n roll" offsets.

[@stratonut]

it works for me

[@good_king_guitarman1334]

Works for me too!

[@h.markhorton8188]

What are these offsets? Your own ears r a standard offset?

[@neslesman6708]

I believe the Les Paul Junior epitomizes that sentiment.

[@BCTGuitarPlayer]

440 or a half step lower depending on what YOU prefer to hear. Everything is subjective.

[@billsybainbridge3362]

Rhett, in future when discussing alternate tunings, it might be useful and informative to try with a super clean tone as well as the Harmonically richer "Edge of Breakup" tone you're so fond of (and maybe even a full-on Distortion tone for contrast). The extra Harmonics actually change the perception of tuning, by making the Spectra overlap differently against the fundamental, especially depending on how complex the Chords are. Cheers, and another great video! :)

[@RhettShull]

Great point! I hadn’t considered that.

[@fredstevens799]

I've found that some significant overdrive greatly improves hearing the "beats" between the reference note and the note you are trying to hit (especially harmonics) when tuning by ear.

[@halofour01]

Hugely good point!! Tuning for strummy stuff is way different than tuning for heavy stuff.

[@grahamtaylor3093]

But then again Brett say’s that he hears the difference and that is what is important. We all hear things a little differently, so super clean to full distortion it’s up to the person playing. I tune as I play because it sounds better, not had many complaints after 50 years of playing. Great vid to get a guitarist thinking.

[@billsybainbridge3362]

@@grahamtaylor3093 - Sure, I get that, and agree that in the end the player's choice rules. The bottom line is that his videos explore all this subtlety for the benefit of others though, hence my comment about showing the range of effect. ;)

[@polyglottenforpain]

I've been trying to explain to a friend guitarist why I tune by ear to fretted notes after tuning my b and a strings to pitch. Didn't even know there's a name for what I was (amateurishly) trying to do, much less so many techniques and variations! Thanks for giving me something to show them and giving me so much more to try.

[@godzilla964]

There's nothing wrong with using a tuner, just tune the initial attack and not the decay.

[@dsego84]

Yeah, if you only tune the open strings, then fretted notes won't be in tune, I've learned to detune the e string on my ukulele slightly, so the fretted g will be in tune for chords, otherwise it's very sharp. It's a compromise, but sounds better.

[@Okla_Soft]

Paul David’s video on this subject where he uses frusciante’s riff as an example is such a great lesson. I always knew that the 12-tone scale was a mathematical “compromise” or “best-fit”, but I had no idea how off certain note-relationships were in specific chords, and the fact that certain de-tunings can make a specific chord sweeter was very eye-opening. You can really use your ear as a scale instead of a chromatic tuner.

[@nunyobusiness7676]

Could someone please link Paul's video? Would love to give it a watch.

[@dpatt6175]

Why don't you give him a kiss then. And sign up for his course while your at it.

[@audibletapehiss3764]

@@dpatt6175 No one likes you.

[@kitten-whisperer]

@@audibletapehiss3764 I like him.

[@efrainmarroquin741]

2:17 Open chords with Standard Tuning 4:30 Open chords with Sweetend Tuning

[@DizzySaxophone]

This issue with sweetened tunings is that it all becomes meaningless once you’re laying with another instrument that is locked into equal temperament. A chamber ensemble will tune on the fly in a piece to make chords sound correct, but if you have a keyboard instrument that can’t move, then you stay locked with that instrument. EVH tuning his B down 13-15 cents for the major 3rd on that string works when it was just him and Michael Anthony, but it doesn’t work as well when you have synth/keyboard going on. Make sure you take your ensemble into consideration when trying these.

[@yearginclarke]

Yes, this is very good knowledge that I'm glad you mentioned!

[@indignocat]

That's why I always thought that sweetened tunings are mainly a guitarist / bassist thing in small bands.

[@CyberChrist]

That's certainly possible to mimic with synths, though ;)

[@brianholland5453]

I find tuning a guitar with fretted/capoed strings is best when you’ll be playing with a piano.. since fretting adds tension and drives a note a bit sharp (and most notes, at least for the things I usually play, are fretted rather than open strings), getting the guitar “in tune” when fretted/capoed at say the 5th fret is going to make it match the piano better. If playing a lot of cowboy chords/open strings, I’ll try to tune halfway between “open strings in tune” and “fretted strings in tune”… the open strings will register as a tiny bit flat and the fretted notes a tiny bit sharp, but splitting the difference that way comes closest to having all of the guitar notes “match” the piano. If I just tune the guitar perfectly with open strings, the fretted notes are sharp enough against the piano to drive me crazy.

[@michael1]

Why would a synth be locked? I can see what you're saying makes sense for an acoustic piano but a synth can pretty much play any pitch when you press any key (and many if not all of them have ways of bending or altering the pitch)

[@coryharris7362]

Shouldn't the 2nd fret on the D string be used to tune the high E, not low E? Edit: Regardless if it was done “correctly” or not for that specific method, I appreciate Rhett making videos like this. I learned a lot from this video and will definitely be experimenting with different tuning methods. Thanks Rhett!

[@greg77hot]

NO

[@coryharris7362]

@@greg77hot if not, there's nothing controlling the high E pitch using that method. If I were using this method and tuning by ear, it'd be an endless cycle because the low E would need adjusting every time I get back to it

[@NathanArhur]

Yeah immediately went to the comments to see if anyone else caught that. sounds like the low E and high E are both out of tune for that segment of the video. oh well!

[@ak47dragunov]

yep, screws up the whole segment. Sounds bad

[@RhettShull]

You are correct, you should tune the high E with it.

[@TheWhollymoly]

All analog instruments are, by their very nature, imperfect. Befriend a saxophonist. Befriend a player of a non-fretted stringed instrument. They will open your eyes to a whole world of intonation possibilities. In the end, intonation is always the responsibility of the player. Take good care of your instrument. Learn its idiosyncrasies; then learn to do whatever it takes to make it sound in tune. I've never really thought about it, but I guess I go to great lengths to be in tune. I've never really thought about names, or theories, or concepts. I just know that my guitar is either in tune with the other instruments, or it's not; and if it's not, I do whatever it takes to correct it.

[@Patrick-857]

Yeah, this is actually the correct way. All these sweetened tuning options in digital tuners and multi FX units are fine, but you aren't relying on your ears, and you're still only getting a tuning that works in specific situations. You have to tune for what you're playing, and that's why the old school players tuned while playing.

[@mitchmaule6517]

Good shit

[@JohnMaxGriffin]

Violinist. We make micro-corrections to finger position on almost every note to get the intonation as close to perfect as possible. Always bugged me that piano and guitar and whatnot could never play quite in tune. Guitarists could do it too just by ditching the frets and radiusing the fingerboard and string position just a bit. Learning finger position without frets isn’t as hard as one would think.

[@Patrick-857]

@@JohnMaxGriffin I agree with you to a point, however a fretless guitar is basically a completely different instrument, with it's own sound and set of strengths and limitations.

[@JohnMaxGriffin]

@@Patrick-857 Yeah it probably would be a very different sound. Wonder if that could be mitigated.

[@jt3483]

I have the Peterson head clip tuner and use the sweetened GTR and ACU tuning on my electrics and acoustics respectively. I really like it. Seems to be more clear but also harmonically rich.

[@AvenEngineer]

Rhett any chance you've listened to this on KZbin at 2x speed? The chords sound so different. The difference between regular speed and 2x of the Am at 5:06 is wild.

[@ModernKaveman]

Thanks, Rhett! I own a Peterson Strobe tuner pedal and have seen sweetened tuning options on it and have always wondered. Thanks for educating us. Great job, sir!

[@gregorypease213]

Interesting and thought provoking video. I've been messing with adjusted tunings for years. The problem with algorithmically sweetened tunings is obvious; every guitar intonates slightly differently up the neck, and so the tunings have to be adjusted to the guitar, its scale length, string gauge, fret accuracy, intonation. In a recording session, it might make sense to sweeten tuning for specific parts played on certain parts of the neck, but playing live, it's a lot fussing about for minimal payback. There's an old trope that 12-string players spend half their time tuning, and the other half playing out of tune. If we're very critical, I think that's pretty much true for all fretted instruments. There are days I find myself overly obsessive and cannot stand the tuning of ANY of my guitars, and days I just don't care so much. Can you guess which days are the more joy filled and creative ones?

[@ted.the.human1]

so does this mean the sweetened tuning could mess up recordings cause its slightly off standard?

[@BrandonBames]

According to the late-great Mitch Hedberg, "sweetened" is a showbiz term which means "add sugar to."

[@ericajohnson7535]

Line 6 Helix has an ability to adjust individual strings' pitches when using the tuner: you can specify in all the individual pitch values for every string.

[@PapaWheelie1]

I use insane and don’t bother tuning at all

[@johnnybourbon4823]

I enjoyed this video thoroughly…as a player for over 50 years, the impreciseness of the guitar has always made any tuning a compromise. Throw in playing with other guitar/bass players, it has always been a challenge to be in tune with yourself let alone with the other players. My main gigging guitars are frankencasters with Warmoth necks having earvana nuts. This gets me as close as I can to be in tune across the fretboard as much as I can. Great explanation of these sweetened tunings…it’s worth exploring more

[@TylrVncnt]

Van Halen exclusively used a “sweetened” tuning - flattened B string so that it’s a pure Maj 3rd with the G string. Sick sound with distortion Distortion extremely illuminates how well (and how NOT well) intervals are in tune

[@Patrick-857]

Yep. Distortion adds and accentuates harmonics. A "perfectly tuned" guitar can sound terrible with distortion, thanks to a combination of equal temperament being equally out of tune in all keys, and the guitar being a very imperfect instrument that can never be in tune on all frets. Unless you get those squiggly compensated frets. It used to drive me completely insane until I eventually realized I had to accept that I had to tune by ear for the specific chords I was using at the time and avoid the bad sounding ones. Limitations breed creativity.

[@OneImperfectSaint]

I'm all for learning about new tunings. I'm glad to see another installment in this series. The Nashville tuning video really excited me for more

[@Kevin-the-Just]

I've gotten used to sweetening my tunings by ear. It's an imprecise process, varying from guitar to guitar, but it amounts to flattening the G and B strings slightly to account for string deflection under finger pressure. However, given that I still get annoyed by it occasionally, I think I might give the Peterson a try to get some consistency. Cheers.

[@stuartdocherty8409]

Because it has to be a peterson....? there are no other pedal tuners that allow offsets....?

[@briancrabaugh6966]

I’ve been doing this for a while. I think the tuning issue can also be helped with a compensated nut. Most guitars are not intonated between the nut and the 12th. Trying this to help open chords on my acoustic. Great video!

[@Bubba-zu6yr]

“I’m gonna need as many guitars as I have harmonicas, honey”. “Why is that? You already have ten”, she says. “Because tuning”, I say! 😉😅👍

[@Bob-Whiting]

Yeah, yeah! That's the ticket! lol

[@Peyote1312]

She's cheating on you. She really thinks your harmonicas are gay & dorky.

[@trustmetrusty3169]

I purchase only burst guitars, that way she never knows when I come home with a new one.

[@pnomis]

@@trustmetrusty3169 I bought a guitar from someone recently. He said he had a clause in his will telling his wife that she must under no circumstances sell any of his guitars for the price he told her he'd paid.

[@trustmetrusty3169]

@@pnomis that’s great😂🤣😂

[@DanielC__]

Not sure what happened to them but earvana made a nut that helped immensely with tuning on one of my guitars. A 17 year old Line 6 Variax that's a fine instrument. I was lucky to get one of their first runs from Japan before they moved production to Korea. That earvana nut made a huge difference. I probably wouldn't use it on my vintage Gibsons or Fenders but it was a perfect match for the Variax.

[@ktownson]

I’ve used the Earvana on a Variax as well. I didn’t notice a problem when playing with an acoustic piano, but sure did when I started playing with an electronic piano where tuning was more precise. Before that I used to tune the B string slightly flat and instinctive bend it into tune when playing an open D major chord.

[@barryjoslin432]

Been wondering about this very thing after buying the Peterson clip on tuner (amazing and worth it) and the Peterson pedalboard tuber (also worth it). Strobe tuning makes a huge difference. But I’ve always wondered what these “sweet” tunings are. Thanks man!

[@dotnex]

I almost forgot my clip on. It’s pricey, but great for acoustic gigs!

[@Emceekaz57]

I often tune my low E string a few cents flat when I play open position stuff featuring lots of G chords. I find it makes the major 3rd on the A string sit better in the chord without being too noticeable when playing most other chords.

[@impala666]

EVH would tweek his B string for different tunes. That's how he got the perfect power chords with a Major 3rd...as in Running With The Devil.

[@MikeTaffet]

Was waiting for someone to mention this

[@trulsolsen683]

So you're saying that all those hours, all that tuning, all that intonation, just to be able to play every Van Halen song in key... It was all for nothing??

[@Patrick-857]

John Fruscante did this on the RHCP albums too.

[@Skypie61]

Same with Page, whom I believe he got from Bert Jansch and Davey Graham. Kashmir has Double Drop D on 1st & 6th with 5th tuned down to A, or cents close to it. Is this the same concept?

[@Patrick-857]

@@Skypie61 I would say most of the old boys tuned by ear, and tuning for the particular song they were playing would have been second nature, very proficient players often tune as they are playing anyway. Digital tuners have brought "perfect" tuning to an imperfect instrument and created a generation of players who struggle to figure out why their instrument refuses to play in tune no matter how they try to perfect it. The Western tempered scale is part of the problem too, because every interval is a tiny bit out of tune in order to allow an instrument to play in every key. Tuning by ear creates it's own issues because the frets of the instrument are equal temperament, but your ears are telling you to tune to just temperament, and your instrument will never be perfectly intonated unless you're combining Evertune with whatever those squiggly frets are called, then maybe you'll be close. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't with tuning by ear or by tuner. Either way certain parts of the fingerboard are going to sound like ass, even if your setup is as close to perfect as possible. Imperfect instrument. There is something to be said for playing simpler music with no keyboards or the like. Solves most of the problem. Jimi Hendrix had him and bass player. He tuned the guitar to itself, probably tuned to sound good for that song, and the bass player likely tuned to him. Big difference in pitch between the one guitar and the bass also hides any pitch discrepancies. TLDR, the old boys just used their ears and didn't necessarily know exactly what they were doing, and whether intentionally or not, they worked around the inherent tuning issues of fretted instruments. Also equal temperament is a horrible compromise that sounds awful tbh. Bowed instruments, horns, the human voice ect all stray toward just temperament because that's what sounds good to they person making the sound. Probably why pitch corrected vocals sound so awful too. The human voice wants to stay hovering in and out of just temperament regardless of what the instruments are doing underneath. Perfect tuning isn't perfect. Make it sound good and bugger the rules. Not even classical music is in equal temperament all the time. Being perfectly in tune is a false god that will send you to a mental institution instead of enjoying playing music.

[@geraldponce8336]

Get a compensated bone nut and the tuning issues are over forever. Feel like it has more to do with the deflection of pressing the strings down. Especially up in the first position. Compensated nuts are like a six saddle bridge at the other end of the guitar. It is like Intonating the guitar from both ends

[@Jimmy2Bits]

12:00 Maybe people arent taking into account the string gauge that James Taylor uses vs typical acoustic string gauge (what you might find hanging on the wall of a guitar center) Maybe they arent taking into account the tuning as it applies to the radius of the neck that they are modeling his tuning after. I can think of a bunch of stuff that might could affect the way strings play and sound. Im not a luthier and I have no experience, but I am a thinker and can just imagine everything about a guitar that makes it unique. Then apply those characteristics to how a tuning would work/not work for them

[@fiddlefolk]

Great subject and explanation.... One thing that I find important with tuning is to never tune down to pitch but always up into pitch. The reason for this is evident as soon as you bend the string as it will drop in pitch. I believe this is caused by slack in the string is held by the nut binding the string until it is bent or played hard then when it releases, it is below pitch. Getting a guitar in tune is a huge topic and this might help with keeping it in tune. Thanks Rhett...Keep up the good work!

[@joethompson2910]

I always thought the same and I noticed while watching James Taylor that he seemed to not do that and would go above the note and then back down to the sweetend tuning, but maybe I just need to watch it again a little closer...

[@fiddlefolk]

@@joethompson2910 If you go down to pitch, the first time you bend that string, strike it hard, etc, it will go flat. if you tune up into pitch, it keeps the string under tension so it won't slip when you bend, etc...

[@riccampbell]

Whatever happened to the Buzz Feiten system - 20-odd years ago it seemed to be gaining popularity? I can say this, a luthier friend of mine set up one of his guitars (really sweet Cort) on the Feiten method and that guitar sounded amazing up and down the neck- rang so true above the 12th it was gorgeous.

[@maurbighley9792]

If I remember correctly, guitar manufacturers were reluctant to pay the licensing to install the Buzz Feiten system on their guitars.

[@tommanseau6277]

It was used on late model high end Washburn electrics. Really cool idea. Never got to play one though

[@johnmark7777]

I custom made a Strat with a True Temper neck (offset squiggly frets). The tuning is only a few cents high or low per string so you can play with other people and it's not noticeable as out of tune. Having all chords in tune on the neck including high fretted ones with open strings is simply wonderful. Plus, lead isn't that difficult on it either (for a slow hand like me).

[@latheofheaven1017]

I bought a True Temperament neck for my Strat and will never go back! It's consistently sweeter no matter where you are on the neck, as you say, and it's more in tune with any keyboards. Although I had a concern before I swapped the neck that my fingers would have to relearn where to go, in practice I found no problem right from the get-go. And so too for bending strings.

[@caixiuying8901]

I really want a True Temperament, but it really is just a more accurate Equal Temperament and some people confuse that with Just Intonation for some reason lol Multiscale Equal Temperament seems fucking crazy tho, I have yet to experience it

[@latheofheaven1017]

@@caixiuying8901 Yes, exactly - it's just making sure that each string as it's fretted, ends up precisely at the equal temperament pitch. But it really works. I'm not sure what more can be gained from multiscaling such a neck too - apart from ergonomic comfort.

[@AllenGarberGuitarFun]

Sweetened tunings are the answer that most great guitarists have used for decades and they don’t require squiggly frets or modifications and can be applied to any properly set up and correctly intonated guitar.

[@thedaver8]

I use James Taylor's offset tuning in my Helix all the time! I think it's a great tuning system that solves problems with the lower frets.

[@joemiller9856]

Agree! I’ve been using the Peterson sweetened guitar tuning for years! Especially useful when playing with a group where piano is a prominent member.

[@Phil_Hayes]

I have used the GTR setting on Peterson tuners for years. It sounds more musical to my ear. However, if the other guitarist is tuned with a different tuner….it’s like nails on a chalkboard. Rhett, I really enjoy your videos!

[@Dram1984]

This is key. It’s more important that everyone in the band be in tune to each other than be perfectly in tune. We always tune to the bass player and it works out just fine.

[@NotThatKraken]

It’s less of a problem when the guitars aren’t playing in the same part of the neck. As long as I stay off the bottom two strings, nothing I play is going to rub with the bass notes. In my groups, we all independently tune to an electronic tuner and pay a professional to keep the piano in tune. If I had to tune to another instrument, I’d choose the piano. The bass player can adjust to a piano tuned to A=442, but the piano really can’t adjust to anything.

[@castorkat4868]

then what good is it in a band situation

[@timhoughhough6370]

I'd never heard of sweetend tuning. But watching your video, it makes a lot of sense!

[@georgecovetskie6717]

Great Video. Thanks for sharing that info. If can add my findings about tuning, here is something I found when I'm on Bass with the rest of the guitarists. I have 3 basses and they are all good quality. I love great tone, especially on bass. I did all the setup on my guitars and basses and the bass was the most interesting. Doing the intonation, I have tweaked the adjustment so much that I get the 12th fret and the 7th fret both to lock the Peterson strobe dead on. Some extra ever so micro adjustments helped get the 5th fret also. Now I have all 4 strings giving me solid 5th, 7th and 12th fret solid strobe and the basses keep this setting for quite a while. ( Strings do age ) When I record in the studio and use my guitars, I find absolutely no fuss with any notes between them. When I am live with the other guys, I sometimes I need to ever so slightly bend some notes to make them sound like where together. We have 2 guitars and 3 part harmony so things can get crazy. I know they use a different tuner than I have ( I use Peterson ) they use that little round thing but we seem to be tuned together when comparing Open string to listen. When playing, things start showing up that make me work a little harder to make sure we sound right. I'm gonna try a sweetened tuning next gig on bass and see if that does anything to help. Thanks again for all you did here.

[@thomkopal1740]

I use Peterson "GTR" sweetened tuning on my electric guitars, but then I find it sounds much better if I tune both the G string (3rd) and B string (2nd) slightly flat to that setting. I don't know if this is because of my heavier string gauge (11-50 for most), higher action, heavy handedness, or even nut slot height. But it works for me. It is easy to see how all players can vary in different ways. For those who care to get deep, I feel it is important to take time to explore your own personal offsets. After all, there is only one Rhett Shull, one James Taylor, one Richard Peterson, and one you.

[@DavidFell]

I’ll bet it is those factors you cite. GTR works well for me as in, but I play 10-46.

[@denniskielton2447]

You could just get a True Temperament neck, preferably a Strandberg (I'm sure this will will draw fire haha) and then you have your sweetened tunings that work in every key. Not so well in different tunings, but they're currently making one for a sponsored artist that plays in drop C I believe. C-something at least haha

[@tkd4uandme]

I like the idea of having the offset for the capo, as I have had difficulty with that, especially with a 12 string. This is definitely something you would have to set up to your style, and the type of chording you tend to use. Interesting topic.

[@stein0niets]

i remember getting my classical guitar (w old strings) intune with and without capo with a piano.. it was horror. i should have worked with these kind of offsets makes total sense

[@MrFlint51]

12 strings can not be intonated properly if they only have 6 saddles; the high and low strings in each pair need different intonation points. For example, the "high 5th string" should be intonated at about the same length as the "low 3rd"

[@gimmickmusic8827]

To reiterate what Rhett said, Adam Neely has some incredible and informative videos on many different topics when it comes to music and the theory associated to it. I can’t recommend them enough.

[@Gene_Cali]

My Peterson Stroboclip has just arrived and this episode has helped demystify the sweetening process. Thanks Rhett.🎓🎸

[@markmark8174]

I do those same chord progressions! They make the body resonate so wonderfully. I learned by ear so I don't know what they're called, but you can run those chords all the way up and down the fret board. My mom used to say it sounded like a waterfall. You earned a new sub!

[@larsfrederiksen3005]

The "James Taylor" sweetened tuning works really well in my opinion (for standard tuning at least). low E: -12 cents, A: -10 cents, D: -8 cents, G: -4 cents, B: -6 cents, E: -3 cents Especially if you play a little 'hard' it works well, because when you hit, especially the lower strings, hard they are pitched too high in the attack. Also, it is really important to be consistent when you tune your guitar across all 6 (or more) strings. Do you tune at the "attack" of your string or do you tune it after is has "rested" a short while! Edit: Oh, I see at around 10 minutes Rhett tries that particular one :-)

[@KozmykJ]

I've found the James Taylor method works for me on some guitars and not on others. Why that is I can only guess at. The ways that the nut is cut, the actual accuracy of the nut placement and/or the accuracy of the frets ?? The same with the Kevin Ryan method. Works on some, not on others.

[@AllenGarberGuitarFun]

@@KozmykJ Offset tunings work on any guitar that has been setup correctly and intonated according to standard chromatic pitch first. You can apply any tuning offset to any guitar once this is done and the results will be almost identical on any guitar. A properly cut nut and an average, “non-extreme in either direction” action setup also help.

[@KozmykJ]

@@AllenGarberGuitarFun Hmmm no other variables possible eh ? Just 'Perfect' intonation, with straight frets . 🙄 I wouldn't argue the point. Others might ...

[@AllenGarberGuitarFun]

@@KozmykJ You miss my point. No solution is perfect. Physics don’t allow perfect harmony between all notes. My point is that the greatest guitar players of the last 60 plus years have used tuning offsets. They are free and they can be used on any guitar without need for modification. Zig-zag frets and the Buzz Feiten system are as much of a compromise solution that doesn’t yield perfection. Tuning offsets are just the easiest and best solution. I never said any solution was a “perfect” solution.

[@KozmykJ]

@@AllenGarberGuitarFun I did certainly misunderstand your first reply. I mistakenly took you to mean that these offsets could be applied identically to 'perfectly' set up guitars. As opposed to being applied as methods of mitigation of the various unavoidable imperfections. Mty bad.

[@murphvienna1]

Intro from RHCP's "Scar Tissue" is a famous example in sweetened tuning. If you check with a tuner, one note is 14 (?) cents off, to make the harmony mathematically perfect. The rest of the song is in regular equal tempered tuning.

[@HenritheHorse]

Was just thinking about it! Sounds so great "out of tune".

[@tomblankinship4750]

If you’re hanging out on the cowboy chords (which I tend to do on acoustic) I find tuning each string to the 3rd fret really improves things.

[@eliju420]

The Peterson guitar sweetened tuning is supposedly: E1 = -2.3 cent B2 = -2.1 G3 = -0.4 D4 = 0 A5 = 0 E6 = -2.3 Cent I've had these offsets set in my Axe FX for years and it sounds pretty damn on all my electric guitars.

[@JDStone20]

I use the sweeted tunings on the Cherub clipon tuners and my Peterston StroboStomp VS-S, and the Cherub sweeted tunings are supposed to be based on James Taylors sweetened tunings, and the match up with the Peterson GTR sweeting tunings. I like the sweetened tunings, I think it make my guitar sound better.

[@prodantech]

In Logic Pro X (and probably other DAWs), there’s an option that ensures your intervals are perfect all the time when using MIDI. I don’t recall where the setting was, it basically adapted the pitches as you played to make the intervals perfect. Another fun thing to check out.

[@SeanKerns]

I do a "smaller" form of this on guitar all the time. I loveLoveLOVE the sounds of open G and C chords when they're in tune, so I often tune the B string by matching the 3rd fret on the A and the 1st fret on the B. And then I tune the high E by playing the E and B open, and tuning the E until it stops being. And then, if I'm going to use the open Low E, I'll tune it to the high E.

[@julianmetcalfe1070]

You made some great points for using and for where not ,there was definitely a noticeable change which can be dialed in for many songs ,like you said not all ,good stuff keep up the good work Mr Rhett

[@sweathe3819]

I've had a Peterson Tuner for a couple of years, and never really understood the "Sweetened" thing. Thanks for the explanation and the demo that you did. I've always retuned that janky G string to match the E-string G, now I know why that sounds better.

[@CineSoar]

If I'm not mistaken, the James Taylor tuning is flatter on the low strings, in order to compensate for the way that they tend to ring sharper, when hit hard. If you pluck very lightly, and tune, then pick more aggressively, the lower strings will sound sharp. For this reason, I tune by muting the other 5 strings, and use my pick, exactly as if I'm strumming chords. I will have to go back and see, how closely my tuning matches JT's, if I then go back and look at the offsets, when using a very light touch on each string.

[@LPCustom3]

I've been using Peterson's tuning for about 15 years. I think it makes my guitars more intune compared to what I hear in my head.

[@d.rowley5023]

Quick pro tip. When tuning strike the open string then the third fret to find a compromise. This immediately compensates for intonation and equal temperament

[@nresnik]

Is it my speaker or my ear, but high E seems to be slightly flat almost all the time?! Near the end also G. And that was the problem for me to evaluate the “swet tuning“. Also, the spring reverb present in the recording did not help to understand the point.

[@gsbguitarsgsb679]

I bought a Peterson clip on tuner awhile back and was surprised at the additional tuning options available within a small clip on tuner. Tuning options for violin, mandolin, bass etc… then I read about the sweetener tunings and kinda stunned by it and also questioning the witchcraft of it as well. Definitely a new insight that I hadn’t intended or expected to involve myself in when I bought the tuner. All in all I would recommend the Peterson clip on or any other option they have for tuners. It’s worth the extra that Peterson has established as quality in tuning… lol… Thank you and good night… lol…

[@InsaneWayne355]

FYI ... Sweetened tunings addons for Peterson app are available on iOS ONLY, they are not available for android. Kinda defeats the purpose of even having a paid app on android

[@Matt-1d]

Sometimes when I play songs with a lot of arpeggiated A chords in open position, I’ll tune up the high E to sound better with the deflected E, A, and C#. I guess I’ve been sweet tuning without knowing it!

[@b.rodclark7349]

I tune my guitars this way in addition to E A D G harmonics on the 5th & 7th frets and 17th & 19th frets followed by B & E tuning them to the low E 5th & 7th fret harmonics. By the way, those notes and chords delivered by the raw mids of those P90s stand out so beautifully to the ears... great video Rhett!

[@Youtubemademeaddahandle]

I use a lot of open strings and tune the low E string by harmonic at the 12th fret. The rest are done by ear. Next, I tune the G string at the 9th fret to that. Then the high fretted t the 12th fret to the low E harmonic. Then I check the G string fretted at the 12th with the high E harmonic. I tune the A string harmonic to the G string fretted at the 9th to sound "sweet" (not an octave). This is the key to balancing. Then I tune the B string fretted at the 10th o the A string harmonic at the 12th fret. - which helps keep it from sounding sharp. This procedure balances to allow for good first position ("cowboy") chording and all along the lower octave of the neck. I believe the key is the A G and B strings balance. This can be checked by playing (0,12,0,9,10,0).

[@Andreas_Straub]

The Peterson Tuning App and the sweetened tunings are really great! I have been using those for quite some time and there is no way back for me 😎

[@craigkidd9524]

Amazing stuff. I watched a great video of an English piano tuner who explains this very well. How you MUST tune by ear instead of a tuner on each set of strings.

[@omkeeg]

My first introduction to sweetened tuning is the one used by Eddie Van Halen in "Running with the Devil," which sounds pretty amazing. However, I'm not sure I would apply these to my songs. Seems like a lot of trouble for not a big payoff.

[@ktownson]

Rhett, do you have an opinion on compensated nuts? Such a difference when playing with an electronic keyboard. I’ve put the Earvana nut on my last three guitars and it really helps.

[@chadherring2790]

I don’t know if you’ve ever done this but I started as a bass/cello player with a heavy hand, when I played guitar, I realized I could get near semi tones by applying more pressure to the fretboard, particularly on the wound strings. If you use your ear and play around with it you can really sweeten up some chords. Definitely a good exercise in musicianship…. Cool video, really dig the more musical and less gear-centric stuff you’ve done!

[@calebmunkirs9661]

I normally tune the g string down slightly and adjust the b based on how it sounds for a d chord. As long as it's intonated after being set like that, everything seems to sit well together

[@dcthegreatest24]

Great episode! I tried the Taylor tuning a few years ago, and I agree with your points on it. Generally for any purpose I will tune where there is the least amount of warble in the resonance depending on what positions, styles and chords I'm using most.

[@RobertLandrum13]

Interesting. I use a compensated nut which from the looks of how you ended up tuning the strings, does the job without having to tune funny. I highly recommend a compensated nut if you have a Strat that always sounds a little off when playing a C major chord and Am chord, both open chords. Major 3rds never quite sound right when in tune either? Compensated nut will fix it. Fixed both my Strats when all else failed.

[@zimmtec3118]

Luthier friend of mine (now sadly passed) went down this rabbit hole and built several guitars which were "optimised" (fret height, neck profile, string gauge etc) and only really worked with the specific tuning and setup they were built for.

[@TheZenguitarguy]

Buzz Feiten Tuning system is great. It requires a modified nut that moves the nut slightly forward by overhanging the fretboard very slightly. The offsets are in the peterson and work amazingly well. I believe John Suhr uses it on all of his guitars, and maybe Tom Anderson as well?

[@BrandonOutside]

I recently ran across some Grateful Dead behind the scenes/documentary videos on here, and there’s this funny moment between Phil and Bob while they’re tuning up. To quote the great Phil Lesh, “That’s close enough for rock and roll.”

[@samuelharris4683]

I was taught to always tune up to the target note, never down, helping to eliminate slip. I just used the ACU sweetener for the first time, and besides sounding great on acoustic guitars, it solves my problem of the capo making the strings go sharp.

[@TheFeelButton]

Oh that sweet, sweet tone tuning! Cheers Rhett!!

[@EveyoneCallsMeTheDude]

The way I understand it is that the ACU is a tuning that they worked with James Taylor to develop but they aren’t “the” James Taylor tuning.. they do have that one on as well it’s in the “guided sweetened tunings” and it’s called SBJ that’s the one that Ret dials into digital tuner.

[@rogeremmerson]

I enjoy your posts on alternate tunings and I've been using the Ry Cooder / Keith Richards 'five-string' for slide since the early 'seventies. Here's something else, though. Not so much a tuning but an alternate capo position is what I'm tempted to call the 'raised F#'. I learned it from the Northumberland singer/songwriter Richard Gardner in 2005. You reverse the capo and place it over the top five strings at the second fret. Using the D shape you can play E with a ringing double octave and a B drone that can sound like a twelve-string. Unlike dropped D, the block chords, other than the E shape, are unaffected by the relatively two-step lowered bottom string. Playing different chord voicings up the fretboard and utilising the drone potential results in a really full sound. I've written four songs using this system, two of which I perform in my solo set and one with my former band. I'd never heard of anyone else using this and wondered whether you had.

[@chrisgarver7904]

I recently bought a Peterson tuner and am just starting to work with it. I write and play on acoustic primarily and use open tunings on one of my guitars and C standard on the other. I have found the need to compensate when using a capo and on my Bourgeois which is tuned to open Eb.

[@seanwoodburn2616]

I have been adjusting for temperment for decades. There is no single solution if you are playing the entire neck in my opinion. Contrary to the popular belief that classical guitarists retune due to nylon strings stretching, it is more often that they are tuning for the composition they are about to play. Much of my early career was spent playing violone and other gambas in a brass consort that played music from the late Renaissance to the early Classical era on period correct instruments. I was the bass in the continuo. Several of my instruments had tied gut frets the purpose of which was to adjust temperment based on which instruments were being used and which key the composition was in. Trumpets and horns were natural instruments which is to say that they had no valves so scales are played in the overtone series. These are consort instruments whose intonation is very different. Add coronetti, recorders and sackbuts and you end up with five different sets of intonation...all of which the continuo had to anchor. Because of the diversity of our program material my continuo partner played lute much of the time but also doubled on various keyboards depending on the composition. The lute had to be tuned appropriately for the consort in play and the key of the composition. I am surprised that there was no discussion about Buzz Feiten's contributions to this never ending argument. I was visiting Dean Parks about twenty years ago and he was using Buzz's tuning system as were several other prominent studio players at the time. Buzz himself was no hack and might make for an interesting interview. Great content as always. Cheers!

[@James-eg3nf]

I have been doing this as well, especially with my LP, but I had no idea there was a name for it! I have always found that my Les Paul sounded better with certain chords if I "corrected" the tuning so that those chords sounded right. It was not an issue with intonation, it was just that if the guitar was tuned to a tuner or even properly to itself, it would sound slightly out of tune when fretting certain chords. Oddly, I don't have these issues with my tele or strat -- it could be due to the longer scale length.

[@seanwoodburn2616]

@@James-eg3nf HI James. It is interesting that your Strat and Tele sound better..I can tell you that it is highly unlikely that it is scale length. Radically short scale instruments CAN have more issues but the problem is well documented with 251/2" scale lengths and in fact Strats were the first instruments that I saw that Buzz had altered. It might be differences in setup. Did the same person set up all three guitars? Cheers!

[@robertashton8069]

James Taylor's offset would be best demonstrated on an actual acoustic.

[@AllenGarberGuitarFun]

@@robertashton8069 That’s true. The James Taylor offset is what Peterson used to create their “ACU” preset which is designed specifically for six string acoustic guitars. The “GTR” preset is designed specifically for six string electric guitars.

[@stein0niets]

a lot of players use tunings where the higher notes on the neck end up flat so they have some wiggle room underneath the notes (for solos). I love to flatten major thirds while playing by pressing towards the bridge (as like a static classic vibrato for example open A with 11th fret c# on the d string pressed down toward the harmonic). I used a sweetened style tuning for film music once but it was just two major chords shifting on the same strings (tuned the G down a lot and made a fretless basline).

[@averycriscitello3551]

Just tried this and its so nice. Literally my new favorite

[@InfoWithheld]

I have never used a tuner for the issues you mention. After years of this, my "by ear" tuning is pretty much the GTR tuning (the second sweetened tuning).

[@NotThatKraken]

I have a couple electric guitars with the Buzz Feiten tuning system. To me, BFTS sound a little closer to just tunings in “guitar keys” playing triads and simple chords around the twelfth fret, but it’s a subtle effect. I use the BFTS sweetened tuning on those guitars. For my non-BFTS guitars, I use the Peterson GTR sweetened tuning. I think it’s slightly less dissonant for simple chords in the middle of the neck. Guitars are, as Rhett mentioned, inherently imperfect instruments, so complex chords are always a challenge for intonation no matter what tuning you are using. I primarily play live, so strings rapidly going flat from bending or just being in the lights are probably making sweetened tunings a bit academic, but I use them just the same.

[@LeMalBeasty]

Check the sweetened slide tunings. They are basically true harmonic Versions of classic open Tunings - makes extremely sense, as when you play with a slide, you use the exact same harmonic relationships between the notes across the entire scale.

[@matthewbehrle4428]

Do you have a place where I can check something like this out? A thread or form or whatever, I REALLY interested in this now

[@bfish89ryuhayabusa]

I think that's what I do by default. I don't use tuners when going into an open tuning (other than to make sure it's rooted in the right pitch, and I often don't even do that), so I just use my ear, since it's all octaves, 5ths, and 3rds.

[@LeMalBeasty]

@@matthewbehrle4428 Not sure what you mean? Either check the Peterson websites for the available presets for slide or check the videos he mentions in harmonic scales and tuning. Or check wikipedia on harmonic scales & tuning. It‘s only about tuning Slide into Harmonic intervals & chords instead of tempered. I don‘t think there is much more theory to it than that. All non-fretted string instruments are usually played with harmonic tuning/scales. Before tuners, you only did it by ear and you did it automatically. Tempered is the exception, not the rule in the world of music ;)

[@xBergade]

@ 12:36 Not sure how fan frets fix the tuning problems. I guess that true temperament AKA the "squiggly" frets is what you meant?

[@schmargle]

Fascinating video. Thanks for that. I struggle with tuning all the time. When I was young, I figured it was my guitar. But as I accumulated more guitars, I realized it was either my technique or it was an issue with equal temperament. Now when recording, I tune the prominent chords in each song, and I think we all adjust single notes as we play…which is I guess why I don’t quite see the point in using a tuner or app to dial in “sweetened tunings” unless, I suppose, you have a hard time hearing that sort of thing. (Using a sweetened tuning always, like JT, seems to be pretty much the same thing-you’re optimizing for a few chords that you’re likely to use frequently.) Maybe the app or customized tuner would be helpful live, when you might want to tune by sight rather than by ear. But then, I’m not sure many of us would retune to a specialized tuning for a song or two at a live gig. Lastly, I would think that sweetened tunings would likely vary slightly from guitar to guitar (especially if they’re not all perfectly fretted and intonated), and player to player. So, for me, it seems like “sweetened tuning” is a name for what we all kind of do anyway. I don’t think having a preset on a tuner would be all that necessary or helpful.

[@edgeofeternity101]

I'm looking to buy a new clip on tuner today, and was thinking of the Peterson Stobe. I do own the pedal version but only use for standard tuning(so far). I don't use use my small pedal board so I've been using a Polytune clip on. Lately it seems to be using batteries way to fast. I would like to try some new tunings like a half step down or something lower than 440. Thanks for the useful info and adding some clarity to the tuning issues. I tend to stay away from technical equipment but I also want to improve my tone, so I'm going to try the sweetened tuning, and do it sometimes by ear anyway.

[@nOpOrOpMoP]

I have the Peterson strobe plus hdc and that thing seems to have a shit load of sweetened tunings. I haven’t tried them all, but some of them actually worked pretty good, especially when recording certain parts of songs. The main thing I use is the artist tunings. There’s user tunings as well that provide offsets specifically for certain songs and I have enjoyed the EVH tunings, that’s pretty fun lol.

[@dennisdougherty7538]

You are quite correct to mention the "imperfect" tuning structure of fretted instruments such as guitar. I don't know anyone (perhaps there are "bad eared" guitar players around) that would use a tuner app for equal temperament. It can not actually be done on guitar because of the frets but many a fine player will tune the strings to each other and not use an app. It would have been nice to compare that tradition to the sweetened tunings.

[@Gearhart_Music]

I recently bought a Peterson Strobostomp tuner pedal and it includes the "sweetened" tunings as well.

[@tjshultz89]

I've been using sweetened tuning but I never knew there was a name for that lol. I have a Gibson G45 and when I play with a capo (usually on the 4th or 5th fret), I'll tune to a C/G chord shape to get those notes in tune. Without doing that and just tuning to the capo it'll sound out of tune. I never had to do that before, but it probably has to do with the shorter scale length. Every other guitar I've owned had a 25.5" scale and I would just tune to the capo and it would sound in tune when playing any open chord from that position. But with the Gibson I really have to fine tune it to the individual note. It sounds great and I'm glad I learned that there was a name for it. Thanks Rhett!

[@ChristianFS1]

I actually preferred the sweetened Peterson GTR tuning over standard tuning. The first "online-forum-style"-sweetened tuning as well as the Peterson acoustic one were duds to me, though.

[@rogerfurer2273]

Very interesting. Thank you Rhett. Back before digital tuners became affordable, there was something called a tuning fork. Usually at A=440Hz. I would use this to set my A string harmonic at the 5th fret, then match E string 5th fret to A string 7th fret. I would set the high E open to match Low E 5th fret. (All my "fret" terms mean harmonic at said fret.) Match D/7th fret to A/5th fret. Match G/7th fret to D/5th fret. Match open B to Low E/7th fret. (None of this works on a Strat with a wanger unless you keep re-tuning the A string--and all the rest of the strings each time you try to tune another string. My other guitar player would wait for me to tune up, then tune to me!) Now comes the tricky part; I'd double check that the open B would match the D string fretted on the 9th fret, and open E match the G string fretted on the 9th fret--and in this case I'm actually playing the note of the D and G strings, NOT the harmonics. Generally, if my intonation was set up properly and my strings were new and all stretched, my instrument would be in tune. As for setting intonation back in the day, I'd match 12th fret harmonics to 12th fretted notes, then recheck against then19th fret (harmonic vs fretted). I also had very little relief in my neck, less than a business card half way between the first and last frets. I bought a brand new Les Paul in 1973 and had to keep tightening the truss rod every 6 months for the first 2 or 3 years, then once a year until it was about 7 or 8 years old. It was my only guitar up until the 90s. I didn't get a digital tuner until the mid-90s, but when checking the guitar with the digital tuner, I found it to be perfectly intonated and in tune. How about that. P.S. I thought the standard tuning sounded just fine. If you play with a Hammond B3, your keyboard player will NOT want to adjust his tuning!

[@robertlofgren6834]

Rhett, when you deviate from the equal temperament tuning you need to consider what key you want to play in and then set the root key on your tuner or otherwise you will make the wrong offsets and make things sound even more worse. You should also try to tune to fretted positions (preferably where your fingers spend most of their time) rather than open strings (unless you mostly play open strings of course) since the nut might not be properly positioned from a fret perspective. This is also true as for intonation due to imperfect nut position unless you have a zero-fret. Also, the peterson shows you the true harmonics of your string (the four different patterns) so you should aim to tune for the harmonics rather than the fundamental frequency. This is especially true for fat strings and wound strings. Thin strings are not as much affected.

[@picksalot1]

I use a tuner in general, as temperature can have a surprisingly large effect on string pitch. Then I tune by ear so the main key I'm playing in sounds good. So, I guess I use "sweetened" tunings. If you're interested, the "Early Music Sources" channel on KZbin has videos demonstrating a number of keyboard tunings that were used before Tempered Tuning was widely adopted. Some of them will have you scratching your head wondering how they were found acceptable. Thanks

[@KozmykJ]

I've found the James Taylor method works for me on some guitars, both acoustic and electric, but not on others. Why that is I can only guess at. The ways that the nut is cut, the actual accuracy of the nut placement and/or the accuracy of the frets ?? The same with the Kevin Ryan method. Works on some, not on others, but Does work more often than not. Currently, with my PolyClip set to 'Fine' I set the first three strings a 'hair' flat and then check the tuning of 3rd and 2nd fret notes. I then look for a further compromise if the fretted notes are too high.

[@zandig666]

OK so I've been doing this using hrtz for yrs but i was a bit off you've helped bring it together Rhett thx !!!

[@Jimmy2Bits]

12:53 Again, I literally just got my StroboStomb HD from sweetwater yesterday and I tuned with the EQU tuning, then I tuned with the GTR tuning to see how they differed. some strings tuned higher some lower I did make sure to get the strobe to STOP MOVING with each tuning. The GTR tuning sounded best to me all across the fretboard. Tonight I'm gonna try out the EVH and the JMH. Maybe find some inspiration in those. There are 20 or so Artist tunings.

[@rammcascante2191]

For the longest time, I never had a reliable tuner for my guitars, so I "memorized" or "trained" my ears to remember how the E Major chord should sound and then I play on different chords to check if I was in tune, until I started to play in a band and realized that I was a little out of tune but my chords sounds more "rich" than the rest of the band as they recalled. I haven't realized that the small error in my way of tuning was actually a sweetened tuning and I don't do it consciously with specific cents added or subtracted from A440 in the Equal Temperament Tuning System. I guess it was just out of habit, never developed perfect pitch, I was also often called as a "stubborn tuner" by my music colleagues and mentors because of this hahahahahaha I guess the chords that I remember whenever I tune my guitar to are in sweetened tuning?

[@bensharp4164]

I naturally tune a semitone down by ear, I realized pretty early on as I would always need to tune up when playing with others. That said I've done it so long I actaully prefer it like that, just gives a slightly differnt sound, my bass player always tunes off me, until I got a boss tuner pedal we always played a semitone down, I have to watch out when recording because sometimes I tune quick by ear and other days via tuner! I wouldnt call your tuning 'sweetened' just human, the rolling stones never used tuners...

[@ulrichbergmann1347]

The most guitar player always out of tune XD its the truth. Unimportant what tuning they use XD

[@doitnowvideosyeah5841]

@@ulrichbergmann1347 Not sure what you sre saying. Maybe re state question

[@doitnowvideosyeah5841]

I just hum the intro to Whole Lotta Love. I have that one burned into my skull so much it is pretty spot on when trying to pull an 'E' out of thin air.

[@ulrichbergmann1347]

@@doitnowvideosyeah5841 When u play in a band and be not the guitar player ( i am multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, guitarist, bassist, organist, mandolist, drummer...) u realize very fast that one guy/girl very often tune the instrument. In the songs when u hear notes out of tune, its most time the guitar player. So it get a running gag in bands since. when i play the guitar in a band they make the same jokes about me. ;) "Why u tune your guitar again? I thought u bought it tuned". A standard fretboard, not a perfect intonation one, is only a compromise and some notes always some cents out of tune. When u play with lot of bendings and finger vibratos your stings fast get out of tune, self a floyd rose system not hold the tuning for a longer time. When playing dive bombs or bendings with 3 semitones u have to tune the instrument often, most time between every song. Did u ever seen a bass player tune so often? A keybord player? A drummer? When it is about timing...we better not talk about guitar players XD

[@andersf324]

35+ years ago I played bass Viola da Gamba (bowed with 6 gut strings and tied-on gut frets) in a 4-5 piece consort. We used the meantone temperament to play very early music (pre-renaissance). In essence this is tuning the 3rds rather than the 5ths as in modern equal temperament. What it also entailed is that I had to tape little bits of matchsticks to the fretboard for individual strings to have different micro tunings for the accompanying intervals to get the appropriate pitch ratios. Generally I think that pitches do not exist in isolation but in context either vertically or horizontally. What it meant in reality were some of the most ethereal sounds I have ever experienced. We never used vibrato, and I think that became popular later on to hide the imperfections of the the equal temperament. Of course, micro-tunings have been the norm in cultures other than the western world. Great content as always Rhett.

[@deerfeeder2076]

wow, thank you for that. I have been doing this, as I'm sure others have, on my own without knowing why or anything other than the sound lol. Awesome info and demonstration.

[@TomMilleyMusic]

I guess I've been kinda doing this since I started playing in that I've always tuned by ear and by intervals/chords around the neck. I use many methods together, but for the most part now I tune my a reference and then getting the 4ths of the open strings in tune. Then I'll play through chords and try to make sure my octaves and thirds sound good. I'll check with harmonics and fretted notes with open strings, different play velocities as well because the strings go sharp when played hard or depending on how you fret. It comes pretty quick to me now, but I'm checking for all sorts of things. Rarely am I just tuning to a tuner, maybe sometimes live but even then I'm making adjustments to what the tuner says. Often I'll slightly change the tuning and the tuner doesn't even pick it up, so I've learned to mostly just use tuners as a reference point to start from. And I'll also change the tuning when recording so whatever I'm playing is more in tune. Often I've found I like being just a bit flat when recording leads. It just seems to sound more expressive and vocal, a little warmer too, and makes fretted vibrato a little sweeter. Sometimes, especially with acoustics, I'll just not pay too much attention to a tuner, and just tune the instrument to whatever it seems to want to sit at the best, and where it resonates the best. Sometimes that's not going to be at concert pitch, which is fine usually unless you're playing with a piano.

[@spiritzweispirit1st638]

Thank You, Rhett! Very Most Awesome Knowledge🎼🎸