This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. I would recommend GuitarTuna. Note: I didn’t have my 12-string on me when I wrote this guide, so I used my 6-string instead for all the examples below. Recommended [Budget] Tuner: Fender FT-1 Clip-On for Acoustic, Electric, and BassRecommended [Quality] Tuner: KLIQ UberTuner (Accurate, Has Frequency Display). Diagram below. Sometimes you will need to tune a 12 string guitar several times to get the right tune. £9.00 coupon applied at checkout Save £9.00 with voucher. It’s another clip-on tuner just like the Fender one I’m using, but it’s much more accurate (not to mention it also shows the frequency on its display!). Copyright © 2021 MightyExpert. 4.2 out of 5 stars 7. Producing a fuller tone than their six-string counterparts, 12-string guitars create a chorus effect due to six strings strategically set an octave above six opposing strings tuned to “EADGBE.” Largely used as a rhythm instrument, 12-string guitars are commonly used in folk, rock and blues music. I spent some time combing through the iPhone App Store & Android Google Play Store in search of a good tuner, and have one that I’d recommend. MightyExpert.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Nashville Tuning refers to a way of simulating a 12-string guitar sound, using two six-string guitars playing in unison. Simple 12-string guitar tuner to tune up your 12-string guitar. Once you hit that page, all you have to do is allow access to your microphone (if you’re using Google Chrome it should ask you if you want to do that), and then play the sounds at the bottom. Tuning a 12-String Guitar Tuning a 12-string guitar in standard E tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E, thick to thin) is very common. Be careful, not all 12 string guitars (especially old ones) are designed to be tuned up to this pitch. To tune a guitar this way, we compare a note on one string to the next string along by playing the two together. Snark S-12 Snarkman Clip-On Chromatic Instrument Tuner. A chromatic tuner is a guitar tuner that can detect any pitch on the Chromatic Scale. All rights reserved. Here you can learn how to tune a 12-string guitar through a microphone or by sounds. Get it as soon as Mon, Jan 18. I didn’t even mention that if you practice in a group setting (band, orchestra, etc. The 6 main strings are tuned in exactly the same way as when tuning a six-string guitar, 1 and 2 additional strings are same as 1 and 2 main, and 4 upper ones are an octave higher than the basic ones. 99. Guitar tunings assign pitches to the open strings of guitars, including acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and classical guitars. For the remaining high B and E strings, tune their string pairs in unison to the same frequency. As I mentioned in the last section, the most significant difference is the octave-higher and octave-lower tuning in the E, A, D, and G string pairs. Free online guitar tuner from Fender. Once again, remember to tune the thick string in each pair to the low note and the thin string to the octave higher note. Standard Tuning | E 3 E 2 A 3 A 2 D 4 D 3 G 4 G 3 B 3 B 3 E 4 E 4; The tuner is fully chromatic but if you need a reference of a specific tuning when tuning by ear or if you want to tune any other instrument follow the steps in how to setup the guitar tuner for other instruments However, a 12-string set assures that your gauges are balanced. Like we mentioned above, the lower four strings have pairs an octave higher, while the top two strings are doubled with strings at the same pitch. The 6 main strings are tuned in exactly the same way as when tuning a six-string guitar, 1 and 2 additional strings are same as 1 and 2 main, and 4 upper ones are an octave higher than the basic ones. 4.3 out of 5 stars 26. It is recommended to tune it last, after all the other strings. Some have to be tuned a note or two lower. How to Tune a 12-String Acoustic Guitar. Get used to the sound of unpredictability. The high “e” and “B” strings are doubled in unison, each having an identical twin string right next to it. Lately, I’ve been using a clip-on tuner from Fender (the one shown in the pictures above, If you are looking for a tuner with more features though (especially, There could literally be a jet plane engine sitting next to you while you’re tuning your guitar -- as long as it doesn’t affect the vibrations going through your guitar’s headstock, you can, It’s not as accurate as what you’d get from a clip-on tuner, and on top of that, if you’re in a loud environment (or practicing in a band setting) your phone’s microphone just, I personally thought this was a bummer, which is why I still recommend the physical, If you play the E string on your guitar, for example, that sound wave has to travel through the air to the microphone and get picked up. This is for the standard eEaAdDgGBBEE 12 String Guitar tuning. We first compare the E to the A string, then A to D, D to G and so on until all the strings are in tune. The 3b string is the most prone to breaking if it is tuned exactly one octave higher than the 3a string. The last two string pairs, high B and high E, are tuned to the same frequency. That is so-called Nashville tuning. Here's a little tip. You might remember the mention of drop D tuning earlier. Nowadays, with us carrying our cell phones around everywhere, we can literally have portable tuners in our pockets. David Hodge Help and FAQ Guitar Tuning , Twelve String Guitar I know a lot of people like to number the strings of a twelve-string guitar from one (high E) to twelve, but I find it much easier to number them as a six-string guitar, that is one through six, adding the designation “a” or “b” to each string as well. ), it’ll be impossible to tune your guitar through a microphone if multiple people are tuning or playing at one time. I personally thought this was a bummer, which is why I still recommend the physical KLIQ UberTuner (Amazon) that you can carry around in your hand (or guitar case). After it’s on there, as soon as you play a string it’ll detect the frequency you’re playing and show how far off you are - pretty cool! Since you're only stringing a 6-string guitar, you'll also get a regular gauge set along with the high-strung set. Everyone I’ve talked to (including a long-time musician friend) said that the KLIQ tuner was super easy to read, and the fact that you can tune your guitar at any time (even with ambient noise in the background), makes it that much better. If you have a clip-on tuner, this means clipping it onto your guitar. (ok, I know a jet engine might be a bit excessive and would vibrate the wood.. but you get the point!). So the order of the 12 strings will be as follows: e E, a A, d D, g G, B B, E E. You can tune the guitar in several ways. How do I tune a 12 string guitar? This is achieved by replacing the lower four courses on one six-string with the higher octave strings for those four courses from a 12-string set, and tuning these four strings an octave higher than normal tuning for those courses on a six-string. You’ll notice that one of the strings is thinner - tune this string to the octave higher E. You’ll also see that one of the strings is thicker - tune this string to the regular (low) E. After the G string pair, at B and E, tune both strings in each pair to the same high frequency. Contact us: admin@tuner-online.com. That is where you take a guitar tuned to E standard and drop the tuning of the sixth string only, going down a step from the low E to D. You can apply the same process to tuning to drop A on a baritone guitar. The C chromatic scale, for example, goes like this: C, C#, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, Bb, B. GTDB has been gathering and publishing information, chords, scales, tabs and now videos on different guitar tunings since 2009 Tuning a 12-string guitar is a little more complicated than a regular 6 string. We’re going to look at some tunings that make it a lot harder to keep track of what notes you’re playing, so it’s best to let your ear guide you through this in the beginning as we break up the courses(i.e. So, how do you use your chromatic tuner to get your guitar in tune? Therefore, the most popular standard tuning for 12-string guitars is E3•E2 A3•A2 D4•D3 G4•G3 B3•B3 E4•E4, starting from the lowest string to the highest. 4.6 out of 5 stars 45. The tuner is fully chromatic but if you need a reference of a specific tuning when tuning by ear or if you want to tune any other instrument follow the steps in how to setup the guitar tuner for other instruments Alternative Baritone Guitar Tunings Drop A. If this is your first time tuning a guitar to Nashville tuning, you may want to get 2 sets in case you accidentally snap a string. So you have a 12-string guitar and don’t know where to start with tuning. But with a unique twist: a 12-string guitar usually has the E and B strings tuned in unison, but the other four lower strings are paired with an upper octave with a much thinner gauge. If you were to play this on a twelve string, the notes struck would still be G, B, D, G, B, and G. That is because there are more tension and strings on it. There are hundreds of different types of tuners out there. The thicker string of the pair is tuned to the same note and octave as a regular 6 string guitar. The strings are pulled in pairs: the main + additional, the main + optional and so on. But if you’re looking for a more long-term and accurate solution, you shouldn't rule out getting a physical clip-on tuner (or even a pedal tuner like the PolyTune 3 from TC Electronic if that’s more your style), I’ll recommend a few online guitar tuners that I’ve used in a minute, but before I do I wanted to mention a point I brought up earlier (and try to convince you not to tune through your mic!). After you tune your 12-string a few times, it’ll become second nature! For additional information, please visit our Affiliate Disclosure page. The B and E string pairs are tuned in unison to a High B and High E. When tuning the E, A, D, and G string pairs to different octaves, you have to pay attention to the string you’re tuning. For other alternatives see the available tunings for 12-string Guitar. The process is. From Thickest to Thinnest Strings (eE-aA-dD-gG-BB-EE): We talked about tuning a 12-string, using clip-on guitar tuners, recommended tuners, and even looked at a great online microphone tuner you can use in case you’re missing a physical one. Wishing you the best of luck with your twelve amazing strings - get out there, practice, and never give up! I do not recommend tuning your guitar through a microphone, only because it puts another “layer” between the sound coming out of your guitar and the tuner. Repeat this with all of your other 11 strings (following the diagram we showed earlier in this article), and you’ll be golden. General Tunings. It’s not as accurate as what you’d get from a clip-on tuner, and on top of that, if you’re in a loud environment (or practicing in a band setting) your phone’s microphone just won’t pick up the notes. However, please note: I do not recommend using a phone app for tuning your guitar. Tuning a 12-string guitar in standard E tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E, thick to thin) is very common. If you are looking for a tuner with more features though (especially accuracy), then I would recommend the KLIQ UberTuner (check price on Amazon). $19.99 $ 19. The largest database for alternative guitar tunings on the internet. There could literally be a jet plane engine sitting next to you while you’re tuning your guitar -- as long as it doesn’t affect the vibrations going through your guitar’s headstock, you can still tune your guitar! To make things easier, I decided to put together a tuning diagram for 12-string guitars (shown below). Part of the series: Guitar and Bass Guitar Tips. Want to know the exact frequencies you’ll be tuning your 12-string to? The process is exactly the same, you’ll just have to pay attention to your octave tuning on string pairs. © 2018-2021 Tuner-Online.com - Guitar Tuner. It's much the same as a 6 string guitar E A D G B E low to high except the 4 lowest pairs of strings are tuned an octave apart. Alternate 12 String Guitar Tunings. A standard six-string guitar is tuned (low to high) E-A-D-G-B-e. A 12-string is tuned the exact same way, only the notes are doubled. The bottom line is: If you’re shooting for accuracy (and situational flexibility), go directly to the source with a clip-on tuner: Differences in Tuning a 6-String vs. 12-String Guitar, Diagram (Chart): How to Tune a 12-String Guitar, Tuning a 12-String Guitar with a Chromatic Tuner, Online 12-String Guitar Tuners (with your microphone), Fender FT-1 Clip-On for Acoustic, Electric, and Bass, KLIQ UberTuner (Accurate, Has Frequency Display). 99. The tension on it is the highest, it is not difficult to break it. For example, say you’re tuning the E string pair. For the remaining high B and E strings, tune their string pairs in unison to the same frequency. It is usual to start by tuning the low A string using a tuning fork. Note: I didn’t have my 12-string on me when I wrote this guide, so I used my 6-string instead for all the examples below. All Rights Reserved. Only 9 left in stock. By convention, the notes are ordered from lowest-pitched string (i.e., the deepest bass note) to highest-pitched (thickest string to thinnest). This method of how to tune a 12-string guitar has a minor, but generally not … Tune your acoustic, electric or bass guitar, select from standard tuning, 12 alternate tunings or customize your own! Tuning and Stringing a 12-String Guitar. The twelve-stringed guitar has 6 main strings and 6 additional strings. Get it Tuesday, Jan 5. Some guitarists tune the 3b string to the exact same pitch as the 3a string to avoid this. The most significant difference you’ll have to be aware of is tuning an octave higher in the E, A, D, and G string pairs. One string in tune, a few more to go! The thicker string of the pair is tuned to the same note and octave as a regular 6 string guitar. Depending on your type of tuner, the first thing you’ll want to do is get your tuner set up and turned on. When tuning the 12 string guitar, be careful with the 3 additional strings. My first recommendation is to forget about tonality and just explore. A simple solution is playing on a twelve string in an assortment of tuning opportunities. each pair of strings) and create two notes with every finger position. It doesn’t have any bells and whistles, it just does one job well.