Better Sound

Does your guitar sound like garbage?

There are several reasons why your guitar sounds bad, but the most common one is the tuning of your guitar in the higher positions of guitar's fret board.


The rule says:

If you play an unfretted string (fret 0) and then strum the note on 12th fret of the same string, you should get the same tone, but played one octave higher. So, if you play the E string, fretting the 12th position should return E, an octave higher.
To figure out if your guitar matches this criteria, tune the string in ADGT and then play the 12th fret on the same string. If the ray stays at the center, everything is OK. If it moves away from the center, you should make some adjustments on your guitar.

And what adjustments?

Solution is different for electric and acoustic guitars.


Electric guitars

On six-string electric guitar, there are six screws on the bridge, one for each string. Adjusting these screws changes the tuning of your guitar.
So, if you have electric guitar, you'll manage it this way:

1. Tune the string to match the desired frequency (using ADGT or other guitar tuner)
2. Check the status of the 12th fret. (if it plays the same tone)
3. If the result is unacceptable, turn the proper screw with screwdriver. (just slightly)
4. Repeat from step 1 until it's OK. (IT IS necessary to tune the unfretted string once again!)

Remark: You will notice the proper direction of turning the screw by comparing the results. After turning the screw and retuning, if the ray appears to be more near the center, you are turning the screw in the correct direction.


Acoustic guitars

On acoustic guitars there are no screws on the bridge, there is only one screw located inside the body of the guitar, directly at the end of the neck. With this screw you can adjust the tension of guitar's neck. This is not to be done with standard screwdriver, but using a special hexagonal key. (You should have bought it with your guitar in most cases)

The "adjusting procedure" is similar as with electric guitars, except you are to adjust one screw only.
However, if you do not know exactly what you are doing, you'll better not do it! This can ruin your guitar!

Classical Guitars / Normal Guitars

On classical guitars, the best things you can do is get a pick-up and connect it to the mic port in your computer and tune it with ADGT. Or u can even use a normal mic and keep it close to your guitar and pluck without pressing any frets. Tune it till the line reaches the centre or almost. You don't need to be exact, the guitar will still sound good.