5 ms·

Please let me know if I'm understanding. This technique is for tuning open strings and listening, back-and-forth, to the perfect fourth (or major third) interva

• hunter2_ 4y ago
  Yeah, I should have clarified, but at the time of writing, I didn't even realize it (because I'm more of a piano tuner than a guitar tuner so I don't have the luxury of frets that automatically impose equal temperament!) -- yes, this issue occurs when comparing open strings or unfretted harmonics.
  • efortis 4y ago
    Thank you. You also made me realize that it's better to tune open strings for avoiding intonation shifts by the pressing force.
    • hunter2_ 4y ago
      That's actually the crux of the issue: if you fret the note to tune the next string, then you achieve equal temperament at the expense of any inaccuracy that comes from all sorts of things like imperfect action height, imperfect bridge tuners, excessive pressure beyond just contacting the fret, sideways motion, etc. which is all avoided by using open strings instead. But then doing open strings by ear doesn't get you equal temperament, it gets you integer ratios instead. Open strings with an electronic tuner gets you the best of both worlds (assuming you want equal temperament).