Brian Hinderberger » guitar tuning

String Changes

admin — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:05:59 +0000

How often do you change your acoustic guitar strings? Putting on a new set of strings on your guitar is like putting on a new pair of running shoes. They look, sound and feel great and like a new pair of shoes they need a little breaking-in before you run a race. They also tend to loose their (*pun-alert) sole.

Now that I’ve got the cheesy analogies out of the way – I usually change my strings right a day before a gig. I’m a hard strummer and I’ve grown attached to the warm tone delivered from the D’Addario Acoustic Strings Set, Phosphor Bronze, Bluegrass. They use genuine phosphor bronze alloy that keeps its flexibility an maintains its brilliance for many hours of hard play. There is nothing worse than popping a string in the middle of a set. After experiencing that once I concluded that the expense and time in restringing is a hell-of-a lot better.

Besides that, I can definitely tell when they are loosing their brightness, starting to dull up a bit. So its nice to put on new strings anyway for a new audience anyway.

Tip – Be sure to play the strings for at least an hour before going in front of an audience with strings that will easily go out of tune.

6-string tuning – at one time!

admin — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:46:07 +0000

Tuning can be such a burden on a performance. There are so many situations that make your guitar go out of tune. You’re newer strings will always stretch out. Even if they are worked-in you still will go out of tune after warming them up after playing a song or two. If you are outside and the sun starts blaring on your guitar or a cold breeze blows in, you’re going out of tune. We can’t escape it.

Then we need to click on the tune stomp box, E….. E…. E.., A….. A… A.. and so on. Friggin’ annoying.

I was checking out the photos of a friend who went to NAMM 2010 and I discovered this new product, the TC Electronic Polytune, which allows you to tune all strings at one time. According to the manufacture’s website it won “Best of Show” at the conference and will be released for shipping in March, 2010.

“The TC Electronic Polytune is the new kid on the block in pedal tuner technology [...] Just turn it on for silent tuning (muted output) and strum all of your open strings and the TC Electronic Polytune shows you which strings are sharp or flat and allows you to tune within +/- .5 cent accuracy…”

Check out the promotional video: