Can a guitar get out of tune by just lying around?

[Andy]

Long story short, I bought a Fender Strat (my first), got called into the army, then got into lawschool, and now I want to learn how to use this thing. But since I havent touched it in about a year, is it still in tune from the last time I used it?

[aminorthreat55]

Hell no, if it's been warm out it's probably a half to two whole steps sharp, but if it's been colder then it's most likely flat by a whole step or two.

[FrancesdaMute]

logically....no. the tension in the strings is related to their temperature, and the temperature of the environment. buy a tuner...they can be very, very cheap.

and strats rule....good luck learning.

[Andy]

Okay, so how do I tune this bitch. Im a total newbie.

[FrancesdaMute]

uh....well do you have a tuner, cause that is by far the easiest for a newb to guitar. if not...i'll write out an explanation for you.

[Andy]

Nope, no tuner. I tried tuning it once, which resulted in several new strings.

[aminorthreat55]

You can tune it to the tune of certain buttons on the telephone. Too bad I have no idea which numbers are which tones and which strings they are.

[FrancesdaMute]

nevermind....here is a tuner online. EDIT: i just read your post about the new strings....turn the tuning knobs VERY slowly, since they are probably old and very used to the tension they are currently at. Any jerks will probably result in a broken string.

EDIT: Yeah, the telephone can be used too. Dial tone is an F.

http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/onlinetuner.html

click on the green button to play a midi file. that file will play the note in the pitch you want your string to sound like.

to make it sound like that...use the tuning knobs on the head of your guitar(the metal things). if a string sounds lower(which is should after a year) the string is flat. turn the knob corresponding to the string you are currently on so that the pitch of your string becomes higher. keep doing this to all the strings.
to test, you can do 2 things. play the midi file labeled E chord. it will teach you the chord, and assuming your fingering is correct, the chord you play should resemble the one being played by the midi.
the second way is slightly more involved for a beginner, but you need to learn.

The open notes of each of the 6 strings are E-A-D-G-B-e. the uppercase E corresponds to the string with the thickest diameter. Anyway, here is a little tab to help you tune your gutiar.

the strings are a 5th apart(except for G/D, that is a different interval, but I digress).

In order to check if the E string is intune with the A string, you will play the open A note on the E string. To do this press down on the 5th fret of the E string, then pluck the string. Now play the open A string. Do they sound the same? Cause they should.

here is how to tune/check the whole guitar. note the 4 on the G string.
e--------------------------------------0~-
B-------------------------------0~-5~--
G------------------------0~-4~---
D------------------0~-5~---------
A----------0~--5~----------------
E--------5~--------------------

yeah...that was shotty but i'm at work and figured i'd type something to help...good luck.

[wastedspacejm]

tune it to a piano, that's the easiest way if you don't have a tuner

[Andy]

nevermind....here is a tuner online. EDIT: i just read your post about the new strings....turn the tuning knobs VERY slowly, since they are probably old and very used to the tension they are currently at. Any jerks will probably result in a broken string.

EDIT: Yeah, the telephone can be used too. Dial tone is an F.

http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/onlinetuner.html

click on the green button to play a midi file. that file will play the note in the pitch you want your string to sound like.

to make it sound like that...use the tuning knobs on the head of your guitar(the metal things). if a string sounds lower(which is should after a year) the string is flat. turn the knob corresponding to the string you are currently on so that the pitch of your string becomes higher. keep doing this to all the strings.
to test, you can do 2 things. play the midi file labeled E chord. it will teach you the chord, and assuming your fingering is correct, the chord you play should resemble the one being played by the midi.
the second way is slightly more involved for a beginner, but you need to learn.

The open notes of each of the 6 strings are E-A-D-G-B-e. the uppercase E corresponds to the string with the thickest diameter. Anyway, here is a little tab to help you tune your gutiar.

the strings are a 5th apart(except for G/D, that is a different interval, but I digress).

In order to check if the E string is intune with the A string, you will play the open A note on the E string. To do this press down on the 5th fret of the E string, then pluck the string. Now play the open A string. Do they sound the same? Cause they should.

here is how to tune/check the whole guitar. note the 4 on the G string.
e--------------------------------------0~-
B-------------------------------0~-5~--
G------------------------0~-4~---
D------------------0~-5~---------
A----------0~--5~----------------
E--------5~--------------------

yeah...that was shotty but i'm at work and figured i'd type something to help...good luck.

Thanks alot man :)

[btbam > you]

nevermind....here is a tuner online. EDIT: i just read your post about the new strings....turn the tuning knobs VERY slowly, since they are probably old and very used to the tension they are currently at. Any jerks will probably result in a broken string.

EDIT: Yeah, the telephone can be used too. Dial tone is an F.

http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/onlinetuner.html

click on the green button to play a midi file. that file will play the note in the pitch you want your string to sound like.

to make it sound like that...use the tuning knobs on the head of your guitar(the metal things). if a string sounds lower(which is should after a year) the string is flat. turn the knob corresponding to the string you are currently on so that the pitch of your string becomes higher. keep doing this to all the strings.
to test, you can do 2 things. play the midi file labeled E chord. it will teach you the chord, and assuming your fingering is correct, the chord you play should resemble the one being played by the midi.
the second way is slightly more involved for a beginner, but you need to learn.

The open notes of each of the 6 strings are E-A-D-G-B-e. the uppercase E corresponds to the string with the thickest diameter. Anyway, here is a little tab to help you tune your gutiar.

the strings are a 5th apart(except for G/D, that is a different interval, but I digress).

In order to check if the E string is intune with the A string, you will play the open A note on the E string. To do this press down on the 5th fret of the E string, then pluck the string. Now play the open A string. Do they sound the same? Cause they should.

here is how to tune/check the whole guitar. note the 4 on the G string.
e--------------------------------------0~-
B-------------------------------0~-5~--
G------------------------0~-4~---
D------------------0~-5~---------
A----------0~--5~----------------
E--------5~--------------------

yeah...that was shotty but i'm at work and figured i'd type something to help...good luck.



good description.

[Hilikus]

go out and buy a tuner now. 15 bucks and its totally worth it.

[youcomebeforeyo]

If it's been sitting around you might go about taking it to a music store. The neck will have bent and there are probably numerous little problems. Then you can purchase a tuner while you're at it and put on new strings.

[DeadCityScars]

I've been playing the guitar for like 2-3 years and I still rely on a tuner. now I have a chromatic one that's right in one of my pedals. I love it. I don't think I'll ever learn to tune by ear. I mean, I can tell when it's out of tune, but I can't tune it back to save my life.

It's a real shame. But when someone says 'tune it so this sounds like this'. It all sounds the same to me.

[xglassjawx]

Yeah i suck at tuning, i've been playing about three months and i'm ok but i suck at strumming on the A,D and G strings without hitting the low E string, plus i have no idea how to tune it so i just leave it in standard atm. But i'm ok, but i need to get some lessons when i have the time.

[punkrockcasual]

Yeah i suck at tuning, i've been playing about three months and i'm ok but i suck at strumming on the A,D and G strings without hitting the low E string, plus i have no idea how to tune it so i just leave it in standard atm. But i'm ok, but i need to get some lessons when i have the time.


Just mute the low E string, that's what I do.