What are folks using for tuning?

[Shishigashira]

I generally use the GuitarTuna app on my phone. But I also have a cheap Snark tuner. I ended up putting the snark in a drawer and kept using the GuitarTuna app because I usually have my phone around and I'm taking it out to use UltimateGuitar anyways. Still, when my brother in law came over to jam he immediately said my guitar was out of tune, which I thought odd. I retuned with GuitarTuna and but no dice. So I used his clip on which was telling me I was off. I fished out my Snark and same thing. Now I'm wondering if my tuning has been off for a while. I have a pretty new Google Pixel phone and I thought the mic was working well, so I'm not sure why the app and the clip on tuners are telling me different things.

Anywho, long story short, what are others using and any issues with GuitarTuna?

[SecondCity]

That app has always seemed a little fussy to me. I’ve used it to tune my kid’s uke for him if I don’t feel like going to get my “real” tuner, and I use it sometimes in guitar stores. It is really handy to have. But for practicing, I usually use the tuner built into my Korg metronome. I have a snark clip on too, which seems to work fine.

[Railage]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07YJ...a-102b6c0079a1

I’ve been using that for a couple of months, I like that I can recharge it, I hate dealing with batteries.

[A Wolf]

If it’s in a quiet room, I use my phone with the Peterson strobe app. Super accurate, and if you use them, you have access to many sweetened tunings. Especially if you’re comfortable with a strobe style readout, it’s a great tuner.

[dirkronk]

Mainly a Snark for me. Yes I use GuitarTuna on occasion but only if the Snark isn’t handy. I sometimes feel that ambient noise intrudes with the app and gives me iffy results.

Dirk

[rmp]

Mainly a Peterson Strobe clip.

[KevinH]

I've tried several clip-ons, but would rather use a phone app (if it's not too noisy) because of the better display. Used Guitar Tuna initially, but later switched to ProGuitar Tuner. I like its interface better.

In case anyone with an Apple Watch is interested, I've tried the few available WatchOS guitar-tuner apps on my Apple Watch 4. They're all too sluggish to be useful.

[jaymarsch]

TC Polytune or Unitune are the clip on tuners that I use the most. I also have the Peterson clip on as well as the Peterson app on my phone. I have used the TC Polytunes since they first came out. The are accurate, easy to read and do not eat batteries in my experience. I change the batteries in them once a year to keep them operating at full performance.

Best,
Jayne

[rule18]

An app called Guitar and Violin Tuner by A4tune Labs. I use the free version which is good, and has eight or nine different instruments pre-programmed. It has a strobe (user defined on/off) and lots of different alt tuning presets in Settings. Apparently the Pro (paid) version has noise cancelling and a host of other features.

[FrankHudson]

There is a bit of an art to using a tuner, something that is too little remarked upon. I don't know if I have the things I'll discuss right, and there may even be some controversy in the thread if others respond.

First, the indicators (stobes, LED segments, needles) have a differing amount of response between tuning devices, apps. Some are very reactive and will show several pitches as a string is struck. Which one do you choose? If tuning only for relative pitch you only need to be consistent I'd think. I tend to tune to the "fat" part of the note after initial attack not to the peak when struck. I try to strike the string lightly, even though when playing I may not. My feeling is that a slightly sharp note with a hard attack is a feature not a bug. But if there are two guitarists and one tunes to the attack and another to the pitch the note settles to, they likely won't be in tune.

Some like to use thumb flesh to pluck the notes as picks can add overtones that the tuner may try to read. I don't bother myself, but I do try for a gentle, clean, pluck.

Environmental noise can fool with the note being sensed. I tend to use contract (clip on) tuners for acoustic guitar because they are less sensitive to that as opposed to microphone based tuners. Particularly when one goes to check a guitar's tuning and every other musician decides it time to do the same, or to show off some keyboard lick, or they want to talk about how their weekend's going. But even clip on tuners are not immune. You've got a big diaphragm in a guitar top, just like microphone's.

And plucking one string can cause others to resonate. Muting strings that aren't the ones being tuned can help sometimes.

Lastly, all modern fretted instruments are designed around a temperament compromise that allows us to play in any key, rather than aiming for the perfect physical ratios of notes. Added to that, because the string needs to move to be fretted and some players will also tend to press the notes sharp as they fret, all instruments need to themselves compromise their tunings a bit more to account for that as one plays up and down the neck. Exactly which compromise to what degree is the optimum one?

Now I have a poor pitch sense, but those who I believe have better pitch often use slight offsets from what an electronic tuner says is in tune. Some apps and electronic tuners have settings that mimic those tweak-by-ear sweetenings.

Other than their somewhat fragile ball joints, I think Snark tuners are easy to use for beginners, and their steady, easily read (with a fresh battery), and their less jumpy displays lead them to be seen on more professional stages than their cheap and cheerful price would lead you to expect.

The OP may have to learn the little tricks of how to use a tuner, or may have inadvertently chosen a sweetened tuning scheme.

[nitram]

Another advocate of Polytune. Accurate, easy to see and doesn't eat batteries.

[JayBee1404]

Un-plugged, In order of preference…

1) TCE Polytune Clip or TCE Unitune Clip - both equally good, so no special preference.

2) Peterson Stroboclip HD

Plugged, always the TCE PolyTune Mini Noir permanently on my pedal-board.

I never, ever, use a phone app - way too clumsy and unreliable. I use my phone to make calls, send and receive SMS messages and emails, and record my blood-sugar meter readings. To tune my guitar, I use a dedicated tuner. As the old guy always told me, “The right tool for the job in hand, every time”.

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

[Rev Roy]

Peterson StroboClip or TC Unitune…

[gfspencer]

I bought a BOSS TU-12 in 1983. It cost a fortune by today's standards but I am still using it.

[Kerbie]

Peterson StroboClip HD. Love it!