James Taylor tuning specs

[b1j]

On YouTube, James Taylor recommends tuning to specific cent values for each string.

http://https://youtu.be/V2xnXArjPts

Since I adopted his numbers, my guitars are in better tune.

Does this happen to you? You play a first-position E chord. B on the A string is a good clean octave below B on the B string. Then you play a standard A chord. The open A string and the C# on the B string are just … out. Similar thing going from an A chord (E on the D string to high E is good) to D major (D to high F# is out). Octave may sound OK but major 10ths are janky.

Well, children, here’s what the maestro says. Tune every string a specific number of cents FLAT. That’s right. Here are the numbers:

e -3 cents
B -6
G -4
D -8
A -10
E -12 cents

Skeptical? Try it.

Is this common knowledge?

[pieterh]

I remember reading a tip by Jerry Donahue on the Duncan website to do something similar for a three-saddle Telecaster. I wasn’t as extensive as the JT method but involved tuning one string slightly flat and another slightly sharp. I’m sorry to say I don’t remember exactly which but it worked a charm - I don’t use it any more as I changed the bridge on my Classic 60s Tele to six saddles (love the guitar, hated the Classic 60’s saddles).

[Stringmaster]

The Peterson tuners have a “sweetener” for acoustic guitar based on J.T.’s tuning offsets. To my ear it sounds more out of tune than with the equal temperament tuning, but it’s been a while since I’ve tried it—may give it another go.

[jaymarsch]

Well, it’s common knowledge if you are aware that the guitar is an equal temperament instrument so in order to have straight frets, combinations of notes will be a bit off. If, like JT, you play in certain keys more than others, you can “cheat” a few cents here and there to have more chord/note combos be in tune with each other. JT’s video has been available for a while and some electronic tuners have “sweetened” settings for this purpose as well.
If you Google guitar equal tempered tuning, you’ll get a lot of info.
That is about as much as I know about it.
Best,
Jayne

[b1j]

Sounds like folks know about this. I don't play in F# or B or similar keys much (capo!), so I've gotten a lot of value out of these tunings. Any cent-reading tuner will do the job.

For you jazz people, maybe it's little simplistic.

[Bookstorecowboy]

I am glad you posted about this. I tried it and it did not work, but I may not have the right tuner. Which tuner is the OP using?

[Italuke]

I naturally learned on my own to sweeten tuning when I started playing lots of ukulele, where due to the small size, there is less margin for error. I do it a little on guitar too, but by ear. I'd rather play than obsess over 3 cents. And how can it be one size fits all? Doesn't it vary by guitar?

[Bob from Brooklyn]

I think every guitar will have it's own set of 'rules'.

[musicman1951]

Originally Posted by b1j

You play a first-position E chord. B on the A string is a good clean octave below B on the B string. Then you play a standard A chord. The open A string and the C# on the B string are just … out.

I can't imagine that your open A string is out, but the C# is in equal temperament and your ear wants to hear just temperament - 16 cents lower. Vocal groups and strings with excellent intonation make those adjustments, but we have to compromise. You can lower your B string 14 cents if that's the only chord you're going to play, but when you switch to the E chord your excellent sounding third of the chord is now a less than excellent sounding 5th of the chord.

How do you think your open E chord is going to sound after you lower the root 13 cents? If you often use a Kyser capo (as I seem to see JT use) it could be perfect, as that capo tends to pull that low E string quite a bit sharp. Without the capo????

And that's more complicated than anyone wants to deal with. So you tweak where you can and play on. With my guitars I generally find that the B string needs a little attention depending on the key I'm in.

Whatever works for your guitar/ear is good. Every chord is never going to sound perfect, but tweak the ones that appear often in a particular song (if your ear demands it - and bravo for hearing the need).

[Purfle Haze]

Originally Posted by b1j

On YouTube, James Taylor recommends tuning to specific cent values for each string.

Since I adopted his numbers, my guitars are in better tune.

Well, children, here’s what the maestro says. Tune every string a specific number of cents FLAT. That’s right. Here are the numbers:

e -3 cents
B -6
G -4
D -8
A -10
E -12 cents

Skeptical? Try it.

Is this common knowledge?

Hi b1j,

I tried it, it sounds terrible. If it sounded better than Equal Temperament, everyone would do it, but they don't.

In that same video, Ol' JT explains that he came up with his offsets so that when he applied a capo (he's a big capo user!) that his strings would not go sharp. From the Peterson Tuners website: “When a capo was applied, the strings were then pulled into tune, instead of beyond and ending up sharp..."

This makes some sense, but the offsets wouldn't be universal; they'd vary by the guitar, the strings, and the capo. What works on his guitar wouldn't likely work on another.

But when used without a capo, what you have is an out-of-tune guitar. Lemon-sour. 😝

[Joboxer]

They didn't work for me either, which surprised me as JT always sounds the sweetest of sweet.

[Honkycat]

The Peterson SBJ tuning does actually work really well for me.

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by Honkycat

The Peterson SBJ tuning does actually work really well for me.

‘SBJ’? I don’t see SBJ in Peterson’s list of sweeteners.

[Honkycat]

You have to connect to the website and download it. Maybe I’m just a freak case as I haven’t heard too many others finding the same

[KenL]

I think I'll buy an Olson and give this a try.


I'll post a link to my GoFundMe page in a little while.