# Low E tuning



## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

When using a digital tuner, does anyone else tune the low E sting fretted at A.
When the E string is tuned electronically, I assume because of stretching the string, the A fretted is slightly sharp.
Back in the day when tuning forks were used the E was generally tuned to the A string which will leave the E slightly flat when open.
Therefore most rock and blues guitar was recorded with a slightly flat E string and frankly I prefer it.
This seems only to occur significantly with the low E. I assume because of its weight.
Give it a try, you will see what I mean.
Ray


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I always tune my open strings as open strings.


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

Budda said:


> I always tune my open strings as open strings.


Same.


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## isoneedacoffee (Oct 31, 2014)

Oh boy. This is a rabbit hole, and that's super interesting... It gets even messier when you consider whether to tune to the attack or the decay. I find that it's logical for rock to tune to the attack, but I'm lazy and it's easier to tune to the decay.


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## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

I'm sure most people do. Most people learned to play when electronic tuners were everywhere and cheap. 
Try this
Tune your E with the tuner. Fret at 5. check A
then
tune your E string with the tuner fretted at 5
...then check your low E

One of them is wrong and I fret that string more than I play it open


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## Guncho (Jun 16, 2015)

ccuwan said:


> I'm sure most people do. Most people learned to play when electronic tuners were everywhere and cheap.
> Try this
> Tune your E with the tuner. Fret at 5. check A
> then
> ...


I primarily play acoustic guitar and cowboy chords at that so I play open E all the time.


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## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

Listen to early cowboy.....they had flat Es....Frankly I prefer the flat E sound


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## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

The difference on an acoustic is even greater....I think because the string is heavier


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I'm ham handed, so for the E I always tune a little flat in any case. Not dead on for attack or decay, but biased to the attack, meaning lower/further out rather than close in.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

A lot of tuners don't like that low E, they won't register it properly. I often tune the low E to my high E.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

I play .008-.038 strings. A strong breeze will sharpen them up.


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## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

hahaha


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

I've always tuned the low E a little flat - never thought about it just figured it sounded better.


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

I turn up the gain and don’t worry about a few cents


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

I get what you're saying about the tuning fork, but that is assuming everyone tuned by fretting the note.
I always used harmonics, so would go back from the A and not experience what you mentioned.
Also, by that method (tuning fork & fretted note), the D would be relatively sharp, no?


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

I tune the high E string to an E tuning fork,
then tune the B at the fifth fret to the E string (just a wee bit flat),
then the G string at the 9th fret to the high E string 
then the D string at the second fret to the high E string 
then the A string playing the harmonic at the seventh fret to the high E string 
then the bass E string playing the harmonic at the fifth fret to the high E string 

works for me


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

I dunno. I must be the weirdo that tunes each string to pitch on either my pedal or headstock tuner.

Reminds me of this time at a jam when someone suggests we all tune a wee bit flat to a match one guitar rather than the offending instrument tuning to proper pitch. Seriously? I sat that song out.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

I'll have a slightly flat E to have the G chord in tune.


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## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

The "D" is relatively sharp as all strings are slightly off when tuned against other fretted strings. It is however most noticeable on the low E. 

I find it interesting that 2 players have said they tune the E slightly flat because they prefer the sound or they play primarily in G. Maybe I'm not crazy after all because I prefer it too, even when playing a root E chord. I do play a lot in G when conventionally tuned probably because I play in open G as well. When in open G I do not adjust the bass strings, however, I use a five string Keith Richards setup for convenience, so I don't have a "E" string.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

Typically I will tune the A to pitch. 
Then tune the D to the octave at the 7th. 
Tune the G open with the D
Tune B octave with D at 3rd. 
e to open B
Then low E to either high e or the octave at the 7th on A string. 
Sometimes check it by playing a modified G
G, open D, open G, D on the b

Really should make an effort to use my tuners more. 

Guys in the band love it when I wait for them to finish tuning and then say, "gimme your A"


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

I have a Les Paul. G always flat. I've recently been messing with open, 12th fret harmonics, and 7th fret harmonics for tuning. It's leading to finding a middle ground on a couple of strings....aiming on the slightly flat side. It's like figuring out which part of the guitar I want "more tuned".


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## knight_yyz (Mar 14, 2015)

I always find that the G is hardest to get in tune.


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## isoneedacoffee (Oct 31, 2014)

knight_yyz said:


> I always find that the G is hardest to get in tune.


I always find that the G is hardest to STAY in tune.


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## SWLABR (Nov 7, 2017)

I have a buddy who runs a small recording studio. I swung by once just to hang out while a guy was recording bed-tracks for a demo. My buddy clicks the intercom into the next room _you're a little flat_. Oh, am I? and proceeds to try re-tune using harmonics, but nothing to tune it to. He was just getting the guitar back in tune with it's self. 

_click:_ *get out*!

The guy had no idea why my buddy was so angry. It was funny as hell... (for bed-tracks, ya kinda need to be in A-440 if the rest of the guitars/basses/keys are going to be)


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

SWLABR said:


> The guy had no idea why my buddy was so angry.


I'd be wondering too. Can't the engineer clean it all up? lol


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## LouisFNCyphre (Apr 23, 2021)

cboutilier said:


> I play .008-.038 strings. A strong breeze will sharpen them up.


Your low E could be my A. 
Mind you that's on a 24" scale so I need pretty heavy strings even though I'm only tuned to C#.

I just tune to the attack, usually willing to tolerate being slightly flat over slightly sharp.


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