Tuning
forks
Tuning your bass with a tuning fork can be
a little tricky at first. With a tuning fork, you are tuning
one string, usually the 4th or 3rd, then tuning all of the
other strings to that one. If you are tuning the 3rd string,
you will be using an A 440 tuning fork, this is the one
I prefer. If you want to tune your 4th string, then you
are going to use an E 329.63 tuning fork. The numbers stand
for the cycles per second, not really important unless you
are a physics freak.
How
to use it
I am going to show you how to use an A 440
tuning fork, since that is the one that I have.
-
Hit one of the sides of the tuning fork
on your knee, while holding the stem with your thumb
and 1st finger.
-
Take the base of the tuning fork and
rest it on the bass. Since your bass is wood, it will
vibrate at the pitch of the tuning fork. A 440 in this
case.
-
Play the
harmonic
at the 5th fret of the 3rd string. You are going to
pluck the string with your right hand 2nd finger, while
still holding the base of the tuning fork against the
guitar. (that is the tricky part)
-
Tune that harmonic to match the pitch
of the tuning fork. The note you are playing on the
bass will sound an octave lower than the tuning fork.
-
You will then tune all of the other
strings to the 3rd string.
Watch this video on using the tuning
fork
Page 4, electronic tuners
Page 1, back to the beginning of basic guitar tuning
