Guitar Scale Features and Tuning

The guitar scale is a rather significant part of the instrument for studying its structure and playing on it. Every musician should understand its purpose and setting.

Generally, Scale is the working length of the string that is used when playing. It is measured in inches or millimeters. Decreasing its length increases the tonality.

In this article, we will consider in detail almost all of its nuances.

It should be reported that the word "mensura" comes from the Latin mensura and is translated as a measure. Its size affects the sound of the instrument. And to find her, just look at information about this on the Internet or measure this distance yourself.

In practice, certain scale lengths are used to create guitars. The so-called standards. For example, the American standard for the Fender brand is 648 mm. The classics have a scale of 650 mm. But there is also an extended version of 660 mm.

For example, two absolutely identical instruments with different scales will sound surprisingly unique. It affects such a parameter as the feel of the game. This, perhaps, explains why professional musicians-guitarists have dozens of different guitars.

The length of the scale determines the sound of the guitar and its key, as well as the range. This is why bass guitars have a long neck to sound in low octaves.

Instruments with different scales give different responses when played. And these differences are determined only by the length of the bar.And it also depends on this distance, where and how you will sound harmonics on your guitar - both natural and artificial.

At a large scale, the guitar sounds brighter, with a bell sound. But an instrument with a reduced neck length can accommodate more overtones in one section. This makes the sound thicker and warmer.

Take, for example, a normal natural harmonic on the 6th string of the 5th fret. As you move your hand closer to the higher frets, you can hear a lot of notes and overtones. This is all part of the chords as they sound, since a note is essentially composed of many subtle parts and overtones.

Another point is the combination of the degree of string tension and the length of the scale, which allows you to correct the sound in one direction or another.

It should be noted that multi-meter guitars have become widespread lately. However, such tools are usually made to order. These guitars provide more precise tuning. This is their indisputable advantage.

It should be emphasized that the standard bass scale is 34 inches, or 863.6 mm. All other basses with a different number of strings have the same parameter.

And also bass guitars with a smaller scale are used. But such tools are mostly custom-made and are quite rare.

Decreasing the length of the string will make the sound more dense. The string will require less tension when tuning the guitar.

Let's talk about the sizes of scales in bass guitars. Long scale basses with 34 "" or 864 mm lengths have become very popular nowadays.

But over time, the shortened instruments got a bad impression. Therefore, most musicians began to choose a more professional instrument, for example, the Fender brand. In general, there are 4 groups of scales for bass guitars, depending on their sizes. They are reduced, medium, standard and enlarged.

At the same scale, the thicker string will be tighter.

Your experience of playing also affects the scale you choose.

It must be said that there is no need to adjust the scale of an acoustic guitar. All parameters are initially determined by the manufacturer of such a tool. This is its main difference.

Classical guitar has a scale length of 650 mm. But for example from the manufacturer of the Fender brand, it is 648 mm and is the standard.

To tune the scale, you need to adjust parameters such as string heights and truss. And it is necessary to check the sounding of the first string at the 12th fret, and, if necessary, change the scale by moving the saddle. Then tune the open string - and check it again at the 12th fret. And so with every string.

When measuring the scale, keep in mind that the octave is divided into 12 equal semitones.

To do this, we take a given scale and calculate using the mathematical formula Ln = Ln-1 / 12√2. As a result, we get a string length that is a semitone higher.

Then dividing that factor will determine the length from the saddle to the second fret, and so on. Thus, a table with the distances from the saddle to each fret is obtained. Classical guitar usually stops at the 20th fret.

It takes some effort to get your guitar to tune properly. As a last resort, you will have to carry out the guitar scale adjustment. You need a special key to correct the scale adjustment. It usually comes with a guitar. Otherwise, the tuning will malfunction, and the chords will sound haphazardly.

It should be emphasized that Basically, the manufacturer never scales the scale for guitars, so this must be done and checked by yourself.

The 12th fret on the fretboard, which divides the string in half, will be the determining factor for tuning the scale. The length of the string is changed using the saddle. A you will also need to adjust the truss and determine the correct height of the strings above the neck.

We'll use the tuner to adjust the scale. First we tune the open first string. Then, at the 12th fret, compare it to the open string on the tuner. If everything matches, then the scale is fine. This is what we do for all strings.

Plus, after playing, the tension on the strings changes, and the guitar starts to sound differently. This is why professional guitarists change strings after performances.

And also it is necessary to monitor the fretboard septa of the neck. For accurate tuning, their surface must be rounded. Tuning the scale of a bass guitar is no different from tuning a regular standard electric guitar, six-string or even seven-string.

If the saddles are too protruding on the guitar, they need to be sanded to adjust the scale. Also, due to too old strings or incorrectly set nut, the guitar may not build.

To tune the scale of a guitar with a typewriter, you need to purchase a special tuning tool. Therefore, adjusting the scale without a typewriter is easier.

To set up a bridge or a typewriter, you need to understand its structure. The position of the bridge on the fretboard is also very important. First, loosen the strings before adjusting the bridge, and then proceed with normal tuning.

If your guitar does not have a bridge, then the action plan will be as follows.

First, let's tune in with the tuner. Then check the strings at the 12th fret. After tuning out, we check the open sound of all strings.

At the end of this review, it should be said that scale is a rather important thing and a characteristic of a musical instrumentwhich you need to pay attention to when tuning your guitar sound. It is on her that such an aspect as the system depends.

You can learn more about the peculiarities of tuning the scale of stringed instruments in the following video.