Tuning a 12-string guitar

For an uninformed person, tuning a twelve-string guitar may seem difficult and incomprehensible, because the number of strings has doubled. But this is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. If a musician decided to get acquainted with such a guitar, it means that music for him is not just a hobby. Let's understand everything in more detail.

There are a lot of special features in tuning a 12-string guitar. They start by choosing a new set of strings. You can't just take and combine two different sets. For such guitars, there are special sets of guitar strings that differ from each other in such parameters as the material of manufacture, thickness and shape of the winding. Each type, depending on the material and thickness, has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let's talk about this in more detail.

Strings are of the following types:

• bronze;
• a combination of phosphorus and bronze;
• copper;
• brass;
• steel.

It is believed that bronze strings give a clear sound, but oxidize quickly, losing all their benefits. The "union" of bronze and phosphorus gives its results: the addition of phosphorus prolongs the life of the bronze strings. Copper strings are cheaper, they sound good, but the sound lacks individuality (which not all musicians like). But such strings are highly resistant to oxidation. Brass gives a ringing metallic sound, which is not always appropriate. Steel models oxidize quickly and wear out the frets.

Of great importance is the thickness of the strings (measured in inches), which can vary from 0.008 to 0.014. Much depends on the thickness of the strings: it is worth replacing thinner ones with thicker analogs, as overtones appear in the sound, it will become louder and more juicy.To make it easier to navigate in such indicators, there are special tables. Similar tables can be found on the back of the packaging for the new kit.

The type of winding also has a huge impact on the sound of the instrument. The winding can be of the following types:

• round;
• semicircular;
• flat.

Round winding is the most popular because its production does not require large costs, which provides a low price range and market saturation. The semicircular one is the result of the symbiosis of round and flat windings; it is rarely found in stores. The flat winding allows the instrument to sound soft, smoothing out the high frequencies. It's good to play jazz on these strings.

When the issue with the strings is resolved, we proceed to stretch them.

The 12-string guitar kit is a basic and additional string kits. The tension of the strings creates a serious load on the neck of the guitar, so first the main set is pulled, and then only the additional one.

For a beginner to be able to correctly tune a twelve-string guitar, a guitar tuner is needed (an application in a smartphone), an alternative can be a PC with a tuner program. It's hard for a beginner to rely on his ear for music. If tuning is using a tuner, see the instructions. If the guitar was purchased already used, it is better to change the strings to new ones in any case: it is hygienic, and at the same time allows you to find your own sound.

The tuner picks up sound frequencies with a built-in microphone or reads vibrations from the guitar body with a piezoelectric pickup. For it to start working, you need to enable it. The digital display will show the audio frequency scale and sound reference mark. The letter indicates the sounding note.

Strike a string and the display will show the sounding frequency and the note to which it corresponds. If the needle deviates to the left of the reference frequency, then the string should be pulled up. Then it will sound higher. When the arrow reaches the desired value, you should stop and move to the next string. If the arrow deviates to the right, release the tension.

There are two ways to configure. You can tune the guitar in prima (a common tuning, when additional strings simply echo each other) and in an octave (when a row of strings is tuned an octave higher, which makes the sound more interesting).

The note tuning in primo will not differ from the normal guitar tuning. The sound will be louder, stereophonic. The guitar tuning will be as follows:

• 1-2 - E (Mi);
• 3-4 - B (Si);
• 5-6 - G (Salt);
• 7-8 - D (Re);
• 9-10 - A (A);
• 11-12 - E (Mi).

Let's consider a more complex tuning option that adds really beautiful overtones to the sound - in an octave. The scale will be as follows:

• 1 and 2 - E and E;
• 3 and 4 - B and B;
• 5 and 6 - G and g one octave higher;
• 7 and 8 - D and d one octave higher;
• 9 and 10 - A and a one octave higher;
• 11 and 12 are E and e an octave higher.

After the first setup, we check the tuning of each element separately. If necessary, you can repeat the operation several times. Then we put a chord and check the overall sound: if the guitar is building, then the operation has been successfully completed.

It happens that with standard tuning it is difficult to hold the strings or it is physically difficult to hold the barre for a long time. In such cases, you can tune the guitar down a tone or two by loosening the strings. Down tuning isn't a decent alternative tuning for everyone, but the sound won't get any worse. Often it even turns out the other way around: the guitar starts to sound completely different, and this is an interesting experiment. Such a simple shenanigans will allow you to play the instrument comfortably.

It is worth mentioning the following possible problems: due to the serious load on the neck and body, the guitar may bend, the strings will be far from the frets, which does not contribute to comfortable playing, and in some cases makes it impossible to use the instrument. In such situations, there are several options for solving the problem:

• if the strings are located relatively close to the saddles, then you can get by with "little blood": the neck nut is undercut, due to which the strings come closer;
• together with the neck nut, the nut on the body is usually finalized: this is done to compensate for the distance;
• when the neck and body are literally pulled together by the strings, the neck should be tuned by turning the truss bolt with which it is attached to the body;
• in the case when such adjustments and improvements are powerless, it is worth thinking about reinstalling the neck, which can cost a pretty penny.

It is believed that if the guitar is tuned to an octave, then the last and thinnest string will be very vulnerable, because it goes a third higher. To avoid this problem, you need to tune your guitar to a lower pitch. If this is unacceptable for one reason or another, you can try to pick up strings of a different diameter. There is an opinion that it is necessary to pay attention to the place of the break: if the break occurs at the splitter, it is worth looking at its condition and processing it from burrs, if any.

You can also learn more about the intricacies of tuning a 12-string guitar in the following video.