[Birddog]

Not sure if I'm in the right thread for this - admin's please move it if nec...
I just bought a Sanyo chromatic tuner - question is - what key should I tune the guitar to .it is a Baja Electric and will most likely be played for classic rock or country,maybe a couple blues licks .
Thanks

[allthumbs]

Use this link to tune to standard. Guitars aren't really tuned to keys.
http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/tuning.html

[Birddog]

I did do that one and something still didn't come out right on some notes - real sour . Anyway - the guy at the store told me that my sound card in the computer might not allow a true sound as the tuner might give. The tuner is adjustable to keys - I think I tuned it to an Eb ,maybe I should have used the A setting?

[allthumbs]

You couldn't tune it using the on line tuner here either?
Online tuner
If the music files you find here sound right, then it is not likely your sound card.
There is no setting on your tuner for standard tuning?

[Birddog]

Please forgive my absolute beginnerness( boy I feel dumb - its a Seiko SAT500, not a Sanyo<smack on the forehead>)- I didn't notice a standard setting on the tuner . This is why I asked the question - when I turned on the tuner it has all these different settings (mode, pitch,note and key) and and I didn't know which key to use , I always thought country was "mostly in A" but wasn't sure about other styles. I have never used a tuner and I guessed at the Eb setting. It has digital cent Indication -whatever that means. I think it has to do with that it tells you which side of the note it is so you know which way to tune. Instructions were not really helpful to me - the guy I bought it from said it was easy to use and what he described sounded like a plug and play kind of easy.
On another note (no pun intended) I bought a Hal Leonard wall poster of guitar chords with finger placement and the chord charts for each . Looks helpful for the $6.

[X4StringDrive]

Go into mode, find calibration and set at 440{also could be listed as A-440}....Just a thought

[D-Dawn]

LoL sounds more complicated than I'd want to deal with...get you one of these and make it easy!

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...ner?sku=215003

[Birddog]

let me tell you what choices I have with the key mode-
Eb, F,Bb,C .I thought I saw A in there - guess not. There is a 440 setting on the pitch and is adjustable. Maybe I'll go back and try it again on 440 .This is all so new to me. You all know so much more than I don't know.

[Stratrat]

4String is right - you want A440 tuning. Refer to the manual that came with it, it should show you how to set that.

[Birddog]

As far as I can see - there is no A setting . wouldn't you think there should be?

[allthumbs]

Try going to notes. Auto, then hit the thickest string, the E string. That should tell you how far above or below the E you are by the led lights. Check it against the low E in the on line tuner. They should sound the same. Then do the next string all the way to the high E string.

[Birddog]

sounds logical -I'll have to do it tomorrow . Thank you

[karcey]

G'day Birddog,
Can I make a simple suggestion. Use the online tuner on this forum to get your strings tuned. Then start playing with your little electronic marvel. You'll pretty quickly see whether it's set to standard tuning.

[Birddog]

again this is why I asked - I had first tuned it to the cheapo pitch pipe that came with it - then I found the online tuner and spent 10 or so minutes on that , then bought the chromatic and maybe I didn't have it set right yet but nothing sounded the same- but better.

[GotDeeBlues]

I have the 500 and had the same problem usung it with my acoustic. It's internal mike seems to get confused, so using a clip on mike or tuning by pluging in an electric works well.