[Music_Appreciation]

If you know about naturals and flats and sharps.
Do anyone here knows where the C# is exactly in tabs. I know it's on the 2nd string 1st fret. But I just dont know where the C# is I'm guessing it's the 2nd string but isn't that a Db?

If anyone knows please tell me. Thanks

[justinthyme]

C# would show as, say, a 2 marked on the 2nd string. Not like a music staff. Someone will no doubt produce a tab for you - I can't.

Welcome to the forum, btw.

[Music_Appreciation]

thanks

[skinnybloke]

Hi Music_Appreciation. C# and Db = Same note.

[scotty_b]

The guitar uses an equal tempered method tuning, meaning we find enharmonic notes on the fretboard - or as these guys have said, C#= Db. There have been other methods of dividing an octave, such as the Pythagorean method, which results in a slight difference between C# and Db.
Talk to a violin player or horn player about it, and they will adopt a slightly different fingering or embouchre for each note.
If this is new to you and you would like to understand it's historical development have a look at Bach and the Well-Tempered Clavier.

[skinnybloke]

Originally Posted by scotty_b

Talk to a violin player or horn player about it, and they will adopt a slightly different fingering or embouchre for each note.

scotty, on a guitar....wouldn't that be called a chord?
The way I read it, MA was looking for a note on the fretboard.
Skinny.

[scotty_b]

Hey Skinny
No it doesn't relate to chords, it is for individual notes. I play a little trumpet (very little!), and sax (which I can actually play in public without being hit by bottles) and for certain notes I need to adjust the position of my mouth (the embourchre), the rate of airflow or adjusting the slide on the trumpet to compensate for pitch.
String players will adjust the placement of their fingers to play either a C# or Db note, as they will hear them as two different notes.
I think the further we go the more we realise how limited our 12-note system is. I have really noticed my hearing has stepped up another level or two recently, and I am hearing the very subtle differences between notes that perhaps I was unaware of before. It is a good thing, but I am always aware of my guitar being out of tune now - no matter how well I tune the thing!

[henry b]

I was told it,s sharp ascending and flat descending. fwiw.

[Noodler]

To the OP, there are lots of places to play C#/Db on the guitar, eg
6th string, 9th fret
5th string, 4th fret
4th string, 11th fret
3rd string, 6th fret
2nd string, 2nd fret
1st string, 9th fret

For your guitar purposes, C# is the same as Db (called enharmonic notes-same note different names).

I know what you guys are saying about tuning, but I only notice it with chords. So if I play a song in G, then a song in A I usually have to retune the G and B strings.

[henry b]

Noodler, why do you have to re-tune after playing a song.Surely the the same strings are being picked/strummed whatever key you are playing in.

[Lcjones]

Originally Posted by Noodler

So if I play a song in G, then a song in A I usually have to retune the G and B strings.

Explain that please. ?????

**
LC

[Noodler]

Well, over the years my ears ave gotten better, like people were saying above. With tempered tuning the guitar is a little bit (but acceptibly) out of tune in every key.

But say if you are playing in C, you can adjust some strings slightly (say after tuning with your electronic tuna ), and you'll get a sweeter more in tune sound while playing in C. If you change key though, it will sound worse than if you'd left it tuned to the tuner, so you need to retune.

I find that the keys of C and A are particularly offensive if I don't make some adjustments. Tune with a tuner. Play an open A chord. You'll notice if you tweak the B string slightly flat the chord will sound sweeter. It is subtle, but produces a sweetness. The chord will then be exactly in tune for the key of A.

[henry b]

I,ll stick to Concert pitch and know it is in tune whatever key I play in.

[Noodler]

Good for you Henry, and you'll think you'll be in tune in every key, when you are actaully slightly out of tune, but acceptibly so, in every key (tempered tuning, mentioned earlier). When I began playing and I tuned with an electronic tuner I used to think I was perfectly in tune. If that's you, then be happy with that.

I know a guy (a guitar repairer), who cannot stand to hear a tele tuned with a tuner. He says the G string will always play slightly flat on a tele in standard tuing and changes the intonation at the nut to compensate. I can't hear it, but since this guy tunes guitars for a living, I guess his ear is better than mine, you know?

I think the further we go the more we realise how limited our 12-note system is. I have really noticed my hearing has stepped up another level or two recently, and I am hearing the very subtle differences between notes that perhaps I was unaware of before. It is a good thing, but I am always aware of my guitar being out of tune now - no matter how well I tune the thing!

I'm with Scotty B. In the very old days, before the "Well-Tempered Clavier", each piano could be made to play perfectly in tune in only one key. Then Bach (?), decided to even out the differences between the keys over all the keys, so each key would be just a smidge out of tune, but you could play in any key. I've just come to notice that little bit of "out of tune-ness" in C and A and it bothers me, so I correct for it. If you don't believe me, Google :"tuning guitar to a chord."

[skinnybloke]

Your ear is obviously very Attuned