nmyworld

I have searched and searched but couldn’t find a good way to tune my Fender 12 string that I bought a while back. So I studied a bit, figured it out with the use of a few tools, and decided to lay it out in laymen’s terms.

Requirements and Tools

• AP Guitar Tuner
• Powertab
• Audacity
• A 12 string guitar

!important! First: capo your guitar on second or tune everything while holding the second fret. This will save your guitar’s neck, as (in my opinion) a 12-string guitar should NEVER be tuned to full standard. The stress is just too great and you could warp your guitar.

Also, please remember that this is the method that I learned to tune a 12 string and may not be the way to do it. In the world of guitars, nothing much is set in stone.

Basics

Some basic knowledge of guitars is needed to understand this guide. I tried to make it as easy as possible, but you still need to know a little bit about playing and tuning a guitar.

On a 12 string guitar, the second (and thicker) string is always tuned standard while the first (and thinner) string is tuned to the same note an octave higher. This rule applies to all thin strings save B and high E. So what we want is a means of tuning those 4 strings reliably.

One tried and true method of doing this is the one that we will all be forced to use in a doomsday situation. Taking into consideration that your guitar is tuned two steps lower, you can tune it like you would a 6-string. The lower string (smaller) needs to be the same note as the upper string’s 12th fret (counting from the capo–so it’s really the 14th fret on the guitar).

So, basically, fret the upper string at 12, play it, and tune the lower string to match. Voila, easy.

AP Guitar Tuner

This is just a great program for regular use, so use it. But using it to tune a 12 string is a bit tricky; yet it brings the best results for those who can’t tune very well by ear.

First, tune every other string (starting with the low E thick string) in standard–you remembered to capo 2nd right? Make sure every string is tuned correctly, then the fun can start.

Now, notice in the top left of the AP Guitar Tuner interface is another window with vertical bars–this is this particular tuning’s notes. The default (standard) is E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4. What we want is E3, A3, D4, G4, B3, E4. To do this, right click on the bar of the note that you wish to change and note the three octaves. Lower octave stands for 2, so E2 is lower octave E and E3 is middle octave E. So for E, change it to Middle Octave -> E. Do this for A, D, and G, changing A to A3, D to D4, and G to G4 then tuning each string pairs’ lower (thinner) string to the note.

And now it should sound perfect. Don’t forget to capo 2nd when tuning!

Power Tab Editor

This is probably one of the best pieces of music writing softwares that I’ve ever used–maybe because it was the only I’ve ever used? Either way, it’s very straight forward and easy to handle. But what most don’t know, is that it can be used to help you tune your 12-string or even your 6-string!

First, on the top navigation bar, click Guitar->Setup and find where it says “Capo,” then set this value to 2. If you don’t do this, you will be tuning in standard E–not what you want with a 12 string.

Second, make a new score and enter a string of whole notes that start on the bottom fret and end on the top fret. It should look like the figure on the right. This will be what you will tune to and is set up so that it is easily navigable (via the musical bars). The first set of notes (from the low string to the high string) is for the thicker strings while the second set is for the thinner string of the pair.

Simply play the notes, tuning when necessary, until your guitar matches the tone and you’re in tune.

Audacity

But, Ryan, isn’t this a sound recording software? How can I use this to tune my 12 string?

Well, you can’t. Not unless you’ve done it before, that is. You won’t be able to tune unless you’ve already recorded all 12 of the strings being played into a mic. This is a very good way to keep your 12 string in tune, as it will always sound the same if you have a good ear for tone matching.

If you know how to use the program (and it’s as easy as clicking “record”) you won’t have a problem doing this. In fact, it’s so easy, that I’m not going to explain it–but it really is an effective way to keep your guitar in tune.

Err…what? Yes, all you really have to do is record every string being played by itself into a mic and tune your guitar to the playback to keep it in tune. That is all.

The battle to tune and keep tuned a 12 string guitar is one that will never end. Tuners, teachers, tools, and software have all tried to help the novice keep his twanger going in tune, but many still find it impossible to keep tuned and will often ditch it. But hopefully, this guide has at least made you slightly more informed or skilled at tuning the infamous 12 string guitar and will inspire those who have given up on playing theirs to once again let it sing it’s sweet music.