How to tune a guitar to piano or keyboard

Most guitarists I’ve worked with now carry around their own tuner, so there’s less need to assist them in tuning their guitars.

Occasionally, though, their battery dies, or they just want a quick aural indication of whether their instrument is in tune before playing.

Here’s how to assist a guitarist in tuning their guitar.

1. Make sure your instrument is in tune

This is less of an issue with digital pianos and keyboards, because (unless something goes very wrong) they’re always in tune.

Do make sure that there’s no unwanted fine tuning set on the keyboard. Most instruments tune with an A at 440Hz. Just make sure any fine tuning adjustments are turned off.

If you’re working on an out-of-tune acoustic piano, then I’m afraid your problems are only just beginning.

2. Play the required notes in turn

Assuming the guitarist wants to tune to standard tuning, these are the six ascending notes you’ll want to play.

Here are the notes written in the bass clef. Click for larger view

Here are the notes you need to play on a piano keyboard. Click for larger view

1. E
2. A
3. D
4. G
5. B
6. E

Here’s what these notes sound like (this is a MIDI file. Your web browser should be able to play it directly):

Guitar tuning notes played on piano [MIDI]

The guitarist will likely tell you if you’re playing a note too often or not enough to be helpful.

Generally, it’s best to use a standard acoustic piano sound without much reverb or other effect.

Play the note clearly, either holding it or using the sustain pedal. As the note wanes, play it again. The idea is to maintain the pitch while the guitarist tunes each string to that note.

It may be sufficient to simply play the low E so the guitarist can tune that string. They can tune all the other strings relative to that one.

3. Play the notes through again

Once the guitarist has finished the initial tuning it can be helpful to play each note fairly quickly in succession, with the guitarist echoing.

It’s usually fairly obvious if any string isn’t tuned correctly.

Playing through some chords together will also likely throw up any issues, either with the whole guitar sounding ‘sharp’ or ‘flat’ in comparison to the piano, or just a few notes sounding dissonant.

4. Be ready for alternative tunings

This process is exactly the same for a guitarist who wants to tune the instrument to non-standard tuning. Just ask them to name the notes they want you to play and proceed as in step 2.

5. Other instruments

You can also use a similar process for other stringed instruments including bass guitar, cello and violin. The notes and positions will vary by instrument.

Jazz legend Chick Corea endorses the Yamaha AvantGrand hybrid piano

Legendary jazz pianist Chick Corea recently took Yamaha’s newly launched AvantGrand N3 hybrid piano for a “test drive.” Initially skeptical about the world’s first stringless piano to feature the sound, touch and action of a concert grand, the 67-year-old jazz superstar was quickly won over.

“My standard of comparison is the Yamaha CFIIIS concert grand piano with a gorgeous, beautiful sound, so I was a little apprehensive when I first saw the AvantGrand,” says the Yamaha Artist, who was recently named JazzTimes’ 2008 Artist of the Year.

“I thought, ‘look at this little thing, what’s it going to do?’ It blew me away,” recalls Corea. “I sat down and adjusted the volume to make it sound like a big piano and immediately went into reverence at the R&D department and how they pulled it off, because it’s quite an accomplishment.”

Priced at a fraction of the cost of a concert grand, the N3 features the exquisite sound of the acclaimed Yamaha CFIIIS concert grand piano in a stunning grand piano style cabinet.

Currently on tour as a member of the Five Peace Band, also featuring John McLaughlin, Corea will be making select solo appearances, including the Nice Jazz Festival in Nice, France and the Detroit Jazz Festival in Detroit, Michigan. He will also perform with Stanley Clarke and Lenny White for several dates in September.

“Once I started playing the AvantGrand and getting into the musical flow of it, I could lose myself in the music just like I like to do. I could certainly envision using this instrument in my louder bands, my electric bands.”

Fusing 21st century music technology with Yamaha’s century-long heritage of piano craftsmanship, the N3 features highly advanced sound reproduction and sampling technology, without the tuning, cost or footprint of a comparable stringed instrument.

One of the greatest challenges in creating a true acoustic piano experience electronically is to accurately re-create the vibrations integral to the playing experience. The AvantGrand Series are the first pianos to actualise the physical connection with their instrument that pianists could only experience – until now – with an acoustic grand.

Its innovative Tactile Response System transmits “string” vibrations through the keys to player’s hands. Even the foot pedal action became subject to Yamaha’s demanding criteria. In traditional pianos, resistance is created in proportion to how deep the pedal is depressed. To replicate this, Yamaha created a new, specialized grand piano pedal for AvantGrand that reproduces the finesse of acoustic pedals, duplicating the spring, friction and inertia of traditional pedals.

The placement of the four-channel, three-way Spatial Acoustic Speaker System mimics the points where the original grand piano samples were taken, while the Soundboard Resonator create a non-directional sound dispersion directly in front of the player, duplicating the subtle reproduction of the buildup of sound felt by concert pianists. These technologies combine to authentically re-create the depth of tone of the Yamaha nine-foot CFIIIS grand piano, the choice instrument of many of the world’s top musicians and performance venues.

In addition to the remarkable grand piano sound sample, the N3 also features electronic piano and harpsichord voices.

The AvantGrand N3 is slated to ship in July 2009. The AvantGrand N2 upright model will be available in September 2009. Both include a matching padded bench.

Artist Profile: Jade Simmons

Honing her musical creativity and electrifying audiences worldwide is merely the warm up for Jade Simmons. The Yamaha pianist, whose mission is to “expand the boundaries of classical music,” seeks nothing short of a musical revolution.

Simmons recently joined the Yamaha Artist roster, which includes acclaimed pianists such as Abbey Simon, Frederic Chiu, Alexander Kobrin, Oxana Yablonskaya, Olga Kern, Maria Joao Pires, Elton John, Alicia Keys, Gavin DeGraw and Norah Jones.

A musical force of nature, Simmons champions a diverse mix of repertoire from the classics to the cutting edge, designs her own concert wear, writes articles on the arts, and maintains a busy performing, speaking and lecturing schedule. Simmons will also serve as the inaugural host for the Cliburn Competition’s first interactive live Webcast later this month. This confluence of imagination, talent and drive resulted in Simmons being named as one of Ebony Magazine’s 2007 “Young Leaders Under 30.”

According to the former Miss Illinois and 1st-runner up at the 2000 Miss America Pageant, her affiliation with Yamaha “was inevitable”. Recently, when considering some of her most significant and successful performances, it became clear which brand she had come to rely on the most.

“The one thing that was consistent was Yamaha; I really believe in their product,” said Simmons. “There’s a consistency there that is lacking with other brands. There’s a comfort level there. Even when you don’t have time to warm up, when your fingers are cold, a Yamaha piano will work with you and not against you.”

The Charleston, South Carolina native recently experienced the CFIIIS concert grand piano at a recent performance Dublin, Georgia. “I was drawn to it because of the variation in colour, and the responsive action of the keys,” she recalls. “It was 4:30 and I only intended to practice 15 minutes. I didn’t leave until 7:30 when it was time to change for the performance. Despite being road weary, the instrument made me want to practice.”

“Jade is the kind of artist you formally welcome into the fold after, it turns out, you’ve been working together all along,” says Yamaha Artist Services Director James Steeber. “She makes a brilliant impression, has a presence which fills the room, and plays with authority and dedication – something which benefits Yamaha tremendously. Additionally, her outreach to young people in the name of classical music is vital.”

Simmons’ latest CD release, Revolutionary Rhythm is the first installment of “The Rhythm Project” which features repertoire that capitalises on the piano’s rhythmic and percussive nature. This connection was nurtured by her father, who plays African drums, and her mother, who plays piano. An avid bucket drummer, Simmons enthusiastically drummed with her high school and college marching bands (“number 4 bass, baby!”).

According to the artist, Revolutionary Rhythm reflects her affinities and influences, highlighting American composers Samuel Barber, John Corigliano, Russell Pinkston and in pieces by DBR, she is complemented by Hip-Hop beats she co-produced. She sums up the recording as “the musical story of a pianist enamored with rhythm, indebted to classical music, drawn to modern music and surrounded by technology and popular culture.”

After a recent performance at the CD launch, an admirer offered Simmons “one of the best compliments I ever received. He said, ‘I feel like am witnessing the beginning of a movement.’ That personifies what I am trying to do. I want people to leave enjoying the whole musical package.”

Since her days as Miss Illinois, Simmons has spoken across the country to great acclaim, offering humorous and inspiring presentations as part of her “Where Do You Stand?!” speaking series. “The most fulfilling part of my touring is going to schools and community centers, speaking with kids and encouraging them to find their passion.” She has appeared on a variety of radio and television programs speaking on topics from the arts to youth suicide prevention, a cause that she’s “passionate about”.

As an advocate for the arts in education, she has created a presentation entitled “Mozart on the Move” for elementary school students. “My message is don’t let someone look at you and limit you,” says Simmons, who grew up listening to Lauren Hill and Missy Elliott, and is drawn to Beethoven, Timbaland and Rachmaninoff. “I am careful to say that what I do, meaning classical music, is not better than popular music,” adding that “the mixing of genres feels like second nature to me.”

At the 2000 Miss America Pageant, Simmons performed Chopin’s Etude in C-sharp minor, Op.10 No.4 live, before a television audience of millions. In 2006, she became the first ever New Music, New Places Fellow for the esteemed Concert Artists Guild organization. Under this initiative, she helps to build new audiences and generate interest in concert music by bringing traditional and new works to non-traditional and alternative venues.

Recent engagements include Symphony Hall with the Chicago Sinfonietta, Seattle’s Meany Hall, Detroit’s Institute of the arts, the National Academy of Sciences in Washington D.C. and New York’s Town Hall, Merkin Hall and Symphony Space. A soloist, recitalist and chamber musician, her performances have been broadcast on PBS and National Public Radio affiliates. Abroad, she has performed in Spain, France, Greece, Italy and The Canary Islands.

Winner of numerous awards and scholarships, Simmons is a graduate of Rice University’s prestigious Shepherd School of Music and received her Master of Piano Performance degree as a Provost Fellow. In 2001, she completed her undergraduate work at Northwestern University, where she co-founded the popular percussion and dance ensemble Boomshaka! As a follow up, Simmons formed the progressive, contemporary Collide Trio which performs a mash up of hip-hop, electronica and art music.

Simmons is Founder and Artistic Director of The Impulse Artist Series, which provides performance opportunities and career building support for emerging pianists. “It’s increasingly important that students coming out of art and music schools to present something different and exciting,” Simmons notes. “You have to be creative. I am lucky that I found a platform that is not a gimmick, but allows me to express myself as an artist.”

Simmons’ artistic and life philosophies seem to converge in her CD liner notes, where she writes: “If we’re lucky, when we die maybe a handful of people will remember us vividly. If we’re really fortunate, we will leave this earth having made an indelible impact, having rebelled for a purpose, having revolutionized something.”

For more information on Yamaha artists or the extensive Yamaha product catalog, please visit www.yamahaartists.com.

Christmas carol concert: ten tips for preparing pianists

So, you’ve been asked to accompany the carol singing at your local school, church, social club, in the community, or even on the streets?

Here are ten tips to ensure you’re prepared and confident for the big day.

1. Be prepared

Most people like to know well in advance exactly what’s expected of them, so find out as soon as you can what you’re being asked to do, what format the carol concert will take, what rehearsals are planned, and how the whole thing will run.

Your stress levels will be lower if you have enough time to prepare for the event.

2. Know your skill and commitment levels

Be honest about your level of proficiency. Presumably, you’ve been asked because someone thinks you’re good enough to play, but don’t be afraid to keep things simple if you’re not confident playing more complicated pieces / arrangements, or if you don’t have a lot of preparation time.

If you’re provided with sheet music, and you know it’s too complicated, ask if there are simpler arrangements available.

Conversely, if you’re provided with chord sheets and lyrics, but you work better from manuscript, ask if you can have that instead.

3. Become friends with the organiser

You need to develop a good working relationship with the organiser of the event so that you can discuss how the event will run, flag any problems, and be kept “in the loop” if there are any new developments.

Particularly for more formal services, such as in a high church where there may be readings, liturgy, etc., the service organiser should be able to offer strong leadership so you’re not worried about when and how you should be performing.

4. Playing, singing, leading?

Are you going to accompany a choir or congregation by simply playing piano/keyboard, or are you expected to sing and play at the same time?

Are you “leading” others through your singing and playing, or is someone else directing from the front, or simply leaving it to the group’s knowledge of the music to carry it through?

Don’t be afraid to say if you’re not comfortable / able to play and sing at the same time. You may be able to work with a vocalist who can lead the rest of the group, leaving you to concentrate on playing the right notes.

5. Solo or group?

Are you going to be playing on your own, or with other instrumentalists? This will affect how and when you practice, what arrangements you use, and may require some diplomacy and group-building skills.

If you’re asked to play in a group and are prepared to either lead, or participate in that, be ready to work at honing musical arrangements and performance, dealing with possible creative conflicts, helping less confident musicians, and ensuring everyone knows what they’re doing on the day.

From my experience, many guitarists find all but the simplest carols (and hymns, too) quite difficult to play and make sound good, not because they’re poor musicians, but because many were composed on and for keyboard instruments. Don’t be surprised if guitarists wish to take more of a back seat when it comes to providing volume/body to carols. Solo instruments (cellos, violins, bass guitar) are often easier to work in, and can sound very good.

6. Singing from the same song sheet

Find out from the organiser exactly which carols are to be sung, obtain all the words, and ensure the same tune is being used (some carols have more than one version, particularly British and American variations).

If you have sourced your own music and/or words, ensure that it fits with what’s printed on the programme/hymnbook. Find out if certain verses are to be missed out, or repeated.

7. Practice! Practice! Practice!

If playing/singing solo, find enough time so you’re confident to accompany/lead the singers.

If working with other musicians, schedule in at least two rehearsals, or as many as required so everyone is confident, plus your own solo practices.

Find out whether you will be able to practice in the venue before the event — this can help to familiarise yourself with how you and/or a group of musicians will sound, particularly if you’ve never played there before.

8. Practicalities

Find out whether you will need to provide your own keyboard/digital piano, or whether an acoustic/digital piano will be provided for you.

If playing and singing outside, ensure there’s protection from the elements for you and your equipment, and a safe way to provide electricity for any amplification.

Ensure you’re able to get yourself and any equipment to the venue in plenty of time to set up, particularly if you’re working with a group, and if you will be using a PA system.

If using PA, find out who is setting it up and ask if there will be time to “sound check” everything, even if briefly.

Ensure that you can hear yourself playing and singing in the venue. See if the volume levels of any audio monitors (speakers) can be set at a slightly higher volume than is necessary, when practising, particularly when a large number of choir/congregation is expected — their singing will drown out or soak up your own sound and you may find it hard to hear what you’re playing.

Ensure you have enough light to be able to read the music/words comfortably.

9. Confidence

Be confident! You’ve been asked to do this, so someone believes in you.

Now you’ve accepted, trust in your abilities. If you’re nervous, don’t over-stretch yourself — play within your comfort zone.

With the right amount of preparation and practice, there’s no reason why the carol concert won’t be a great success.

10. Learn and Grow

After the event (maybe not right away) assess how you thought it went as a musician.

Did everything work as it should have? Were you happy with how you performed? What went well? What could have been better?

Make some notes so that, if you do another event, you’ll be even better prepared.

Have fun!

What tips would you add? Share in the comments below.