Tuning With Harmonics - Why You Need To STOP!

Tuning with harmonics is one of the first things that so many bassists learn how to do. There are many different ways. Some will tune with a tuning pedal, some with the 5th fret and some will use the harmonics at the 5th and 7th frets.

This is a popular technique but some people don't realise that this is actually making your bass fractionally out of tune.

The idea behind this harmonics tuning technique is based on the assumption that the 5th fret harmonics of one string (the A string for example) produces the same note as the 7th fret harmonic of the string above (D string in this case) but this isn't quite true.

The 5th fret harmonic on the A string resonates at 220Hz which means that the 7th fret harmonic on the D string should also resonate at 220Hz if we're going to use them as tuning references. But the D string harmonic is actually a little sharper than the A string one. It's 220.26Hz which creates a few tuning problems.

Firstly, if we do get the harmonics to match then our D string is flatter than it should be or if we tune to A string to the D string then our A is sharper than it should be. But the second issue comes in the form of addressing a common objection to this point.

Many people will say that the bass is never perfectly in tune because the strings will be detuned as we fret notes. This is certainly true. We've all been on gigs when we've tuned up perfectly with a great tuning pedal, played one song and seen that we're massively out of tune by the end of that song. So, given this, why worry so much about a fractional difference between two harmonics? Surely it's small enough that we wouldn't notice it?

Well the issue is this. Detuning which comes from fretting notes is inevitable. As bass players we can't avoid it. However, tuning with harmonics that are fractionally out of tune to start with will exacerbate this problem and that is something that we certainly can avoid if we choose to.

Personally I always prefer tuning with a pedal or electronic tuner. They're accurate and silent which is a great combination.

Below are a few tuning pedals and products which I think do a great job.

Thanks for watching guys and as ever please leave your comments, likes and subscriptions below!

Here are some popular tuners which I recommend

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[andyfrost]

Great video. You are correct. A pure harmonic 5th is sharper than an equal tempered 5th by 2cents. Not a huge amount in itself but it 'snowballs' as you go. On a 5 string bass this adds up an 8cent discrepancy between the low B string and the G....no thanks. 😉

[tuftyaurelius]

One of the most perceptive and highly intelligent comments ever as to why tuning bass or guitar using harmonics is wrong and goes against the actual physics of sound! Yet so many bassists and guitarists still do it and teach this tuning method. Such people should re-educate themselves. You are a Hero!👏👌❤

The diffence you want to avoid is 0.1%. The Boss tuner you recommend has an accuracy of +-0.5%.

[tuftyaurelius]

There are still too many YouTube videos advocating guitar tuning using 5th and 7th fret natural harmonics. This is wrong, unmusical and misguided! Let’s take the low E and A guitar strings. The low E open should be tuned exactly to 82.41Hz [ref.Wiki] and the A string should vibrate at 110Hz (generally agreed concert pitch). Taking the A, the 12th fret harmonic will be 220Hz, 7th fret will 330Hz and the 5th fret harmonic will vibrate at 440Hz. Consider the low E! 12th fret harmonic will be 2x82.41= 164.82Hz
7th fret harmonic= 3x82.41Hz= 247.23Hz and 5th fret harmonic for the low E string= 4x 82.41Hz= 329.64Hz. Appreciate that 330 Hz does not equal 329.64 Hz ! 😰 Hence you will/should hear unpleasant dissonant wavering/beating. The problem exacerbates and one ends up with an out of tune guitar by using this method.😰🥺

[joeurbanowski]

I’ve always used 12th and adjacent 7th frets.. for 50 years..But only in mid-session… I use a tuner initially…

[shakeelraza]

Great video thanks. Have you ever experienced ‘inharmonicity’ on the low E of a short scale bass? If so how would you recommend tuning the E string slightly flat to stretch the strings? I can’t find any information on how to accurately do this anywhere? Apparently you’d need a tuner that tracks the 6th partial as opposed to the fundamental - does that exist? Or would you just work out how many cents flat you need to be so it’s “in tune”? Thanks

[tuftyaurelius]

Yes, absolutely! Tuning by harmonics is WRONG!
“Open Note Frequency, guitar!

Low E: 82.41
A 110.00
D 146.83
G 196.00
B 246.94
E 329.62

Using this information, you can now determine the frequencies produced
by the 5th and 7th-fret harmonics on every string. For example, since
the A string rings open at 110 Hz, its 7th-fret harmonic will be at
330 Hz, and its 5th-fret harmonic will be at 440 Hz.

OK. Now that the groundwork is laid, let's see why tuning with
harmonics doesn't work. We'll walk through an example. Assume that
your low E and A strings are in perfect tune, but you want to
double-check them. According to the chart above, your low E string will
produce a tone at 82.41 Hz. Using the method you all know and love,
you'll pluck its 5th-fret harmonic. This gives an E two octaves
higher, at 329.64 Hz. Then, you pluck the 7th-fret A-string harmonic
and get a 330 Hz tone!…”

[stevenordstedt]

I’ve been playing bass for 41 years now. And have always tuned to harmonics. But it makes sense what your saying. I don’t think that’s why I can get good harmonics on most parts of my bass neck. But not all. Think the neck might have a dead spot in it.

[Ben-osif]

I use a Korg tuning paddle to get thing done fast and easy but I believe by ear is more accurate. Anyway I don't think people would care 0.1% or 0.5% off tune when on stage

[docbob]

Interested in knowing if this also holds true using harmonics from the 7th & 12th frets?

[surenbono]

Bro the Harmonics on A220 is actually an E note...try Open E and tap A harmonics to check again..there is difference since the string gauge is different between both harmonics...there is another on the 2nd fret harmonics..the same note E .anyway awesome vid..

[Darkslide]

It's such a big deal that even my tuner can't tell the difference...

I can tune my A with a tuner, tune the rest with harmonics and the pedal shows they all in tune.

Your argument is ridiculous.

[harryprater]

I harmonic tune in an "emergency"....like in the middle of a song. Normally...electronic before the gig..