Whether you are rehearsing at the studio or performing on stage, you need to get your guitar tuned. The idealists usually argue that it is better to tune by ear. However, in the real world, there many instances when tuners are simply more reliable and practical.

Back in 1936, the Con company released the first commercially successful tuner. It was known as the ‘Stroboconn’. This machine offered accurate pitch tuning with the help of technology now known as ‘strobe tuning’. It worked by comparing the notes to an internal reference frequency using a series of flickers and a rotating disk. Even though the stroboconns are now merely a collector’s items, the same basic technology is still used in most accurate strobe tuners today. With the advent of technology, you can find several types of these electronic audio adjusting devices. Read on to find out more.

The five categories of guitar tuners

It is a device used to tune your instrument up to a required specific pitch. For instance, 440 Hz is now the standardised frequency for modern music. Besides, this measure ensures that all instruments in an ensemble will play notes of the same frequency. Most guitars tuners these days are user-friendly. This is because they all are visually represented by a needle that flickers back and forth, indicating your tune-ins. There are many types of guitar tuners available from acoustic guitar tuners to electric guitar tuners. This guide will help you narrow down the best one for yourself.

Clip-on tuner

These audio & Hi-Fi devices have not been around for long. However, they are incredibly popular among modern guitarists. This is because they come with an ergonomic and portable design. Therefore, you just need to simply clip on the turner onto the headstock. Subsequently, its sensors then pick up the vibrations from the neck when you play an individual string. These audio adjusting devices are reasonably accurate. Thus, most guitarists choose to leave the clip-on tuners on their guitar at all times. Moreover, they also keep them on even when the guitar is stored in the case. Thus, you can take out the guitar, tune-up, and rock on.

Pedal tuner

This tuning device is an excellent solution for gigging guitarists. That’s because it makes tuning your audio device easy, especially in-between the songs you play. What’s more, it can engage the tuner by pressing the footswitch. Moreover, most pedal audio adjusters have bright screens. And that means you can fine-tune your pitch even in a dark environment. Furthermore, a pedestal tuner also has a handy function. It mutes your guitar signal entirely and allows you to tune silently. Of course, it is an art to tune in to an instrument without listening to anything.

Polyphonic acoustic guitar tuners

This kind of tuner is the one with which you can detect and determine multiple pitches at the same time. In other words, you can strum all six strings of the guitar at once. Obviously, you can only tune one string at a time, unless you’re an octopus! It is just that the tuning device will show which strings are out of tune. You can play all the open strings at once, and the polyphonic meter in the lower part of the unit illuminates. This shows you the strings that require tuning. Typically, there are three-meter modes—regular, strobe, and half strobe. Each of them has different functionalities and features.

Stroboscopic classical guitar tuners

These are one of the best classical guitar tuners that entered the market in 1936. They are still the most accurate tuner available. Typically, they compare an incoming guitar signal with its internal reference. These tuners examine both to determine if there is any difference in the pitch. You usually use a disc as the visual reference. This disc spins if there is any difference in the pitches and stops when the notes become identical. Such a marvellous feature makes stroboscopic tuners the most expensive in the market. You will usually find them in studios or on the stage due to their bulky size and high cost.

Rack and acoustic tuners 

A rack tuner does exactly what it says. At first, you may find it nonsensical to have such a large piece of kit. This is especially true when there is a small stompbox. But in most cases, rack tuners come with lots of other features. One of them is the selectable alternate tuning feature. Alternatively, there are acoustic tuners as well. Of course, you can use clip-on and pedestal tuners. However, tuners specifically built for acoustics possess more features. These snuggly fit in the sound hole, where, as the name describes, the sound is emitted. It is also possible to tune with these while you’re playing something. 

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