Is there a trick to tuning a guitar without any gadgets?

Question

I know that there are mechanical tuners, tuning forks and stuff, but is there a way to do it without any of these gizmos?

Answer 1

If you use the trick to tune from one of the strings you need to use the right fret, that is not the first from the top!

Starting from the lowest, thickest, string, you need the fifth fret, the fifth fret, the fifth fret, the fourth fret and the fifth fret again.

I think it is easier to work from low to high, as the string you are tuning is able to move free.
If you go from high to low you have to tune when holding the string down on the fret.

Try to keep the tuning near the official, as you will put more stress on the instrument if you tune very high.

If you have perfect pitch, or just a real good ear for tunes, you might be able to tune your guitar without help, but most people need a long time to learn that, if they ever do.

Answer 2

In order to tune a guitar, you must have a pitch to tune to. You can get a note from a piano, a tuning fork, a pitchpipe, or from any other instrument that has an identifiable pitch.
In a pinch you might try to tune to a CD.
In the old days I would tune to records so I could play along with them. I found out later that sometimes the pitches on recordings are sped up or slowed down to achieve some effect, therefore tuning to these pitches will not always tune you to a valid pitch.
When tuning to a recording, I tried to find a song tuned to an open string, such as E, A, D or G. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

I can't draw any diagrams, but in general the method is this:

tune the top string to the right pitch (by ear) when it is strummed freely.

now place you finger on that string, one fret from the top. the note it produces is the note the second string should make when stummed freely. tune the second string so that it matches the first-string-down-one-fret.

Now place your finger on the second string, one fret from the top, it is now producing the correct note for the third string, and so on.