Why is it ...

Phil_aka_Pip

@stickyfiddle I gave up with 5th/7th fret harmonics. A classical guitar tutor told me they didn't work, and I eventually realised he was right. The fretted 5th (or 4th) against the next open string is usually reliable, I also have a Yamaha tuner which also gives good results until you start comparing the octaves in bar chords or even cowboy chords. I hate sharp 3rds, flat 5ths, and any kind of inaccuracy in octaves. 

Phil_aka_Pip

mbe said:

I'm a stickler for tuning accuracy, but electric guitars are meant to be played in a band and then any inaccuracy in tunings/intonation blends in.

So long as the tuning isn't too sour, like when somebody puts on a capo with an iron grip, the tuning differences can create a pleasing chorus effect,

Funnily enough my guitar sounded a lot less offensive when I was playing alongside a piano.

Phil_aka_Pip

lonestar said:

Phil_aka_Pip said:

@lonestar so what if there's B-gg_r all difference between the 12th fret fretted and the harmonic?

Could be the gauge of string you use coupled with how you fret the notes. Using light strings and a heavy hand (for example) can push everything out of tune. 

I have an acoustic archtop wearing 11s, and an electric jazzbox also wearing 11s. The electric semi wearing 10s seems worst, especially after playing the instruments that wear 11s. You may be onto something there.

thegummy

TINMAN82 said:

Do you have perfect pitch? Apparently it can be a nightmare rather than a blessing for this sort of reason.

Is there any benefit to having perfect pitch other than an impressive party trick?

JDE

https://youtu.be/CQUt3v_1P-g

Here you go, have your minds blown.

stickyfiddle

Phil_aka_Pip said:

@stickyfiddle I gave up with 5th/7th fret harmonics. A classical guitar tutor told me they didn't work, and I eventually realised he was right. The fretted 5th (or 4th) against the next open string is usually reliable, I also have a Yamaha tuner which also gives good results until you start comparing the octaves in bar chords or even cowboy chords. I hate sharp 3rds, flat 5ths, and any kind of inaccuracy in octaves. 

They do work if you tune everything relative to a single string (in my example the A). What doesn't work is if you keep going 5/7 up from low e to high e - that will give you 2 Es that aren't in tune with each other.

Mark1960

I found any slight tuning issues are greatly reduced with decent quality strings. I used to buy budget strings (£3.00 / set), until I tried better quality strings, and the better quality last longer, sound better, and tune issues largely disappear.

viz

TINMAN82 said:

Do you have perfect pitch? Apparently it can be a nightmare rather than a blessing for this sort of reason.

It’s actually not, because relative always trumps absolute anyway; transposing is not an issue if it’s a whole semitone or 4th or whatever, and even if it’s a microtonal transposition, if you have pp you can pitch 448 Hz as well as 440 Hz (or whatever) anyway. The only time it can be an issue is if you have to start a vocal solo in a baroque or de-tuned environment, or if you have a long section of unaccompanied you might forget and drift. 

Bad tuning on a guitar affects people with good relative pitch just as much as those with absolute pp. 

thegummy

viz said:

TINMAN82 said:

Do you have perfect pitch? Apparently it can be a nightmare rather than a blessing for this sort of reason.

It’s actually not, because relative always trumps absolute anyway; transposing is not an issue if it’s a whole semitone or 4th or whatever, and even if it’s a microtonal transposition, if you have pp you can pitch 448 Hz as well as 440 Hz (or whatever) anyway. The only time it can be an issue is if you have to start a vocal solo in a baroque or de-tuned environment, or if you have a long section of unaccompanied you might forget and drift. 

Bad tuning on a guitar affects people with good relative pitch just as much as those with absolute pp. 

If one of a guitar's strings was tuned sharp of the actual note it was meant to be but then all the other strings were tuned to that one and all the other instruments in the band were tuned to to that as well - most people would be completely oblivious to there being an issue unless they tried to play along or had tuning software.

Presumably someone with perfect pitch would be aware of it - none of the notes would be the frequency they've memorized as being notes. Whether that would bother them or not I have no idea.

viz

That’s what I’m saying basically - it doesn’t, because relative trumps absolute every time.