Tuning by Harmonics

This information is courtesy of James Crowbear, taken from the British Steelies website

Before tuners, tuning by harmonics was the way

start by tuning your Es ( 4&8 ) w: pedals A&B down to 440, 441 or 442

whichever you prefer

release A & B & proceed :

using harmonics on each :

on left : reference tone / on right : string to tune

you’ll be using frets 5 7 & 12 mostly

you will also need a harmonic on the 4th fret – certainly not as easy as on frets 5,7 & 12

look for it, it’s there

lever E lowers Es a half

lever F raises Es a half

lever G raises F#s a whole

lever D lowers Eb a half

lever V lowers Bs a half

E : string 8 fret 5 / string 4 fret 12

since your Es are tuned you get the B note on fret 7 on strings 4 & 8

B : String 4 fret 7 / string 5 fret 5

B : string 8 fret 7 / string 5 fret 12

B : string 8 fret 7 / string 10 fret 5

B : string 10 fret 5 / string 5 fret 12

F# : string 5 fret 7 / String 1 fret 12

F# : string 1 fret 12 / string 7 fret 5

G# : string 8 fret 4 ( yep 4) / string 6 fret 5

G# : string 4 ( yep 4 ) / string 3 fret 5

Eb : string 5 fret 4 / string 2 fret 5

E : string 8 w: A&B fret 5 / string 6 w: A&B fret 7

A : string 6 w: A&B fret 5 / string 3 w: A&B fret 12

A : string 6 w: A&B fret 12 / string 9 fret 7

C# : string 5 w: A&B fret 12 / string 10 w: A&B fret 5

C# : string 6 w: B&C fret 4 / string 4 w: B&C fret 7

C# : string 6 w: B&C fret 4 / string 5 w: B&C fret 5

Eb : string 2 fret 12 / string 4 w lever E fret 12

Eb : string 2 fret 12 / string 8 w: lever E fret 5

B(G# lever): string 5 fret 5 / string 7 w: lever G fret 4

G# : string 3 fret 12 / string 1 w: lever G fret 12

F : string 5 w: A&B fret 4 / string 4 w: lever F fret 5

F : string 4 w: lever F fret 12 / string 8 w: lever F fret 5

Bb : string 7 fret 4 / string 5 w: lever V fret 5

Bb : string 5 w: lever V fret 12 / string 10 w: lever V fret 5

D : string 9 fret 5 / string 2 w: lever D fret 12

when tuning strings 1(F#) – 2(Eb)- 7(F#) note that the root/reference is B ……NOT… E

F# being the fifth & Eb being the third of B :

the fifth of B gets the same treatment/value as the fifth of E

the third of B gets the same treatment/value as the third of E

last but not least (the plot sickens lol)

when tuning F# on string 4 w: pedal C : F# is the root tone since the ref is an F# minor chord

here again it will get it’s own treatment/value

Compromise is inevitable when tuning certain strings & combinations of levers &/or pedals

like F# on string 4 w: pedal C

& Eb on 4 & 2