A question about tuning mechanics.

[RabidMusic]

Years ago (late 1970's) when I was learning guitar I was taught that when tuning you should always detune below the note and then tune upward. The reason I was given was that when tuning upward the gears lock in and better hold tune. When tuning downward the gear of the tuning peg is more likely to slip and not hold tune as well.

I've started watching some online bass lessons and this was not mentioned in the tuning lesson. Was this a fallacy? Specific to guitar but not bass? Something that has changed as tuning gears have improved over the years? A figment of my old age senility?

In short, should I continue my habit of tuning from below the note or just use the quickest, most efficient twist of the tuning peg?

 

[Gustopher]

I've heard this as well, but in practice has never made a difference. If I am in a hurry tuning, I get it where it needs to be in whatever direction it needs to go and have the same results either way.

 

[farace]

Not a fallacy. When tuning upward, you take up gear lash. Tuning down you can introduce lash which can later slip, throwing you flat. This depends on how precisely machined the gearing is and how much friction is in the mechanism; some will have more than others.

 

[BassChuck]

You should do that on instruments that have no gears. It's just easier to hear a flat note than a sharp note and tuning up is faster and perhaps more accurate.

 

[knumbskull]

Interesting!

I also heard this, never thought about the mechanics but it seemed intuitive To me that you would tighten to the required tension, not loosen...

I have heard the same thing said about drum tuning.

 

[Zooberwerx]

I've started watching some online bass lessons and this was not mentioned in the tuning lesson. Was this a fallacy? Specific to guitar but not bass? Something that has changed as tuning gears have improved over the years? A figment of my old age senility?

In short, should I continue my habit of tuning from below the note or just use the quickest, most efficient twist of the tuning peg?

I've seen some on-line tutorials from well-known resources (manufacturers, etc.) and basement hacks alike that make me absolutely cringe. Perhaps the instructor regarded this little factoid...and others...as prerequisite knowledge or simply did not realize its importance in tuning stability.

Riis

 

[JRA]

IME: it mostly depends on the tuning machines themselves. some are better than others at holding a down-tuned string. that said: i've become accustomed to the 'traditional way' and so i use that practice as habit.

 

[IamGroot]

On guitar, I put some graphite on the slot

I always tune up to the note.

 

[ixlramp]

Yes, tuning up tp pitch is clearly best, due to tuner slack and friction at the nut.
It makes no difference how high quality the tuner is, this is an inevitable result of the mechanics of the system.

When tuning up to pitch you are pulling on the string, forcing it over the nut, and forcing the system into the final state. The tuner mechanicals are tight with no slack and no ability to slip afterwards.

When detuning, you are introducing slack into the tuner, and introducing slack in the section of string between tuner and nut, and hoping that the now higher tension in the section of string between nut and bridge will overcome the non-zero nut friction and pull the string over the nut. Because nut friction is always non-zero the string will never fully pass over the nut as much as it needs to.
You are also hoping that the tension in the string will take up any slack in the tuner mechanicals, mostly it will but there is usually a little slack left over.
Detuning is not forcing the system into the final state.
So then, while playing, the system can slip later in various ways, making pitch go flat. The slack in the tuner mechanicals can disappear, the string can slip over the nut.

You can prove this to yourself by detuning to pitch, then pulling a small string bend to mimic the tensionings caused when playing, the pitch will then go flat.
Then do the same after tuning up to pitch, pitch will be more stable.

 

[JW56789]

I ALWAYS tune up, for the previously mentioned reasons.

The funny thing is, a lot of times, I'll return to that bass, and when I go to tune before I start, several strings have gone sharp. Faeries . . . . . .

 

[Vinny_G]

I ALWAYS tune up, for the previously mentioned reasons.

The funny thing is, a lot of times, I'll return to that bass, and when I go to tune before I start, several strings have gone sharp. Faeries . . . . . .

Same, except in my case they're probably Gremlins

 

[datasmog]

I’ve tuned up for the last 50 years (I started very young) because I figure tensioning the string up to note is better than slackening it.
Works for me.