Guitar Tuning

Hey folks, another information packed post here from your host. Tuning your guitar can be accomplished in a variety of ways, but the best, by far, is to use a chromatic tuner. These can be purchased for under $20 and insure that you are truly in tune. I don't assume that you are playing in, what is called, standard tuning (440 hz.).Many people play in "dropped tuning, or in alternative tunings. Keith Richards tuned his guitar in a variety of ways.There is no right tuning. Some of my first experiments with alternative tunings were born of a desire to play slide guitar. Standard slide guitar is played in an open tuning. Open tuning means that the un frewtted strings, when strummed, sound like a fretted chord. Most slide players use this method, but some of the very best slide players play slide in standard tuning. This requires that you mute the unwanted strings with whichever hand is appropriate for what you are trying to acheive. Sounds complicated? It can be and is not a beginners choice of endeavor.
Back to tuning. Just a basic observation, buy a cheap tuner, read the instructions. Standard tuning is as follows. The sequence of string pitch is E,A,D,G,B,E,.That is from the "fattest" string to the skinniest string. The easiest way to rtemember this is make it an achronym, such as EVERY, ANGRY, DOG ,GETS ,BIT, EVENTUALLY. You can make up one that works for you.
Another good bit of advice is to start to talk to other guitar players, the insights you will gain from this are priceless. No matter your skill level, taking lessons or learning from your peers is an excellant way to pick up information. Take lessons, in the form of group settings, one on one, video,D.V.D., or any other format you find.
It is reccomended that you tune your guitar befor you play, everytime. The human ear will get used to what it hears, and if you play often out of tune the ear will think it "sounds right". If you play in dropped tuning the ear will start to associate the sound with what is proper. Iv' played in shows where I needed to play in more than one tuning, Either by playing in standard, then dropped and then open tuning for playing slide. This can be a little disconcerting to say the least. Last, but not least, Experiment, try different things, find what works best for you. If some had told Keith Richards to not tune in diffedrent ways, some of the best Rolling Stones songs would have never been written. It's okay to try something unorthidox.
ROCK ON or JAZZ ON or whatever works for YOU.