How to Tune A Guitar

Standard tuning, from the lowest string to high, is EADGBe. The guitar tab below shows the note each open string of the guitar should play.

e|--the 1st string (highest)--|
B|--the 2nd string------------|
G|--the 3rd string------------|
D|--the 4th string------------|
A|--the 5th string------------|
E|--the 6th string (lowest)---|

Electric Tuners

The most accurate way to tune a guitar is using an electric guitar tuner. There are a few types of electric tuners; some you can plug your guitar directly into, others use a mic to show which direction to tune the string you play, and others that clip onto the headstock of the guitar.

Tuning a Guitar by Ear

Learning to tune your guitar by ear is also important because it helps train your ear to notice when your guitar is slightly out of tune.

• ❶ Start by tuning the low E and high E strings from another source like a piano or tuning fork.
• ❷ When the low E string is in tune, fret the low E string at the 5th fret and play the open A string below it. As both notes are ringing out, adjust the tuning peg of the 5th, or A, string until sounds from both strings resonate the same.
• ❸ Once the 5th or A string is in tune, fret the A string at the 5th fret and play this string and the open 4th, or D, string below.
• ❹ Repeat these same steps for every string except when tuning the second or B string. To tune the second or B string, fret the 4th fret instead of the 5th fret of the G string (3rd string).

Alternate Guitar Tunings