What’s the first thing you should do every time you pick up a guitar? Resist the urge to shred for a moment, and make sure you’re in tune. It only takes a few minutes, but it can do wonders for the sound of your instrument.
If you’re just beginning to play the guitar, an out-of-tune instrument can be incredibly frustrating and make every note sound like a mistake.
It can also make learning more difficult because you won’t be able to recognize whether you are hitting the right notes or not when your instrument is out of tune. Knowing how to tune a guitar properly will ensure that you always sound your best when you play.
Whether you want to learn guitar tuning with a tuner or without one, this guide will teach you exactly how to tune a guitar using several different methods so that you can play like a pro.
What is the Correct Tuning for a Guitar?
Here are some quick tips on how to correctly tune a guitar step by step:
- Start by tuning the low E String.
- Next, tune the A String.
- Tune the D String.
- Do the G String.
- Tune the B String.
- Tune the High E String.
- Play a chord to check that all of the strings are in tune.
- If any strings sound off, retune them.
Not sure exactly how to do that? In this post, we’ll give you more details on how to tune your guitar with a tuner, how to tune without a guitar tuner, and other guitar tuning help.
Still stuck? Consider signing up for guitar lessons with a pro who can show you everything you need to know about how to get your guitar in tune, including how to tune your guitar with a tuner. But if you’re more of a visual learner, you might find it helpful to check out this video with tips on guitar tuning first:
How to Tune Your Guitar for Beginners – Essential Concepts
Before diving into how to tune a guitar up, let’s first discuss why it is important to tune your guitar.
No matter how well you can play the instrument, it won’t sound “right” if your guitar is out of tune. Your guitar simply won’t deliver the desired sound even if you are hitting all the right notes and fingerings. This is because the strings can slip around, tightening and loosening on their own, causing them to change their pitch. If the strings are not the correct pitch, they will not produce the right sound when you go to play your guitar.
The mechanics of tuning a guitar are simple. To adjust the pitch of a string, turn the string’s corresponding tuning key on the head of the guitar. (Hint: here’s our guide to the parts of a guitar).
Turning the tuning key away from you will tighten the string and raise its pitch. Conversely, turning the tuning key toward you will loosen the string and lower its pitch.
If you’re wondering what is an easy way to tune a guitar for beginners, start by just turning the keys ever so slightly. Do you hear the difference in sound? Slowly move the key and pluck the string in between moving the key to familiarize yourself with the different pitches.
Be careful not to be too forceful or move the keys too drastically all at once. If you tighten the key too much, your string may snap, but if you loosen it too much, the string may unravel. When in doubt, take a slow-and-steady approach.
What is Standard Guitar Tuning?
Most guitarists tune their instruments to “standard tuning.” If you’re just beginning to play and aren’t sure which tuning to use, you should stick with standard tuning for a guitar for now.
As you get more comfortable with your instrument, feel free to experiment with other tunings to achieve different sounds with the guitar.
If you are using guitar tabs to play the song, the tabs will usually tell you what tuning to use, but eventually, you will be able to train your ears to recognize the song’s tuning for yourself.
The strings on the guitar are numbered one through six, starting with the highest string.
Guitar String Tuning Notes
You’ll commonly name the strings in ascending order, starting with string six: E, A, D, G, B, E. Take a look at the following image to see to which note each string should be tuned. Note that your highest and lowest strings are both E, the same note spaced two octaves apart.
Each note corresponds to the pitch your string should produce when played open, without holding down any of the frets. When you’re tuning, it’s best to start with the sixth string and work your way down.
How to Tune a Guitar for Beginners With a Tuner
When you’re learning how to guitar tune, it’s very important to have a reliable method of finding the right pitch for each string. Most guitarists either use an electronic tuner, an app, or another instrument. Each method comes with pros and cons.
When it comes to learning how to tune the guitar with a tuner, many beginners discover that using a tuner is the simplest way to find the right pitch for your guitar. Tuners come in a few different varieties.
Chromatic tuners “hear” the note you’re playing and display the pitch your string is currently tuned to. You will be able to see if your guitar is sharp or flat, and also see when you’ve adjusted the string to the correct note. Once you start getting familiar with your tuner, start challenging yourself.
Play the string and guess the pitch before the tuner does it for you. Before you know it, you may not need to rely so heavily on your tuner. Here’s a video to show what this process looks like:
How to Tune a Guitar by Ear With a Tuner
Pitch tuners play the pitch for each string, and you must match each note by ear. You can also get a tuning fork, which you strike to produce the correct pitch for your guitar string. Using a pitch tuner is a great way to begin training your ear without relying on something to tell you the answer.
You have to feel it out for yourself, deciding whether the pitch is sharp or flat, and match your strings to the sound of the tuning fork. If you happen to be near your computer when the need to tune arises, it’s easy to find a free online guitar tuner, such as this one by Fender. There are also plenty of “tune my guitar” apps available on your smartphone.
If you do decide to invest in a tuner or tuning fork, ask yourself if you’re a more visual person or if you’ve developed an “ear” for musical notes and intervals. Visual people and beginning musicians will benefit greatly from the use of a chromatic tuner, and over time may begin to develop a better ear for music by using a tuner as a guide.
If you feel confident in your ability to hear and distinguish pitch (or if you like a challenge), you might be happier with a tuning fork or a tuner that plays pitch.
SEE ALSO: 5 Basic Guitar Chords and 20 Easy Songs for Beginners
How to Tune a Guitar Without a Tuner
Interested in learning how to tune a guitar without a tuner? If you find yourself playing solo without a tuner, you can make a guitar sound decent by tuning it “to itself.” Check out this helpful tutorial or follow the steps below.
Start with your sixth string held down on the fifth fret. You’re now playing an A on your E string. Adjust your fifth string, the A string, until your A string played open matches the pitch of the E string played on the fifth fret. It can be helpful to hum the correct note as you tune your open string, so you can hear if the string is tuned too tight or loose.
Next, tune your D string to match the pitch of your A string played on the fifth fret. You can continue tuning each string to the fifth fret of the string above it, except for the B string. To tune your B string, hold the G string down on the fourth fret. If each string is tuned to the correct interval from the next string, your guitar will sound fine by itself.
How to Tune a Guitar by Matching Pitch with a Keyboard
Don’t worry; there are other ways of figuring out how to tune a guitar without a tuner. If you don’t have a guitar tuner handy, but you do have access to a piano, you can use the piano to find the correct pitch for your guitar.
Tuning to a piano or keyboard is a great way to get the right pitch for your guitar, and is especially useful if you will be playing along with a pianist or other instrument. Like using a pitch tuner, this is a great exercise for getting your ear used to picking out notes and matching them.
Just tune your sixth string to the E two octaves below middle C. From there, you can tune your guitar to itself or continue to match each pitch to the right notes as you go up the keyboard. As a bonus, tuning this way can help you develop your note-seeking skills on the piano!
Alternate Guitar Tunings
What do Joni Mitchell and Black Sabbath have in common?
It’s all in the tuning!
Both artists often used alternate tunings to get unique sounds from their guitars.
Once you have a good grasp of standard guitar tuning, it can be a lot of fun to experiment with alternate guitar tunings. There are hundreds of possible alternate tunings for the guitar, but two of the most common alternate tunings are Drop D and Open G.
How to Tune a Guitar to Drop D
Tuning your guitar to Drop D is pretty simple. Start with your guitar in standard tuning, and just tune your sixth string down a full step from E to D. You can also tune down the E string until it matches the same pitch as the D string, but an octave lower.
Famous songs in Drop D tuning include the Beatles’ “Dear Prudence”, Foo Fighters’ “Everlong”, and Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon.”
How to Do Open G Tuning
If you love Keith Richards’ guitar playing in the Rolling Stones, you’re already a fan of Open G tuning. In Open G, your guitar strings are tuned to the notes of the G chord, so when you strum open, you’re already playing a complete chord. Starting from the sixth string, tune to the following notes: D-G-D-G-B-D. This is a great tuning to explore if you’re interested in bluesy slide guitar!
What is DADFAD Tuning?
This is another open tuning that is popular in blues music. Instead of tuning to a G chord like with Open G, DADFAD tunes your guitar to an open D minor chord. To change this tuning to a D major chord, simply tune the F note up to F# – you’ll then have DADF#AD. This tuning sounds great with open strings, so it’s a good option for those who don’t know any chords yet but still want to produce a powerful sound. If you know a child that likes to bang on the open strings, tune the guitar to DADFAD first!
How to Tune a Guitar a Half Step Down
Tune the lowest (thickest) string on your guitar down a half step to D#. Use an electronic tuner, or use the fifth fret of the A string as a reference pitch. Press the fifth fret of the A string, which produces the same note as the open low E string. Tune the open low E string to match the pitch of the fifth fret A string.
The next string to tune is the A string, which should be tuned down to G#. Use the fifth fret of the low E string as a reference pitch. Press the fifth fret of the low E string, which produces the same note as the open A string. Tune the open A string to match the pitch of the fifth fret low E string.
The D string should be tuned down to C#. Use the fifth fret of the A string as a reference pitch. Press the fifth fret of the A string, which produces the same note as the open D string. Tune the open D string to match the pitch of the fifth fret A string.
Tune the G string down to F#. Use the fourth fret of the D string as a reference pitch. Press the fourth fret of the D string, which produces the same note as the open G string. Tune the open G string to match the pitch of the fourth fret D string.
The B string should be tuned down to A#. Use the fifth fret of the G string as a reference pitch. Press the fifth fret of the G string, which produces the same note as the open B string.
Finally, tune the high E string down to D#. Use the fifth fret of the B string as a reference pitch. Press the fifth fret of the B string, which produces the same note as the open high E string.
How to Tune an Acoustic Guitar vs. How to Tune an Electric Guitar – Is There a Difference?
Is there a difference in how you tune acoustic and electric guitars? The answer is yes! Tune in (ha!) as we explore the differences between the two.
One difference is the types of strings used. Acoustic guitars usually have thicker, steel strings, while electric guitars typically have thinner, nickel-wound strings. This difference means that you’ll have to adjust how you tune your guitar to match the specific strings.
Another difference is the style of tuning pegs. Electric guitars usually have locking tuners, which allow for more precise tuning and also help keep the guitar in tune for longer periods. Acoustic guitars often feature open-gear tuners, which are simpler and less expensive to produce but can require more adjustments.
When tuning an acoustic guitar, you can use a guitar tuner, a pitch pipe, or even your ear to get the right pitch. However, electric guitars typically use an electronic guitar tuner. These tuners are more precise than using your ear and can also help you tune other strings by ear if you’re in a bind.
Finally, the type of music you play may also influence how you tune your guitar. For example, some guitarists may use alternate tunings, which involve tuning the strings to different pitches to create unique sounds. While electric guitars can handle these alternate tunings, acoustic guitars may have difficulty adjusting and may require adjustments to the instrument itself.
How to Tune a Bass Guitar
Bassists are the backbone of any band’s rhythm section. They provide the low-end thump that keeps the groove going and gets heads nodding. But to ensure the bass guitar’s tone is in tune, it’s essential to learn how to tune it correctly, just like your guitar needs to be properly tuned as well. Here are some tips.
1. Tune Your Bass With a Tuner
Get a bass tuner if you want a pinpoint tuned bass. Bass guitar tuners come in different types ranging from clip-on to pedal tuners. Clip-on tuners clip onto the headstock of your bass and detect vibrations to determine pitch, while pedal tuners require you to plug your bass directly into them to receive the signal.
Once you have a tuner, pluck each string and adjust the tuning pegs to match the tuner’s pitch indication. Repeat this process for all four strings until they’re tuned correctly.
2. Tune Your Bass Using Harmonic Notes
Another way to tune your bass guitar is by using harmonic notes. Harmonics are notes that create a higher pitch sound by gently resting your finger over the corresponding fretwire.
Tune the E string by playing the fifth fret harmonic on it and tuning the A string’s fifth fret harmonic to match it. Do the same for the D string, using the fifth fret harmonic of the A string to match it, and the G string using the fourth fret harmonic of the D string. This method might not be as precise as using a tuner, but it’s still a useful technique to have in your tuning arsenal.
3. Make Sure Your Strings Are Stretched
Brand new strings will stretch during the first few tunings. So, if you’re changing your strings or have installed new strings, give them a good stretch by pulling them upwards away from the fretboard. Keep tuning and stretching the strings until they don’t go out of tune anymore.
Once your strings stop slipping out of tune, you’ll have a perfectly tuned bass guitar.
4. Know When to Use Drop-D Tuning
Drop-D tuning involves lowering the E string down one whole step (two frets). This technique enhances the low-end thump and is frequently used in pop, rock, and metal music to create a heavier sound.
To tune to Drop-D, tune the E string like normal, then use the fifth fret on the E string to tune the A string, the fifth fret on the D string to tune the G string, and so on. Keep in mind that not all bass lines require drop D, but it’s a useful tuning to have in your skill set.
5. Double-Check Your Tuning
Make sure to double-check your tuning. Play each string up and down, do some fretting, and see if your notes are in-tune all across the fretboard. If your bass guitar doesn’t sound right, retune it from scratch or target specific areas where it is out of tune.
How Often Should I Tune My Guitar?
Guitars are sensitive instruments. Ever notice how your guitar sounds out of whack on a rainy day or sweltering summer evening? This is because the wood in your guitar expands and contracts slightly due to changes in temperature and humidity.
In turn, it can change the tension in the strings and cause them to go out of tune. You might notice your guitar going out of tune as you play it, especially if you tend to play very hard or frequently bend pitches.
Due to the guitar’s sensitivity, it’s best to tune at the start of your practice, and again any time you sense that it doesn’t sound right. You will notice that even professional musicians occasionally need to take some time during performances to tune a guitar. New strings will also need to be tuned more frequently until they break in.
How Can I Make My Guitar Stay in Tune Longer?
Keep your guitar in tune longer by changing your strings regularly. Depending on how often you play, you might want to change your strings anywhere from once a month to once a week.
When you’re not playing, store your guitar in a hard case in a cool, dry place to avoid changes in heat and humidity. It’s also a good idea to wipe your strings down with a clean, dry cloth when you’re done playing to keep your finger oils from corroding the strings.
If you follow these tips but still have issues with your guitar going out of tune, there may be an issue with your instrument’s intonation. Intonation refers to your instrument’s ability to hold pitch up and down the fretboard. The most common example of bad intonation is when the open strings on your guitar sound in tune but fretted notes sound out of tune.
Intonation may be affected by wear and tear as you play your guitar or by the way your guitar was manufactured. Visit a guitar shop and ask them to take a look at your guitar’s intonation. They will be able to help you find the right solution to your tuning woes.
Free Online Guitar Tuners
For those interested in mastering how to tune a guitar with a tuner, you’ll find plenty of tuning resources. There are several free online guitar tuners you can use to help you tune guitar online. Here are a few of our favorites:
8notes.com – You can use this tuner to hear the correct pitch, or activate your computer’s microphone to enable pitch detection.
JamPlay – This free online guitar tuner from JamPlay also allows you to tune by ear or use your computer’s microphone for pitch detection.
TrueFire – TrueFire makes a great free guitar tuner you can use on your computer in addition to their fantastic Pro Guitar Tuner app.
GuitarTricks – This tuner uses real guitar tones so you can match your instrument to its sounds.
Can You Perfectly Tune a Guitar?
Now that you know how to tune a guitar, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals on the instrument. If you’re serious about taking your guitar skills to the next level, there’s no better way than with private lessons. The online guitar classes at TakeLessons Live make it easy to improve your playing from the comfort of your own home.
Whether you work with a teacher online or in person, the first part of the lesson will always be to tune up. But if you still need guidance on how to tune your guitar, your guitar teacher will be with you every step of the way. Once you master guitar tuning, You’ll then be ready to learn how to play different chords, new strumming patterns, and some of your favorite songs! And before you know it, you’ll be playing songs with different tunings, too.
Megan L.