How to tune your guitar

The simplest and easiest way is to buy an electronic tuner (Here’s one I recommend). But that doesn’t teach you “how to tune”. What if, on that special performance day, your tuner battery dies, what then? You must learn to tune by ear.

Let’s get started by getting close to the pitch, here’s an online guitar tuner followed by a discussion of how I tune my guitar.

Online Guitar Tuner

Low-E-String(6)

A-String (5)

D-String (4)

G-String (3)

B-String (2)

High-E-String (1)

How do most people tune?

Relative tuning (see the video below). Assuming your low E (6) is in tune:

• Play the A on the 6th string (5th fret) and tune the open 5th string (which is also A)
• Play the D on the 5th string (5th fret) and tune the open 4th string (D)
• Play the G on the 4th string (5th fret) and tune the open 3th string (G)
• Play the B on the 3rd string (4th fret) and tune the open 2th string (B)
• Play the E on the 2nd string (5th fret) and tune the open 1th string (E)

Why is this not the best method? If you get a little off on each string, strings that are far apart will be significantly out of tune. In other words, adjacent strings might sound fine but the 6th and 1st string will be way out.

How to get your starting pitch

Buy a tuning fork (buy one here) because they don’t run on batteries and will last longer than you do. It will give you a starting pitch of A (440). Tune your 5th string. Or use a piano or iPhone app or online pitch.

How do I fine-tune my guitar?

Electronic tuners work fine but are never as precise as I’d like. I first relate all the strings to the 5th string (A) so that I don’t get off as I tune from one string to the next.

I compare octaves all based on the assuption that the 5th string is correct. For example:

• Play the open 5th string (A) and tune 3rd string 2nd fret (A)
• Play B on the 5th string 2nd fret and tune 2nd string open (B)
• Play the harmonic on the 5th string 7th fret (E) and tune the open 1st string (E)
• Play the harmonic on the 5th string 5th fret (A) and tune the harmonic on the 4th string 7th fret (A)
• Play the harmonic on the 5th string 7th fret (E) and tune the harmonic on the 6th string 5th fret (E)

I always proceed to playing chords or other intervals besides octaves.

Play chords, particularly in the key you are about to play in

Much of the music we play uses chords so play a I -IV – V progression in the key your about to play in. Play one note of the chord at a time starting from the lowest note. Again, if you’ve tuned your 5th string carefully don’t start messing with it, tune the other strings based on which one sounds out.

Should I use harmonics?

I recommend that you have your teacher explain this point because there are many variables involved. But harmonics are a very good way to micro-tune. Harmonics also allow you to hear both string simultaneously which you move your left hand to tune.

There are contrasting opinions on this tuning method.

2 Videos for absolute beginners by James Manuele

Tuning Fork:

Relative Tuning