How to Tune a Guitar by Ear
Tune the low E string to a reference E pitch., Match the tone of the A string to the 5th fret of the low E string., Tune the D string to the 5th fret of the A string., Tune the G string to the 5th fret of the D string., Tune the B string to the 4th...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Tune the low E string to a reference E pitch.
Tuning a guitar essentially means ensuring that every string makes the correct pitch when it is strummed.
This is done by tightening and loosening the strings with the small knobs on the head of the guitar (called "tuning keys").
Generally, the very first string you tune is the most important one, because if you can get just this one string perfectly in tune, it's not hard to get the rest of the strings in tune by using the first string as a reference point.
To tune your low E string (the thickest string on the guitar located nearest to you in standard right-handed configurations), use the corresponding knob on the head to tighten or loosen the string until it perfectly matches the pitch of an E natural.
Specifically, the note you're looking to tune your low E string to is the second E beneath middle C.
On an 88-key piano, you can find this note by counting eight black keys from the left and then pressing the white key to the right of the eighth black key.
If you don't have a piano, however, you have plenty of other options at your disposal.
For instance, you may want to purchase an electronic tuner or pitch pipe from a music store or use an online guitar tuner to help you find your reference pitch.
One handy tuner is available here. -
Step 2: Match the tone of the A string to the 5th fret of the low E string.
Once you've gotten your low E string in tune, tuning the rest of the strings is fairly easy and won't necessarily require the aid of a tuner or reference pitches (though these can still be helpful if you get lost).
Begin by using the index finger on your left hand to fret the low E string at its 5th fret (usually this is marked with a dot on the fretboard).
Use your right hand (or a pick) to play this note by strumming the low E string.
Next, play an open A string — in other words, strum the A string (the string just below the low E string) without fretting any notes.
Use the corresponding tuning knob to tune the open A string until its tone matches that of the the 5th fret of the E string perfectly.
Make sure to only turn the knob that the A string is wrapped around.
Don't turn the knob that you just used to tune the low E string.
The low E string is already in tune, so turning this knob will bring it out of tune, which can force you to start over. , Next, you'll want to repeat the exact process you just performed, but shifted down one set of strings.
Fret the 5th note of the A string and strum the open D string.
Turn the D string's tuning knob until the D string is perfectly in tune with the note produced by the 5th fret of the A string.
As above, you'll want to leave the tuning knob of the A string (as well as that of the low E string) alone at this point.
Turning these knobs now can sabotage the tuning work you've already done by bringing these notes out of tune. , For the next string, shift one string down and perform the same process you used for the A and D string once again.
Fret the 5th fret of the D string and strum the open G string, then tune the G string so that its pitch perfectly matches that of the 5th fret of the D string.
As before, refrain from turning the knobs for any of the other strings. , The tuning process for the next string is slightly different than that used for the others.
For the next string, you'll want to fret the 4th fret of the G string, rather than the 5th string.
Strum the open B string and match its pitch to that of the 4th fret of the G string.
Don't neglect this small but important difference — proceeding to tune as you have been previously will leave the highest two strings hideously out of tune.
A good way to remember that you use the 4th fret of the G string to tune rather than the 5th is to use the mnemonic "'4th string, 4th fret".
G is the 4th string from the top of the fretboard and its 4th fret is used for tuning the B string. , Finally, after you've tuned all of the other strings, only the bottom high E string remains.
For this string, you'll want to return to using the 5th fret of the previous string for tuning.
Fret the 5th fret of the B string, then strum the open high E string and attempt to match its pitch to that of the 5th fret of the B string.
Note that the high E string should be exactly two octaves above the low E string (the thick string that you tuned first).
If you play the low E string and the high E string at the same time without fretting either (which can be done by using the thumb and index finger of the right hand to pluck them), they should sound in tune with each other.
If they sound "off" or "wobbly"
your tuning of the intermediate strings was probably not perfect and you may want to try again. , When you've finished tuning, it's a wise idea to make sure that your guitar is perfectly in tune before you start playing in case you've made any minor mistakes.
You can do this in a variety of ways.
For instance, you may want to use the reference pitched on an electronic tuner, a piano, or an online tuning application to ensure that each string matches its reference pitch perfectly.
You may also want to try playing a few simple chords and listening to hear whether every string rings clearly and in tune with the other strings.
From top to bottom (thickest string to thinnest), your strings should be in tune with the notes E, A, D, G, B, and E, respectively.
If you don't know any chords yet, follow these instructions to strum a simple G chord to test your tuning.
Fret the third fret of the low E string with the middle finger of your left hand.
Keep this finger held down and use your index finger to fret the second fret of the A string.
Finally, keep these held down and fret the third fret of the high E string with your ring finger.
Now, strum all six strings in one motion.
The resulting chord should sound pleasing and "happy"
with little to no dissonance. , Congratulations! You've successfully tuned your guitar to standard EADGBE tuning.
This tuning is by far the most common one used for guitar music.
Many, many classical, blues, rock, and pop songs use this tuning.
As an example of the wide variety of song styles for which this tuning is used, note that both "Hey Ya!" by Outkast and the classic "The Times They Are a-Changin'" by Bob Dylan use this tuning.
While standard tuning is certainly the most common guitar tuning, there are, however, countless songs that do not use it.
In the next few sections, we'll learn several alternate tunings. -
Step 3: Tune the D string to the 5th fret of the A string.
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Step 4: Tune the G string to the 5th fret of the D string.
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Step 5: Tune the B string to the 4th fret of the G string.
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Step 6: Tune the final string to the 5th fret of the B string.
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Step 7: Test your work.
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Step 8: Start playing.
Detailed Guide
Tuning a guitar essentially means ensuring that every string makes the correct pitch when it is strummed.
This is done by tightening and loosening the strings with the small knobs on the head of the guitar (called "tuning keys").
Generally, the very first string you tune is the most important one, because if you can get just this one string perfectly in tune, it's not hard to get the rest of the strings in tune by using the first string as a reference point.
To tune your low E string (the thickest string on the guitar located nearest to you in standard right-handed configurations), use the corresponding knob on the head to tighten or loosen the string until it perfectly matches the pitch of an E natural.
Specifically, the note you're looking to tune your low E string to is the second E beneath middle C.
On an 88-key piano, you can find this note by counting eight black keys from the left and then pressing the white key to the right of the eighth black key.
If you don't have a piano, however, you have plenty of other options at your disposal.
For instance, you may want to purchase an electronic tuner or pitch pipe from a music store or use an online guitar tuner to help you find your reference pitch.
One handy tuner is available here.
Once you've gotten your low E string in tune, tuning the rest of the strings is fairly easy and won't necessarily require the aid of a tuner or reference pitches (though these can still be helpful if you get lost).
Begin by using the index finger on your left hand to fret the low E string at its 5th fret (usually this is marked with a dot on the fretboard).
Use your right hand (or a pick) to play this note by strumming the low E string.
Next, play an open A string — in other words, strum the A string (the string just below the low E string) without fretting any notes.
Use the corresponding tuning knob to tune the open A string until its tone matches that of the the 5th fret of the E string perfectly.
Make sure to only turn the knob that the A string is wrapped around.
Don't turn the knob that you just used to tune the low E string.
The low E string is already in tune, so turning this knob will bring it out of tune, which can force you to start over. , Next, you'll want to repeat the exact process you just performed, but shifted down one set of strings.
Fret the 5th note of the A string and strum the open D string.
Turn the D string's tuning knob until the D string is perfectly in tune with the note produced by the 5th fret of the A string.
As above, you'll want to leave the tuning knob of the A string (as well as that of the low E string) alone at this point.
Turning these knobs now can sabotage the tuning work you've already done by bringing these notes out of tune. , For the next string, shift one string down and perform the same process you used for the A and D string once again.
Fret the 5th fret of the D string and strum the open G string, then tune the G string so that its pitch perfectly matches that of the 5th fret of the D string.
As before, refrain from turning the knobs for any of the other strings. , The tuning process for the next string is slightly different than that used for the others.
For the next string, you'll want to fret the 4th fret of the G string, rather than the 5th string.
Strum the open B string and match its pitch to that of the 4th fret of the G string.
Don't neglect this small but important difference — proceeding to tune as you have been previously will leave the highest two strings hideously out of tune.
A good way to remember that you use the 4th fret of the G string to tune rather than the 5th is to use the mnemonic "'4th string, 4th fret".
G is the 4th string from the top of the fretboard and its 4th fret is used for tuning the B string. , Finally, after you've tuned all of the other strings, only the bottom high E string remains.
For this string, you'll want to return to using the 5th fret of the previous string for tuning.
Fret the 5th fret of the B string, then strum the open high E string and attempt to match its pitch to that of the 5th fret of the B string.
Note that the high E string should be exactly two octaves above the low E string (the thick string that you tuned first).
If you play the low E string and the high E string at the same time without fretting either (which can be done by using the thumb and index finger of the right hand to pluck them), they should sound in tune with each other.
If they sound "off" or "wobbly"
your tuning of the intermediate strings was probably not perfect and you may want to try again. , When you've finished tuning, it's a wise idea to make sure that your guitar is perfectly in tune before you start playing in case you've made any minor mistakes.
You can do this in a variety of ways.
For instance, you may want to use the reference pitched on an electronic tuner, a piano, or an online tuning application to ensure that each string matches its reference pitch perfectly.
You may also want to try playing a few simple chords and listening to hear whether every string rings clearly and in tune with the other strings.
From top to bottom (thickest string to thinnest), your strings should be in tune with the notes E, A, D, G, B, and E, respectively.
If you don't know any chords yet, follow these instructions to strum a simple G chord to test your tuning.
Fret the third fret of the low E string with the middle finger of your left hand.
Keep this finger held down and use your index finger to fret the second fret of the A string.
Finally, keep these held down and fret the third fret of the high E string with your ring finger.
Now, strum all six strings in one motion.
The resulting chord should sound pleasing and "happy"
with little to no dissonance. , Congratulations! You've successfully tuned your guitar to standard EADGBE tuning.
This tuning is by far the most common one used for guitar music.
Many, many classical, blues, rock, and pop songs use this tuning.
As an example of the wide variety of song styles for which this tuning is used, note that both "Hey Ya!" by Outkast and the classic "The Times They Are a-Changin'" by Bob Dylan use this tuning.
While standard tuning is certainly the most common guitar tuning, there are, however, countless songs that do not use it.
In the next few sections, we'll learn several alternate tunings.
About the Author
Rebecca Flores
Creates helpful guides on home improvement to inspire and educate readers.
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