How to Tune a Guitar Archives

How to Tune a Guitar

open string names for how to tune a guitar This article will show you how to tune a guitar using our free online guitar tuner below. This online guitar tuner can be used in any browser, including those found on a mobile device.

Start by learning the note names for the guitar strings in standard tuning. From the lowest (thickest) to the highest (thinnest) string, the notes are E-A-D-G-B-E. The phrase “Even Average Dogs Get Bones Easily” might help you remember the correct order as you learn how to tune a guitar in this lesson.

Steps for How to Tune a Guitar

Click on a note name button in the guitar tuner (above) to hear the reference pitch for that guitar string.
Play the corresponding string on your guitar and listen carefully to hear whether it sounds higher or lower than the reference pitch.
Adjust the pitch of the string higher or lower until the sound you hear matches the reference pitch from the tuner.

Guitar Tuning Tips:
It’s best to start with the pitch a bit lower and tune the string up to the reference pitch. This helps keep the string from getting caught in the nut and going out of tune as you play.

Make sure you know how to tune a guitar string higher or lower in pitch. To adjust the pitch of a string lower, simply turn the tuning key for that string towards yourself. Turn the tuning key away from yourself to raise the pitch.

These instructions assume that your strings are wound around the tuning pegs in the standard direction. The pictures to the left illustrate how the string should be wound for steel-string and nylon-string guitars. To learn more about how strings should be wound see the how to string a guitar videos.

Other Types of Guitar Tuners

You’ve learned how to tune your guitar with our reference online guitar tuner. Next, you might want to try one of the other types of guitar tuners. A digital guitar tuner is the most popular option, as they detect the pitch and show you visually to tune up or down to get in tune with a high degree of accuracy. Note that eMedia’s intermediate and beginning guitar lesson software includes a wonderful digital guitar tuner, metronome, chord dictionary and audio recorder. Those guitar tools are also available as a standalone product for Mac and Windows as the eMedia Guitar Toolkit ($4.95). When you need a portable digital guitar tuner, there are products like the PitchBoy mini tuner that can fit on a keyring.

How to Tune a Guitar
using the Relative Tuning Technique

The relative tuning technique requires that one string is already in tune. Then you tune all the other strings to that string. To do this you must use your ear to match pitches, just as when you learned how to tune a guitar with the reference pitches above. You must also know which fretted notes are the same notes as the open strings you’re trying to tune.

Alternate Guitar Tunings – Low, Drop D, Open G and Others

Guitar players often change the tuning of the guitar in order to get a particular sound or combination of notes in a chord. These tunings are called alternate guitar tunings. Sometimes this is simply changing all the open strings higher or lower by the same number of steps (low tuning), changing one string lower (as in drop D tuning) or tuning all the strings to an open guitar chord (as in open G).

Learn How to Tune a Guitar with a Digital Tuner

A digital guitar tuner makes tuning your guitar easy. Once you learn how to tune a guitar with a digital tuner, you will probably only use this technique as it makes tuning your guitar so much easier. It listens to the note you play on your guitar via a microphone or guitar/line input or by sensing the vibration of the instrument as you play. Then it shows you visually whether the note is in tune. Visual feedback comes in a variety of forms from spinning dials to blinking lights to moving meters. The point of the feedback is always simply to inform you whether the string is in tune or you need to tune it up or down.

Steps for Tuning with a Digital Tuner

Make sure you know the basics of How to Tune Your Guitar, such as the names of the notes in standard tuning.
Set up your digital guitar tuner to detect pitch. If you have an electric guitar or electric acoustic, use the tuner line-in if possible to eliminate background noise. Use the method below that matches your tuner and guitar:
LINE-IN: If your tuner features a 1/4″ input jack and your guitar features a pickup and 1/4″ output (all electric guitars and some acoustic guitars), plug an instrument cable between the two and make sure your volume knob is turned up on the guitar (if it has one).
MICROPHONE: If your tuner has a microphone, place the tuner on a table in front of you or on your lap as you hold your guitar. If you have an electric guitar, place it in front of your amplifier. If you are using a software tuner, sit close to your laptop’s built-in microphone or place an external USB microphone in one of the positions already mentioned.
CLIP-ON TUNERS: If your tuner is designed to detect vibration (all clip-on tuners), go ahead and clip it on the guitar headstock (the part of your guitar that has the tuning keys).
Play a guitar string.
Look at the tuner to see if the string is flat (too low in pitch), sharp (too high in pitch) or in tune.
Adjust the pitch of the string up or down as indicated by the tuner using the guitar tuning key. Watch the guitar tuner display to make sure you’re adjusting the string in the appropriate direction.
The tuner will show you when the string is in tune (the string light turns green, a center indicator is illuminated, etc.).

NOTE: It’s important to know which note you’re trying to attempting to tune and the order of the note names. The note names are ordered alphabetically and cycle to the beginning after “G.” In other words, A-B-C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C., etc. Some digital guitar tuners will confirm that you’re in tune, but you could be tuned to a “D” note when you’re attempting to tune the “E” string. You would have to tune up to get to “E.” The eMedia automatic tuner software is unique because it shows you how close you are to the standard tuning notes. This takes any guesswork out of tuning with a digital guitar tuner. Also note that many digital guitar tuners can operate as bass tuners as well. If you need a bass tuner, double check that the model you purchase has this ability.

Types of Digital Guitar Tuners

Software Tuners

Mac PC Guitar Tuner Software Digital tuners also come as software for Macs, PCs, and mobile devices. For example, eMedia intermediate and beginning guitar lesson software include a wonderful digital guitar tuner, metronome, chord library, and audio recorder, as does their $4.95 eMedia Guitar Toolkit.

You can also find guitar tuning apps for mobile devices, such as the iPhone.

Hardware Tuners

PitchBoy Digital Guitar Tuner — PitchBoy digital guitar tuner example.

Digital tuners can be dedicated hardware devices. For example, the PitchBoy digital tuner in the picture here is a great, basic digital guitar tuner that is only $9.95. It fits on a key chain, and even comes with eMedia Introductory Guitar or eMedia Introductory Bass lesson software. Other hardware tuners are available in many different configurations, from a number of companies.

Chromatic Tuners

Chromatic tuners can detect and display the names of all 12 notes in the Western musical scale (A-A#/Bb-B-C-C#/Db-D-D#/Eb-E-F-F#/Gb-G-G#/Ab) and are also available as hardware or software. Digital guitar tuners with a pitch display are chromatic tuners. Chromatic tuning is useful for tuning your instrument with alternate guitar tunings.

Some chromatic tuners track note ranges much higher and lower than those available on guitars and basses. This is why chromatic tuners are the standard tuner found in a school band or orchestra environment. The screen on the digital tuner might also display the frequency of the note (such as 440 Hz for an A note).

How to Tune a Guitar with Relative Tuning

Tuning the guitar with relative tuning requires that you have one string (preferably the low E) that you know is tuned to the correct pitch. You can tune the string by using a reference pitch from our free online guitar tuner or by using a digital guitar tuner. Once you have that string tuned, you can use that string to tune all the other strings using the relative tuning technique described below.

How To Tune A Guitar with Relative Tuning In relative tuning, open strings are matched to fretted notes of the same pitch on other strings, as seen in the chart here and description below.

5th string played open = 6th string played with finger held behind the 5th fret.

4th string played open = 5th string played with finger held behind the 5th fret.

3rd string played open = 4th string played with finger held behind the 5th fret.

2nd string played open = 3rd string played with finger held behind the 4th fret.

1st string played open = 2nd string played with finger held behind the 5th fret.

Relative Tuning Process

The relative tuning technique requires that you have already tuned your low E (the 6th, or thickest) string. You can use a reference tone such as a reference note tuner or a guitar that is already in tune.
Play the low E string and turn the tuning key associated with that string to tighten/loosen the string until it matches the reference pitch.
NOTE: If you’re having trouble matching the pitch, try loosening the string so you can hear it’s definitely a lot lower than your reference pitch, and then tighten the string until it’s in tune. You will hear the sound waver or “beat” slower and slower, the closer you get to being in tune. This wavering will stop when you are in tune.
Fret the low E string at the fifth fret and play the string. You are hearing the note “A.” This becomes your next reference note.
Play the A string (string 5) and adjust the corresponding tuning peg key until the sound you hear matches the reference pitch from the tuner
Use the chart above to continue the process for each of the strings from lowest (thickest) to highest (thinnest).

Once you’re all tuned-up, try playing a few chords to make sure everything sounds right, and make adjustments as needed. Your ear will develop over time so that eventually you’ll be able to tune your guitar quickly.

Guitar Tuner Types

There are a number of tools available for tuning your guitar. This article outlines the most common guitar tuner types.

Digital Guitar Tuner

Tuning a guitar is easiest with an automatic digital guitar tuner. An automatic guitar tuner is a device that detects the pitch of a guitar string and tells you whether the string is in tune, too low or too high via digital display. Automatic tuners receive sound input via a built-in microphone, vibration sensor, or a 1/4″ audio input jack. Guitar tuners with a digital display or LEDs are commonly called digital guitar tuners.

Digital guitar tuners can be very compact. The PitchBoy pocket-size, mini tuner ($9.95) can even fit on a keychain.

Automatic guitar tuners also come as software for Macs, PCs, and mobile devices. eMedia guitar lesson software (such as eMedia Guitar Method, Interactive Rock Guitar, etc.) features an automatic digital guitar tuner, as well as a metronome, guitar chord dictionary, and recorder. These four powerful guitar tools are also available together as the eMedia Guitar Toolkit, which at $4.95 offers an exceptional value.

Guitar Pitch Pipe

A guitar pitch pipe (seen below) has six pipes that are blown into to provide reference notes for each of the strings on the guitar.

How to Tune a Guitar Using a Piano

Refer to the graphic below to find guitar tuning reference notes on a piano keyboard.

Tuning Fork

When a tuning fork is tapped lightly it produces a sound that can be matched to an open guitar string. For example, a tuning fork in A would be matched to the open A, or 5th string. Some tuning forks are tuned to E or G, in which case you would match them to the open E or G strings respectively.

When matching tones, keep in mind that tuning forks may produce a pitch an octave higher than the string they’re to be matched with. Once one string is in tune, the relative tuning method can be used to tune the rest of the strings.

Free Guitar Tuner

Free Reference Guitar Tuner

This free guitar tuner is useful as a reference tuner. Just click on a note to play it!

eMedia Automatic Guitar Tuner — eMedia guitar software includes useful accessories such as this automatic guitar tuner, a metronome and an audio recorder.

Remember that you can get a full-featured, automatic, digital guitar tuner in eMedia Guitar Toolkit, for only $4.95. This gives you a digital tuner in software (for Mac or Windows) that lets you tune the guitar visually and take the guesswork out of tuning your guitar. It also includes other valuable music lesson tools too, such as a metronome, recorder and chord dictionary! Or if you want a hardware tuner to use on-the-go, be sure to see the EarMaster Pitchboy Mini Tuner.

Alternate Guitar Tunings

Guitar players will often change the tuning of the guitar in order to get a particular sound or combination of notes. These are called alternate guitar tunings. Sometimes this is simply changing all the notes higher or lower by the same number of steps, sometimes it is changing the tuning of just one string, and sometimes all the strings are tuned to an open chord.

Below are a few of the most commonly used alternate guitar tunings.

Low Tuning

This is where all the strings are tuned the same degree lower. This is commonly used because it works better for a vocal range and/or to make the guitar tone more bass-heavy and powerful. Occasionally you can find a song where all strings are tuned higher for the same reasons, however that is rare. Songs by U2, Van Halen, Nirvana, Queen, Jimi Hendrix and many others have used low alternate guitar tunings. Here are some of the most common low tunings:

Eb (E flat) – Tune all the notes down 1/2 step.
D – Tune all the notes down a whole step
C – Tune all the notes down 2 whole steps

Below is an example of Slash playing Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door in an Eb low tuning. The original version by Bob Dylan was in standard tuning and uses an A minor chord more often. Notice how the lower tuning and simpler chords in this version help to deliver a powerful rock rendition of the song. You can learn this song note-for-note, complete with the impressive Slash solo, by using eMedia Masters of Rock Guitar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1ZRBPA8SK0&list=PLQSeuC5x-i7krPPD98a84W2Qnwt1Q_86n&index=1

Drop D Tuning and Other Drop Alternate Guitar Tunings

In “Drop” tuning one string (and occasionally more than one) is changed to create more interesting chord voices and to extend the range of the guitar to play lower-pitched guitar riffs. “Drop D” is the most common, where the low E string on the guitar gets detuned to a D (one whole step down). This alternate guitar tuning is used in everything from classical guitar music, to folk songs, to the grunge sounds of Nirvana and other rock bands.

A powerful aspect of playing in drop D is that you create a power chord by simply barring across the low E and A strings on any fret. As a result, it becomes very easy to make fast power chord progressions that would be impossible in standard tuning.

Here is Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters with an acoustic version of Everlong that uses a drop D tuning. Listen to how he uses the low E and A string to create a chord progression that delivers power even on an acoustic guitar.

Open Tunings

Open tunings are when the strings are tuned in a particular sequence to play a particular chord when you simply strum all the open strings. Often many notes are octaves of one another so it creates a very full sound with a strong drone. A drone, which is particularly popular in traditional Indian music, serves as a constant accompaniment note during a whole song and can impart an Eastern sound.

Open C – The C tuning has roots in English guitar, which uses open-notes of C-E-G-C-E-G. A variation of that (C-G-C-G-C-E) was used by folk guitarist William Ackerman, blues fingerpicking guitarist John Fahey. Mick Ralphs of the rock band Bad Company even used a version of the C tuning (C-E-G-C-E-C) for their song Can’t Get Enough.
Open D – Vestopol is another name for open D, which is tuned to D-A-D-F♯-A-D, also called tuning. Players that have used this tuning include Joni Mitchell, Bruce Cockburn, noted fingerstyle guitarist Leo Kotke, John Fahey and the Allman Brothers.
Open Dsus4 – Commonly called “DADGAD”, strings are tuned to D-A-D-G-A-D. Even though this is commonly called Celtic tuning, it is actually used in many styles of music. It is a versatile tuning as it sounds neither major nor minor. Popular opinion is that the tuning came about when an oud player in Morocco influenced British guitarist Davey Graham.
Open G – Variations on the popular open G include G-G-D-G-B-D, G-G-D-G-B-D, and D-G-D-G-B-D. One of the most well-known guitarists who depends on this tuning is Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones who has used it in many Stones hits.

One of the most popular songs in an open tuning is Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir. This hit is played in open Dsus4/DADGAD. All the droning D strings help to give this song its Eastern flavor.

In this excerpt from the excellent DVD It Might Get Loud guitarist Jimmy Page shows the chords and tunings to Jack White of the White Stripes, and The Edge of U2. You can see from their interest, that alternate guitar tunings have created some legendary rock guitar parts.