Tuning your guitar
Having your guitar in tune is super important whenever you play. Luckily tuning your guitar is easy, and once you get the hang of it can be done in a snap.
There are a few different ways to tune a guitar such as with a tuner or by ear. Using a tuner is by far the easiest way, however they have a habit of running out of battery at inopportune times so it’s always well to know some other techniques.
What you'll need
- Tuner
- Keen ear
Step 1 - Tuning the bottom E string
It’s always a wise idea to start tuning your guitar from the bottom E string, which should be the thickest string with the lowest pitch.
With a tuner
If you’re using a tuner, turn it on and place it near the guitar or amp (the quieter your surroundings are the easier). Pluck the string and you should see a reading on the tuner. Turn the tuning peg, in which direction depends, and the tuner reading should slightly change. When in tune, the tuner should have a big E and something indicating success on it.
By ear
Tuning by ear is a bit more difficult, as there’s no visual confirmation you’ve gotten the string in tune. Start by playing an E note, either on a tuned instrument or using the handy string diagram below, and adjust the tuning peg while plucking the string until the note the string is making matches up with the note you’re playing.
The standard tuning of a guitar. Note that the strings get thinner as the open note gets higher.
Step 2 – The rest of the strings
Tuning the rest of the strings is pretty much the same process as the first, just change the note. The standard tuning, from thickest string to thinnest is E A D G B e. Tune each string to these, and your guitar will be back and ready to shred.
If your strings keep seeming to come out of tune, your strings might need changing or even your tuning pegs replacing.
Tuning Your Guitar Quiz - How much can you remember?
- To make tuning more accurate
- Different types of guitars have to be tuned differently
- Batteries can be unreliable