How to tune a guitar: Guide for beginners

The first step to play any instrument is to make sure it’s in tune. It doesn’t matter how well you play; if the instrument isn’t in tune, it won’t sound right.

Getting your guitar tuned just right is one of the essential skills all guitar players, from beginners to pros, should know. Let’s learn how to get your guitar in tune.

Learn the guitar strings

A good first step to tuning your guitar is to learn the names of the strings. Here they are, in order:

E-A-D-G-B-E

What this means is that the thickest string (that’s the E string) is the one closest to you when holding the guitar on your lap. As we work our way down the strings, we end on the thinnest string (known as the high E string) that produces the highest pitch.

Need help remembering the names of the strings? We’ve got you covered.

Eddie Ate Dynamite. Good Bye Eddie. Learn this simple rhyme, and you’ll always remember the names of the strings.

Standard guitar tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E)

With this rhyme in mind, you now know standard guitar tuning. You’ll use this in a wide variety of songs across all music genres.

Now that you know the names of the strings, we’re ready to get your guitar in tune. You can always do this by ear, but the easiest and most accurate way is by using a tuner.

For example, it’s really easy to tune your instrument with Yousician’s tuner or with GuitarTuna. You can check out the video below for step-by-step instructions to make sure your instrument sounds its best!

How to tune a guitar string?

Let’s start getting your instrument in tune. Begin by strumming all six open strings and listen to how it sounds. If you’re a beginner, it might be difficult to hear whether your guitar is in tune or not. With enough practice, you’ll begin to recognize whenever the tuning is off and needs some adjusting.

Let’s assume your guitar is not quite in tune. To tune your guitar, you’ll need to get familiar with the instrument itself, most importantly the tuning pegs. These little pegs are located on your guitar’s headstock. You will most likely have six of them, one for each string.

Use the tuning pegs on the headstock to adjust each individual guitar string.

Pro tip: if you have an electric guitar, you can go to the settings on the GuitarTuna app and have the app show an electric guitar instead of an acoustic guitar. There’s also a left-handed mode for all of you guitar-playing lefties.

The layout of your guitar’s tuning pegs depends on the instrument, but in most acoustic guitars, there are three pegs on each side—three pointing up and three pointing down, when the guitar is on your lap. Follow the strings to see the peg that is connected to each string.

Play one of the strings and then turn the tuning peg while the string is ringing. You’ll hear the string’s pitch go up or down, depending on the direction you turn the peg. By turning the peg towards you, the string loosens and its pitch falls. Turn the peg the other way, and the string gets tighter, raising the pitch.

Go ahead, give it a try, and listen to how it sounds!

Tuning a guitar by ear

Tuning a guitar by ear is a quick way to check that all strings have the correct pitch whenever you pick up your guitar or if you’re in the middle of a practice session. Using a guitar tuner, such as an app or an electronic tuner, is more accurate than tuning by ear, but tuning by ear can still be a great alternative.

Here’s how to tune your guitar to the standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E):

Tune the low E string

To tune your guitar by ear, you first need a reference note. The easiest way to do this is by finding an E note to use as a reference point for your guitar’s low E string (the thickest string). This can be from another instrument, such as a piano, or even a tuning fork.

Pluck the low E string and listen carefully to its pitch. Compare it to the reference note. If the string sounds too low (flat), tighten the string by turning the corresponding tuning peg. If it sounds too high (sharp), loosen the string.

You can use a reference sound to tune the low E string and then use the low E string to tune the rest of the strings.

There’s one important thing to remember when tuning your guitar: try to tune up to the desired pitch instead of down to a lower pitch. This way, the tuned string will retain its pitch and not go out of tune so quickly.

Tune the other guitar strings

Once your low E string is in tune, you can use it to tune the other strings by following this method:

• A string (5th string): Place your finger on the 5th fret of the low E string. This note is an A. Pluck the open A string and adjust the tuning peg until the low E and A strings sound the same.
• D string (4th string): Once the A string is in tune, press down the 5th fret of the A string to play a D note. Then, tune the open D string to match this pitch.
• G string (3rd string): Press down the 4th fret of the D string and pluck the fretted note. This will give you a G note. Tune the open G string to match the G note played on the D string.
• B string (2nd string): For the B string, press down the 5th fret of the G string to find the B note. Adjust the open B string until both strings sound the same.
• High E string (1st string): Finally, press down the 5th fret of the B string to get the note for the high E string. Tune this string according to the fretted B string.

Once you have finished, check each string once more, starting from the low E, to make sure that none of them have gone out of tune.

Using a guitar tuner

Tuning by ear can come in handy. However, to make things even easier and more accurate, use a guitar tuner or a tuner app.

An electronic tuner is a useful tool. However, electronic tuners are often expensive, and it may be annoying to carry it with you whenever you play guitar.

Luckily, there’s an easier way. Getting your guitar in tune is incredibly simple with the GuitarTuna app. It does most of the hard work for you!

A guitar tuner app uses your device’s microphone to tell if a string is out of tune.

Open the app, and you’ll see the headstock of a guitar with all of the strings and their names. Start by tuning the low E string; it’s the thickest string and the one closest to you. The app recognizes which string you’re playing and tells you if the pitch is too high or too low.

Keep playing the E note and turning the tuning peg. Follow the GuitarTuna app’s indicator as it tells you how close the string is to the correct tune. Make smaller and smaller adjustments as you get closer to the correct pitch. Once you have the string in tune, the app will make a specific sound, letting you know that you’ve successfully tuned the string.

Congratulations! You’ve tuned the first string. Now, repeat the same process for the other five strings. After you’re done with the thinnest string (the high E string), it’s a good idea to go back once more and check that all strings are still in tune.

Alternate tunings

In addition to the standard guitar tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E), there are several alternate tunings that can be used to create different sounds and for certain types of music. These include drop D, drop C, and one step down tunings.

By far the easiest alternate tuning to start with is drop D tuning. Drop D tuning involves lowering the pitch of the thickest E string from E to D. This allows you to play power chords with a single finger. This tuning is commonly used in rock and metal music.

Alternate guitar tunings are common in certain genres, such as rock and heavy metal.

Another useful alternate tuning for rock and metal fans is the drop C tuning. It’s similar to drop D, but all strings are tuned a full step lower. This tuning comes in handy in heavier rock and metal genres, where the player wants to create a lower and bassier sound. You can read more about alternate tunings in our blog.

Although you can tune to an alternate tuning by ear, it can be difficult. On the GuitarTuna app, you can find a range of alternate tunings, making it a versatile tool for guitar players of all skill levels.

Wrapping up: Tuning a guitar

Well done! Your guitar should now be in tune. As you keep playing, the strings may go out of tune again, so make sure your guitar is still in tune every now and then. As you get better at training your ear, you’ll start to notice if the tuning isn’t quite right.

Some key takeaways:

• Each string has its own tuning peg. Follow the string up to the guitar headstock to check which tuning peg to turn.
• Turning a peg away from you tightens the string, and turning it toward you loosens the string.
• Tighten the pegs slowly and make sure you don’t tighten them too much, or you’ll risk snapping a string.
• Always tune up to a note. It’s better to tune up to a higher pitch, rather than down to a lower one. Make sure you reach the correct tune by turning the tuning peg away from you.
• Use a good guitar tuner to make tuning easier and more accurate. Our app is the easiest way to get your instrument in tune.