How to Tune Your Acoustic & Electric Guitar

Whether that's your Fender Stratocaster or Gibson Les Paul, virtually all guitars work the same way. For the tutorials purpose, we are going to make the assumption that we are going EADGBE (standard guitar tuning) and you're not a crazy chromatic Jazz player or whatever.

This is roughly a note for note translation of the early acoustic guitar lessons we received as a kid. Long before knowing what a key was or what tuning was, or even what a tuning key was. Back when we were just making irregular guitar sounds.

Starting with the basics, you'll need either:

Let's use an electronic tuner since it's the most reliable method. Hold your guitar comfortably, and follow these steps:

Start with the thickest string (6th string). Pluck it while watching your tuner. If the note is too low, gently turn the tuning peg away from you to raise the pitch. If it's too high, turn the peg toward you to lower it. Make small adjustments as strings can break if you turn too quickly or too far.

When the tuner shows you're right on E (it might light up green or show a centered needle), move to the 5th string and tune it to A. Continue this process for each string: 4th to D, 3rd to G, 2nd to B, and finally the thinnest string (1st) to the high E.

Tip: After you've tuned all strings, go back and check them again. The tension changes on one string can slightly affect the others, so a second pass ensures everything is perfect.

Types of Guitar Tuners

Clip-On Tuners

These small devices clip directly onto your guitar's headstock and work by detecting the vibrations of the wood. They're incredibly popular because they work well even in noisy environments. To use one effectively, clip it to the headstock (the part where your tuning pegs are), making sure it has good contact with the wood. When you pluck a string, the tuner's display will show you what note it's detecting and whether you need to tune up or down. Most clip-on tuners use a display that shows arrows pointing up if you're flat (too low) or down if you're sharp (too high). The display typically turns green when you're perfectly in tune.

Pedal Tuners

If you play electric guitar, you might encounter pedal tuners that sit on the floor with your other effects pedals. These work by processing the electrical signal from your guitar. To use a pedal tuner, plug your guitar into the "input" jack and your amplifier into the "output" jack. When you activate the pedal (by stepping on it), it will mute your signal to the amp and show you the tuning display. Many pedal tuners use a "strobe" display, which shows moving bars that slow down and stop when you're in tune. This type of display can be more precise than simpler LED displays.

Smartphone Apps

Modern tuning apps use your phone's microphone to detect pitch. To use these effectively, you'll want to be in a quiet environment. Hold your phone about 6-8 inches from your guitar's sound hole (for acoustic) or speaker (for electric). One important tip with phone apps: make sure your microphone isn't covered and that you're not too close to the guitar, as this can cause the app to read incorrectly.

Built-in Tuners

Many modern electric guitars and acoustic-electric guitars have built-in tuners. These typically appear as a small LCD screen on the body of the guitar. They work similarly to clip-on tuners but are permanently installed. To use these, simply activate the tuner (usually by pressing a small button) and pluck each string individually.
For all electronic tuners, here's a crucial technique that will improve your accuracy: When turning the tuning pegs, it's better to tune "up" to the note rather than "down." This means if your string is sharp (too high), tune it slightly below the target note, then tune up to it. This helps ensure the string settles at the correct tension and stays in tune longer.

A common challenge with any tuner is "false readings", as sometimes the tuner might pick up overtones or harmonics instead of the fundamental note you're trying to tune. To avoid this, try these tips:

  1. Pluck the string with medium force - not too hard or soft
  2. Let each note ring clearly before making adjustments
  3. Wait for the display to settle before making changes
  4. Make sure you're reading the correct note name (for instance, don't tune your low E string to high E)

Alternative Guitar Tunings

Open D Tuning (D-A-D-F#-A-D)

Starting from standard tuning, you'll need to make these adjustments: Lower your low E string to D, keep the A string as is, keep the D string as is, lower the G string to F#, keep the B string at A, and lower the high E to D. When strummed open, this creates a rich D major chord. This tuning was favored by artists like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell, as it creates a warm, resonant sound perfect for folk and blues music.

Open G Tuning (D-G-D-G-B-D)

To reach Open G from standard tuning, lower your low E to D, keep the A string but lower it to G, keep the D string as is, keep the G string as is, keep the B string as is, and lower the high E to D. This tuning creates a G major chord when strummed open and was extensively used by Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones. It's particularly effective for slide guitar playing and creates a distinctive sound for blues and rock music.

Open E Tuning (E-B-E-G#-B-E)

This tuning requires less adjustment from standard: Keep the low E as is, raise the A to B, keep the D string but raise it to E, raise the G to G#, keep the B as is, and keep the high E as is. When played open, you'll hear a bright, resonant E major chord. This tuning is popular in blues and slide guitar playing, famously used by Duane Allman.

DADGAD Tuning

This modal tuning has become increasingly popular in Celtic and contemporary folk music. From standard tuning, lower your low E to D, keep the A as is, keep the D as is, keep the G as is, lower the B to A, and lower the high E to D. DADGAD creates an open Dsus4 chord, giving your playing a mysterious, ambient quality. This tuning is particularly effective for fingerstyle playing and creating drone-like accompaniments.

Drop D Tuning (D-A-D-G-B-E)

Perhaps the simplest alternative tuning, Drop D only requires lowering your low E string to D. This creates powerful bass notes and makes it easier to play certain types of power chords. It's particularly popular in rock and metal music, allowing for heavier, more dramatic riffs.

Half-Step Down (Eb-G#-C#-F#-Bb-Eb)

Like Drop D tuning, half-step down tuning is fairly common for male guitar players who wish to sing a long to their playing. That's because it gives the male vocal range a little more wiggle room to work with when crooning away. One half step to be exact.

This is also colloquially known as E Flat tuning.

Half-step down tuning applies to all variations, whether you are tuning a 12-string acoustic guitar or a 5-string electric bass. Follow the notes prescribed as standard and chromatically move them down one semi-tone.

Important Considerations When Using Alternative Tunings:

When changing to any alternative tuning, it's crucial to make adjustments gradually to avoid putting too much stress on the neck. Always tune down to the desired note rather than up, as this puts less strain on the strings. After achieving the new tuning, give your guitar a few minutes to settle, then fine-tune as needed.
Remember that changing tunings affects string tension across the neck. Some strings will be looser, others tighter.

This might require adjusting your playing technique - particularly your picking or strumming strength. You might also need to adjust your amp's settings if you're playing electric guitar, as different string tensions can affect the overall output and tone.

Each of these tunings creates its own unique harmonic landscape and opens up different possibilities for chord voicings and melodic patterns. The real joy comes in discovering how familiar scales and chord shapes transform in these new tunings, creating fresh sounds and inspiring new musical ideas.

Advanced Guitar Tuning Circumstances & Techniques

Harmonic Tuning

One of the most precise ways to tune your guitar uses natural harmonics. When you lightly touch a string exactly at the 12th, 7th, or 5th fret (without pressing down) and pluck it, you'll hear a bell-like tone called a harmonic. These harmonics are incredibly pure tones that make it easier to hear when strings are perfectly in tune with each other.

The Process

First, tune your 6th string (low E) to pitch using a tuner. Then, play the harmonic at the 5th fret of the 6th string and compare it to the harmonic at the 7th fret of the 5th string - these should match perfectly. Continue this pattern up the neck, comparing harmonics between adjacent strings. This method is particularly effective because harmonics eliminate some of the overtones that can make it difficult to hear slight pitch differences.

Stretch Tuning

This technique accounts for the fact that strings behave slightly differently when fretted versus open. When you press a string down, you're actually stretching it slightly, which raises its pitch. To compensate for this, many professional guitarists use "stretch tuning," where you deliberately tune certain strings slightly flat to achieve better overall intonation when playing chords.

The process involves tuning normally, then checking the tuning by playing specific chords and making micro-adjustments. For example, after tuning your open strings, play a first-position E major chord. The G string often needs to be tuned slightly flat to make this chord sound perfect. Similarly, check your B and high E strings by playing a first-position D major chord.

Temperature and Humidity Compensation

Understanding how temperature and humidity affect your guitar can help you maintain better tuning. Temperature isn't a guitar tuning technique, per se. But, it is a factor that you must compensate for.

Wood expands and contracts with environmental changes, which affects string tension. In humid conditions, you might need to tune slightly sharp, knowing the strings will settle flat as the wood absorbs moisture. In dry conditions, the opposite applies.

String Settling Technique

When putting on new strings or making large tuning adjustments, use the string settling technique. After bringing each string up to pitch, gently stretch it by pulling it away from the fretboard about an inch (be careful not to overstretch). Then retune. This helps remove any slack in the string's windings around the tuning post and results in more stable tuning.

Relative Pitch Training

While this isn't strictly a tuning technique, developing your relative pitch will dramatically improve your tuning accuracy. Practice hearing the relationships between notes. For example, learn to recognize when the interval between two strings is a perfect fourth (the standard tuning interval between most adjacent strings) or a major third (between the G and B strings).

Understanding Intonation

Finally, it's crucial to understand that perfect tuning isn't just about the open strings. Check your intonation by comparing the pitch of each open string to its octave at the 12th fret - they should match exactly. If they don't, your guitar might need an intonation adjustment at the bridge, which is a more advanced maintenance task that affects how well your guitar stays in tune across the entire fretboard.

How to Tune a Guitar Without A Tuner (By Ear)

This process uses the relationship between strings to achieve proper tuning without any electronic aids. The most common method is called the "5th fret method," based on the fact that most adjacent strings, when properly tuned, share matching notes at specific frets. Let's walk through this process step by step.

First, you'll need a reference pitch for your first string. This could come from ...

Let's assume you have your low E (6th string) in tune as your starting point. From here, we'll tune each subsequent string by comparing it to the previous one:

To tune the 5th string (A)

Press the 5th fret on your low E string. This note should match your open A string perfectly. Play them together and listen carefully. If you hear a wavering or beating sound (called "beats"), the strings aren't quite matched. Adjust the A string until both notes blend smoothly into one clear tone.

To tune the 4th string (D)

Press the 5th fret on your A string and match it to your open D string. Again, listen for that perfect unison where the notes merge without any wavering.

To tune the 3rd string (G)

Press the 5th fret on your D string and match it to your open G string.
Here comes the tricky part - the B string is different

To tune the 2nd string (B)

Press the 4th fret (not the 5th) on your G string and match it to your open B string. This is where many beginners make mistakes, so pay extra attention to this step.

To tune the 1st string (high E)

Return to the 5th fret method - press the 5th fret on your B string and match it to your open high E string.

Some important concepts to understand

The "beats" you hear when strings are slightly out of tune are actually a scientific phenomenon. When two notes are almost but not quite in tune, their sound waves create a periodic variation in volume - the beating sound. As you get closer to perfect tuning, these beats slow down. When they stop completely, you've reached unison.
A useful exercise for developing your ear is to intentionally detune a string slightly and practice bringing it back to pitch. Listen carefully to how the beats change as you adjust the tuning - they'll get slower as you get closer to the correct pitch.

Another advanced technique is to use harmonics for tuning. This method is more challenging but can be more precise once mastered. Instead of fretting notes, you lightly touch the string directly above the fret to create a harmonic tone. The 5th and 7th fret harmonics can be compared between strings for tuning.

Remember that tuning by ear takes practice. Your ear will become more sensitive to pitch differences over time. Don't get discouraged if it's challenging at first - even experienced musicians sometimes take a moment to get their tuning perfect.

How to Tune a 12-String Guitar

A 12-string guitar has six pairs of strings, with each pair meant to be played together. The first two pairs (the thinnest strings) are tuned to the same note in unison (both E and both B), while the remaining four pairs are tuned an octave apart. This creates the characteristic rich, shimmering sound that 12-string guitars are famous for.
Here's the complete tuning pattern from the thickest to thinnest pairs.

The doubled strings create significantly more tension on the neck than a 6-string guitar. Many players tune their 12-strings a whole step or even a step and a half down from standard to reduce this tension. This means the pairs would be tuned to D/D, G/G, C/C, F/F, A/A, and D/D instead of the standard E/E, A/A, D/D, G/G, B/B, E/E.

Temperature and humidity affect 12-string guitars more dramatically than 6-strings due to the increased tension. Give your guitar time to acclimate to room temperature before tuning, and expect to make more frequent adjustments during playing.

A crucial technique for maintaining tuning stability is to tune each string slightly sharp and then bring it down to pitch. This helps prevent the string from slipping at the tuning post and helps maintain better overall tuning.

FAQs

How Often Should a Guitar Be Tuned?

The short answer is often. The tension placed on a guitar changes with the weather and the relative barometric pressures and variances of humidity present in the atmosphere. Just watch how often your favorite performer tunes IN concert. It's multiple times.

You should tune your guitar prior to beginning every session you intend to play it. Sometimes more than once.

How to Tune a Bass Guitar

Tuning a bass guitar to standard goes from lowest (thickest) to highest (thinnest): E, A, D, and G. As always, new strings will need frequent retuning as they stretch. Bass strings can take more force to turn than guitar strings, so be firm but careful. If you hear any buzzing, make sure you're not turning the string too loose.

A fifth or sixth string on a bass will change things up a bit.

5-String Bass

You will want to tune to B, E, A, D, G.

6-String Bass

You will want to tune to B, E, A, D, G, C.

How to Tune a 7-String Guitar

A 7-string guitar adds exciting possibilities for extended range playing, particularly useful in modern metal, jazz, and progressive music.

The standard tuning for a 7-string guitar, from lowest to highest string, is: B, E, A, D, G, B, E. Think of it as your regular 6-string guitar with an additional low B string. This low B extends your range by a perfect fourth below the standard low E, giving you access to deeper bass notes and fuller chord voicings.

7-String Tuning Process Step-By-Step

Start with the 7th string (the thickest one) and tune it to B. Since this note is quite low, make sure your tuner can accurately detect bass frequencies. Some tuners have a specific setting for 7-string guitars or extended range instruments. If you're tuning by ear, this B should be the same note as the 7th fret of your regular low E string on a 6-string guitar.

Once your low B is set, you can tune the remaining six strings exactly as you would a standard guitar: the 6th string to E, 5th to A, 4th to D, 3rd to G, 2nd to B, and 1st to high E. The relationship between these strings remains unchanged from what you're familiar with on a 6-string guitar.

Important tuning considerations specific to 7-strings

The added tension from the low B string can affect the guitar's neck relief. When first switching to a 7-string or changing string gauges, you might need to adjust your truss rod to compensate for this additional tension. Watch for any unusual buzzing or dead notes that might indicate the need for a setup adjustment.

String gauge selection becomes particularly important for the low B string. You'll want enough tension to maintain clear articulation without being so tight that it becomes difficult to play. Many players find that a .058 or .060 gauge works well for the low B, but this can vary based on your playing style and preferred action.

Alternative 7-string tunings are also popular. Some players tune the low B down to A for even deeper bass notes, creating an A, E, A, D, G, B, E tuning. Others might tune everything down a half-step or whole step while maintaining the same intervals between strings.

A common challenge when first tuning a 7-string guitar is ensuring the low B string's intonation is correct. Due to its thickness, this string can sometimes sound sharp when fretted, even if it's in tune when played open. To check this, compare the open string pitch to the note at the 12th fret - they should match exactly. If they don't, you might need to adjust the bridge saddle position.