If you want to be a genius guitarist, you first need to have a properly tuned guitar. There are many tuning methods such as:
- Using an electric tuner
- Using a guitar tuner app
- Using other instruments
- Tuning by ear
Here are all about tuning a guitar you should know.
Contents
Standard Guitar Tuning
Getting a guitar tuned involves adjusting 6 strings on the instrument. Standard guitar tuning, starting from the thickest, lowest-pitched string (the 6th string) at the top of the neck is: E – A – D – G – B – E – The high E string – the thinnest, highest-pitched string at the bottom of the neck – is known as the 1st string and all others follow suit.
Below are three useful mnemonics to help you remember the order “E, A, D, G, B, E”.
- Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears
- Eddie Ate Dynamite Good Bye Eddie
- Every Boy Gets Donuts After Eating
Each string has its own tuning peg, so follow the string up to its corresponding peg!
How To Tune A Guitar With An Electric Tuner
Using an electric tuner is among the easiest ways to tune a guitar. Instead of using the strings to find the correct tones for other strings, an electric tuner will read and interpret the sound waves it picks up from your guitar and display in notes what it reads. Just turn on the electric tuner and strum the string. It’ll let you know if your guitar is in tune within a few seconds.
How To Tune A Guitar With A Guitar Tuner App
Using guitar tuner apps on the smartphone is also one of the most convenient and economical ways to tune a guitar. Our Guitar Tunio app can help you easily get your guitar strings in tune. It basically uses the same principle as an electric tuner and works directly with the mic of your smartphone. All you need to do is to play the string and the guitar tuner will tell you whether the string is too sharp or too flat so that you adjust it correctly.
How To Tune a Guitar Using Other Instruments
Another common way to tune a guitar to a standard pitch favored by guitarists is to tune its strings to match the pitch of another musical instrument. You can use an electronic keyboard or a well-tuned piano. You just play the note on the piano and adjust the corresponding open string on your guitar until the pitch is the same.
How To Tune A Guitar By Ear
The last one we’d like to suggest is tuning by ear which is the old-fashioned way that we would like to introduce to you. With the tuning method, tune the sixth string to low E. Once the low E string is in tune, you can tune the other strings based on your sixth string.
The rules of tuning based on the sixth string (low E string) are as follows:
- 5th fret of the sixth string = the fifth string (A string)
- 5th fret of the fifth string = the fourth string (D string)
- 5th fret of the fourth string = the third string (G string)
- 4th fret of the third string = the second string (B string)
- 5th fret of the second string = the first string (high E string)
5 Tuning Tips
Here are 5 tips to help you keep your guitar in tune and sound great!
- Tune up your guitar every time you play;
- Keeping your guitar at the right temperature and humidity;
- Loosen the tension on the strings before storage or transport;
- Avoid impacts, big and small;
- Replace your guitar’s strings regularly, every 6-8 weeks.
Happy tuning!
