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How to Tune a Guitar

How to Tune a Guitar

Tuning the guitar is the first thing you need to master on your way to rock stardom. Here are some simple instructions that explain the most commonly used guitar tuning in the world.

Standard Guitar Tuning: EADgbe

When looking straight down at your guitar the open strings from the thickest to the thinnest are as follows:

Strings Notes
E Thickest String
A
D
g
b
e Thinnest String

Step 1: The 6th String - E (thickest)

Tune the E String (thickest), as accurately as you can. You can also use other reference tones such as a Piano or any other musical instrument that is handy. What's important is that you have a reference tone.

Fake It Till You Make It

Did you get lost alone in the forest with just your guitar and can't find a reference tone anywhere? Assuming you don't have any other musicians playing with you, you can always just tune that Fat E String as best you can and tune the rest of your guitar to it. As long as the guitar is in tune with itself you can still play.

Step 2: The 5th String - A

Place your index finger on the fifth fret of the (thick) E string. That’s an A note. Keep your finger on that fret. Now pick that string and the open fifth string fretted six string in turn, gently adjusting the fifth string tuning peg until the two notes are in harmony. Tightening the peg will make the pitch higher, loosening the peg will make the pitch lower.


Step 3: The 4th String - D

Place your index finger on the the fifth fret of the A string. That’s a D note. Pluck the fretted 5th string and the open 4th string together or alternating between them and adjust the 4th string tuning peg until the pitch of the 4th string matches the pitch of the 5th fret of the 5th string.


Step 4: The 3rd String - G

Place your index finger on the fifth fret of the D string. That’s a G note. Pluck or alternate pick the fretted 4th and open 3rd strings, adjusting the 3rd string tuning peg until the 3rd string is in harmony with the 5th fret of the 4th string.


Step 5: The 2nd String - B

Place your index finger on the fourth fret of the G string. That's a B. Tune your 2nd string to that note.


How to Remember Standard Tuning Pattern

The order of strings is all you really have to remember to tune a guitar. Here is a list of common accronyms that will help you remember the order of strings:

  • Every Acid Dealer Gets Busted Eventually
  • Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears
  • Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie

Step 6: Tuning the E String

Place your index finger just behind the fifth fret on the B string. That’s a E note. Tune the thinnest and last string to that, again by adjusting the 1st string tuning peg until the pitch of the E string matches the 5th fret of the 2nd String.


What you have just learned is called Standard Tuning Pattern.