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How to Tune a Guitar
One of the most important parts of learning to play the guitar is tuning your guitar. This how-to will teach you to tune a 6-string guitar, or a 4-string bass guitar, without using an electronic guitar tuner.
Steps
- Find a way to listen to an E note. This can be done using a piano, a pitch pipe, or a recorded E note found on the web as a .wav or .mp3 file.
- Know which note each string on the guitar plays.
Yes, there are two E notes on the guitar. The "E" on the top of the diagram is the "high E," and the "E" on the bottom of the diagram is called "low E." If you are tuning a bass guitar, the layout is the same. The difference is a bass guitar doesn't have a B and high E string.
When you are told to push down on the 5th fret, that means push down on the guitar string between the 4th and 5th metal fret on the guitar. - Put the guitar on your lap in a comfortable playing position. With the help of a friend, pluck the low E string while your friend plays an E note from some other sound source (i.e. piano, pitch pipe). You need to turn the tuning keys on the E string until your guitar's E string sounds the same as the sound sources E note. When the string is slightly out of tune, the E from the guitar will combine with the E from the sound source (i.e. piano), and cause the sound to "waver" in pitch. As you tighten the guitar string, you should hear this wavering slow down; the two strings are in tune if the wavering has stopped, and if you go too far, the wavering will increase again.
- Push down on the 5th fret on the low E string. Pluck the string. You have just played an A note. So, to get the next string, the A string, in tune, you simply play both strings, the 5th fretted low E string and the A string, at the same time. Using the A strings tuning keys, tune the A string until it's in tune with the fretted E string.
- Push down on the 5th fret on the A string. Pluck the string. You have just played a D note. So, to tune the next string, which is the D string, pluck both the fretted A string and the D string at the same time. Using the D strings tuning keys, tune the D string until it's in tune with the fretted A string.
- Push down on the 5th fret on the D string. Pluck the string. You have just played a G note. So, to tune the next string, which is the G string, pluck both the fretted D string and the G string at the same time. Using the G strings tuning keys, tune the G string until it's in tune with the fretted D string.
- If you are tuning a bass guitar, you are done! You can skip the rest of this article.
- Push down on the 4th fret on the G string. Notice it's the 4th fret this time, not the 5th fret. Pluck the string. You have just played a B note. So, to tune the next string, which is the B string, pluck both the fretted G string and the B string at the same time. Using the B strings tuning keys, tune the B string until it's in tune with the fretted G string.
- Push down on the 5th fret on the B string. Pluck the string. You have just played a E note. So, to tune the next string, which is the high E string, pluck both the fretted B string and the high E string at the same time. Using the high E strings tuning keys, tune the high E string until it's in tune with the fretted B string.
- Your guitar is in tune! Practice this often. You will get quicker at tuning your guitar each time.
Tips
- It is always best to tune upwards - that is, to start at a lower tone than the note you are tuning to. The friction between the strings and the nut (the white bar between the headstock and the fretboard) can cause the string to become relatively slack between the nut and the tuning machines. When the guitar is played, the strings will slip, and the result is that some of your notes may be slightly flat after a short while. If you pass your intended note while tuning, start over at a lower tone and work up again. This will help maximize the length of time your guitar stays tuned.
- Of course, it's probably quicker to use an electronic tuner, but you don't always have one handy. However, it's easy to carry around a $1.99 pitch pipe. Also, tuning your guitar this way with help "improve your ear" for pitches.
- A good mnemonic to remember the notes and order of the strings is "Every Adult Dog Grows Big Ears," or E.A.D.G.B.E.
- It is more difficult to tune the higher notes exactly (and remove the "wavering" sound) because the wavelengths are much shorter. As a result, the last couple of strings are more difficult to tune by ear.
- Many guitarists find that when they tune for one key, say E major, the instrument sounds badly out of tune in another, say C major. Usually this is due to tuning by ear. Equal temperament tuning, as used for pianos and electronic keyboards, allows you to play in any key. While none of the keys is exactly in tune as judged by a critical ear, none of them is badly out of tune either. It is extremely difficult to tune in equal temperament by ear, and the best solution is an electronic tuner.
- Another practical way to tune the guitar precisely without equal temperament is by the use of harmonics; the fact that no real pressure is applied (therefore no bending occurs) minimizes pitch error.
- Also try the E-B trick of playing all E's and B's and when they are in tune you are good to go. The fingering for this is 6th-0pen, 5th-fret7-1st finger, 4th-fret9-3rd finger, 3rd-fret9-4th finger, 2nd-open, 1st-open. Find the balance between all the E's and B's. Now try a few chords...nice, huh?
