Methods of Guitar Tuning Explained

Various methods of guitar tuning is covered here in this lesson. As a guitarist, knowing how to tune a guitar is as crucial as playing the guitar well.

A well tuned guitar brings out beautiful melodies whereas a poorly tuned guitar is disastrous to the listening ear. As a guitarist of many years standing, I have come across many performances jarred by poor tuning of the musical instruments.

There are various instruments to help a guitarist find reference tones in tuning a guitar.

1. Electronic guitar tuner

2. Tuning fork

3. Pitch pipe

4 Piano

How To Tune A Guitar
The strings of the guitar are wound on pegs called the machine head. The pegs are adjusted to accommodate the tension of the guitar strings and put the strings in tune.

By adjusting the pegs, the strings can be raised or lowered.

The open strings of the guitar are tuned in this order:

E (6th string) to A (5th string) to D (4th string) to G (3rd string)

Each of these are separated from each other by an interval of a fourth.

G (3rd string) to B (2nd string) is an interval of a third.

B (2nd string) to E (1st string) is an interval of a fourth.

Tuning With A Guitar Tuner
Various tuning aids such as the guitar tuner are widely used by many musicians. If you have a problem with tuning your guitar, having one of these electronic aids can be very useful.

These electronic tuners have the basic tones E A D G B E on it. When the tuner produces e.g. a low E (sixth string) sound, you need to turn the machine head to match the pitch of the tuner.

Tuning With A Piano
If a piano is available, you may strike the basic notes E A D G B E to tune up. Try matching the various piano tones to the guitar. Listen for the tones and beats produced between the guitar and piano tones. If the pitch is out, there will be a strong dissonance and vibrations of pitches. Carefully, tune up or down to match and even out the vibrations till there’s only one sound.

Keep practicing your guitar tuning and it will get much easier each time

Tuning With A Tuning Fork Or A Pitch Pipe
Note: Both tuning forks and pitch pipes always have a standard concert pitch of A440Hz.

Using A Tuning Fork
• Strike the tuning fork and bring it to the soundboard of the guitar.

• This will amplify the note A, which should be tuned to the A note situated at the first string 5th fret of the guitar.

• Check the note of the guitar. Is it of the same pitch? Listen again.

Using A Pitch Pipe
• Blow into a pitch pipe

• Get the required reference note

• Tune the guitar accordingly to the pitch.

Basic Guitar Tuning Method
• When you've got the first string, E open tuned, strike it, and play the 2nd string 5th fret E to match the pitch with the first string E open.

• Let the notes sustain, listen and tune the 2nd string until it's in tune with the 1st string.

• Now go to the 3rd string, 4th fret, tune it to the 2nd string open B.

• Listen and pitch it well.

• Finger the 4th string, 5th fret and tune it to match the 3rd string open G.

• Listen for the beats between the notes. Any wavering vibrations?

• Match the pitches until there is only one sound.

• Play the 5th string 5th fret D and pitch it to the 4th string open D.

• Check it! Is it in tune? Listen for the beats between the two notes.

• Play the 6th string, 5th fret A and tune it to the 5th string open A

• Listen and check for any strange vibrations.

• Keep tuning till the pitches match.

Octaves Tuning
Another method of tuning a guitar is by octaves.

• The 1st string on the guitar is tuned to the note E.

• Place your finger on the 1st string 7th fret B

• Hit the note, sustain it and play the 2nd string B, to match the octave B note of the first string 7th fret.

• Listen, check, and adjust the tuning head till both strings are in tune to each other.

• Next place your finger on the 2nd string at the 8th fret,

• Hit the note, sustain it and play the 3rd string G.

• Match, listen and tune the strings to pitch.

• The 4th string D can be tuned to the 3rd string D at the 7th fret.

• The 5th string A can be tuned to the 4th string 7th fret.

• The 6th string E is tuned to the 5th string 7th fret.

• After tuning, play, listen and check the tonation.

These popular guitar tuning methods are very effective in tuning your instrument. Experiment and use the one that is most comfortable for you.

To summarize this lesson on guitar tuning, tuning a guitar is basically a skill which develops with practice.

Playing in tune with other band members or other instruments means listening to the other instruments and pitching accordingly to compliment the other instruments.

Go through this lesson again and try out the best procedure which suits you.

Other Considerations To Take Note Of:
The types of gauges used for guitar strings.

• Extra light gauge

• Light gauge

• Medium gauge

• Heavy gauge

Note that when you change the strings on your instrument the appropriate gauge would help a lot. Check with your local music shop and go through the various gauges and see which gauge you’d be comfortable with. It helps to get the feel of different gauges to see how it affects your tone, finger strength and right hand plectrum technique.

Using A Plectrum
The plectrum is held between the thumb and first finger. In playing a solo, a down-stroke and up-stroke motion is used.

When approaching chords, the fingers of the right hand are also employed. Fingerpicks are used for fingerstyle type playing but can be used in all genres of guitar music. In these lessons no right fingerings are given. If you feel comfortable with an approach, go for it.

Summary Of How To Tune A Guitar
• Choose your best approach from the above lesson

• Get the first reference note E from a piano or guitar tuner (E on the 1st string)

• Fret the 2nd string at the 5th fret to match the tone of the first string E (watch and listen for dissonances)

• Fret the 3rd string at the 4th fret and match to the 2nd string

• Fret the 4th string at the 5th fret to match the 3rd string

• Fret the 5th string at the 5th fret to match the 4th string

• Fret the 6th string at the 5th fret to match the 5th string

• Strum across the open strings.

• Does the tuning sound right? Are there any strange dissonances?

• Listen, tune and pitch till the strings sound right to your ears.

• Having an electronic tuner can be very helpful and developing your ears and sense of musical taste will add much for tour playing.

• Listening to different genres of music like Classical, Pop, Rock gives us the understanding of good musicianship and musical capabilities.

• Refer back to Lesson 1: Music Theory and work on areas that will strengthen your discipline.

Alternate Tunings Explained
To enhance your guitar tuning experiences, I have added some interesting alternate tuning lessons for your interest.

• Acoustic Guitar Alternate Tuning

• Alternate Drop D Open Tuning

• Dmaj Open Tuning

• Double Drop D Tuning

• Open Tunings

• G Open Tuning

• G6 Open Tuning

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