How to Tune a Guitar

Tuning the guitar is vital to sounding good. The picture below shows the guitar tuning basics and the notes for each string. The open strings of a guitar from the thickest (top) to thinnest (bottom) can be easily remembered using this mnemonic: "Every Apple Does Go Bad Eventually"

• E - the thickest or lowest sounding string is known as the 6th string • A - is the 5th • D - is the 4th • G - is the 3rd • B - is the 2nd • E - the thinest or highest is the 1st

Standard Guitar E Tuning Method

The most common method for tuning both Electric and Acoustic guitars – and the one you can use when no other instrument or guitar tuner is at hand is a Standard Guitar E Tuning Method.

Step 1: The E String
Tune the bottom E, using the tuner above, or by ear as best as you can. Tuning by ear is recommended, so you can practise getting the string tensions correct. With time you'll get more accurate, so don't worry too much about wrong tones in the beginning, you can go back to the tuner above to make sure you're as close as possible.

Chances are the E string is in tune anyway, being the thickest string it’s the least likely to detune itself than any of the others. If you have another instrument such as a Piano (which stays in tune for years), you can tune it to the 1st E below middle C. If you have no device or instrument handy just try to get it as accurate as possible, what really counts when you are playing is that the guitar is in tune with itself and any other instruments you might be playing with.

Step 2: The A String
Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the fifth fret on the bottom E string. That’s an A note. Keep your finger on that fret. Now pick the fifth and six strings in turn, gently adjusting the fifth string tuning peg until the two notes are the same.

Step 3: The D String
Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the fifth fret on the A string. That’s a D note. Tune the 4th string (the D note) to that.

Step 4: The G String
Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the fifth fret on the D string. That’s a G note. Tune your G string to that note.

Step 5: The B String
Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the forth fret (note the B string is the only one that comes from a different position the forth fret, the rest are from the 5th fret).

Step 6: Tuning the E String
Place the first finger of your left hand just behind the fifth fret on the B string. That’s a E note.