How to Tune Your Guitar

If you want to sound good your guitar must be in tune.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Before you begin to learn how to play a guitar you should know something about the instrument. Most guitars have 6 strings (there are twelve string guitars but we’ll leave that for another article). Each string is tuned to a certain note beginning from the top string to the bottom the note is higher. The notes of the strings from the top (as you look at the guitar while you are holding it) are E-A-D-G-B-E. The thick lowest E string is usually called the 6th string and the other strings are named going towards the thinnest E string called the 1st string. You will notice this reference to the strings in books and instructional videos. I am showing you the novice what you would see to avoid confusion, but I’m afraid you are confused now.
2. Your guitar has to be in tune for it to sound right and most guitars should be tuned each time you play, you probably won’t sound great at the beginning but if your guitar is out of tune it will sound awful. So let’s discuss how to tune your guitar. A simple way is to purchase a small pitch pipe for guitars they’re cheap and reliable. This has six pipes that play the correct note when you blow on them. You’ll notice that the pipes are different lengths that correspond to the notes of the strings. The longest pipe is E for the top string and the shortest pipe is E for the bottom string. Each pipe corresponds to the strings on the guitar.
3. You can also tune your guitar to an instrument like a piano. You tune the top ‘E’ string (the thickest) to the ‘E’ note and then you can tune the rest of the strings from any of the others by holding the string that’s in tune on the correct fret and matching the notes you hear. A fret is the space between those little metal bars on the neck. Here’s how: hold the fifth fret on the ‘E’ string (the top thick string) and pluck it. Then play the 5th string and tune it until they match. Continue like this until you reach the ‘G’ string (4th). The ‘D’ string (the 5th one) is matched to the 4th fret of the ‘G’ string. Finally tune the bottom ‘E’ string to the 5th fret of the ‘B’ string (5th string). Sounds complex but it is really simple. If possible get a friend to show you and you will have no trouble after that. Or you can get an ebook online. The first one I would get is jamorama acoustic guitar available on the web.

Tips & Warnings

• Get a guitar pitch pipe, it's cheap and easy and you'll alway be tuning to the right notes.
• Take your time and match the strings exactly
• You can tune your guitar to anything you like but you'll be out of tune with other instruments.
• Sometimes the strings you tuned get out of tune a little as you tune it. Always go back and check your tuning until all the strings sound right.