Tuning a guitar is a straightforward procedure. If you have a keyboard, pitch pipe, or electronic guitar tuner, it’ll be even easier. The latter can be found for under $30 US Dollars (USD) in almost any music store and is an essential tool for tuning a guitar. Guitar tuners found online work surprisingly well for an even lower cost option.
The strings on a six-string guitar are tuned to the notes E, A, D, G, B, and E when played in standard tuning. In truth, a guitar can be tuned in an infinite number of ways, but for a beginner guitarist, standard tuning will allow them to play the most songs. It will also cause the least amount of frustration for those just learning chords and notes.
If you have an electronic tuner, all you have to do is select a string, look at the tuner’s display, and adjust the tuning pegs to increase or decrease the string’s tension. However, there is another method for tuning a guitar that is both quick and simple.
Pluck the thickest string – the sixth string – with a pitch pipe or tuner until you reach the note of E. Next, gently pluck the fifth fret of the sixth string by pressing down on it. This is the A note. Tune the fifth string to the same pitch as the first.
The procedure is still in progress. You’ll hear a note of D if you press down on the fifth fret of the fifth string. Tune the fourth string to that pitch. Press the fifth fret of the fourth string once more to hear the note G. Tune the third string to this pitch as well.
Instead of pressing the fifth fret on the third string, press the fourth fret. The second string should be tuned to this tone, which is a B. Finally, return your finger to the second string’s fifth fret. This is an E, which is the first string’s tone. Your guitar should be in tune at this point.
This method of tuning a guitar is tried and true. Keep in mind that the strings will stretch and go out of tune as you play. New strings will also need to be retuned several times before they maintain the correct pitch.
You’re not quite a guitar god yet. To learn songs and gain proficiency, as with any endeavor, practice is required. Your instrument, on the other hand, is in tune, and you’re ready to tackle some simple songs.