Easy Guitar Lesson for Tuning

Once you are familiar with your guitar's anatomy, learning how to tune your guitar is one of the first skills you will have to learn. Some of the methods for tuning are: pitch pipe, relative tuning, electronic tuner, and piano.

Electronic Tuner
Until your ear is well trained, the electronic tuner is the easiest and quickest way of tuning your guitar to correct pitch. With an electronic tuner you can get a very accurate tuning because it measures the sound wave frequency of your strings. Each tuner comes with instructions that are specific to that make and model.

The general procedure is to begin with your 6th string (low E, the fattest string). Pluck the 6th string and adjust it's corresponding key until your tuner's LED shows that you are in the range of low E. Continue with finer adjustments until your LED turns green or the needle points to zero.  Next, pluck and adjust the 5th string, A, until it is perfectly in tune. Continue plucking and adjusting the D, G, B, and finally the 1st string, high E. It's that simple.

Tuning the Guitar to Itself – Relative Tuning
Once you have developed your ear to a certain degree, this method is great to have as a back up to your electronic tuner. Tuners can malfunction and batteries don't last. In a pinch, you can still be up and playing without a glitch.

This method works best if your 6th string (low E) is in tune. You can tune your 6th string to another guitar or by ear. If not, your guitar will still at least be tuned to itself. This is also known as the fifth fret method because you will be playing the fifth frets of each string except for the 3rd string(G) where you will play the fourth fret.

1. Play the fifth fret of the 6th string, followed immediately by an open 5th string(A). Adjust the 5th string to match the tone of the 6th. You'll want to be careful not to over tighten any of the strings, especially the higher ones. As a best practice, start low and work your way higher. Pluck the 6th, the 5th, and adjust the 5th until it matches the 6th.
2. Play the fifth fret of the 5th string(A) and the fourth string(D) open. Allow the notes to ring together. If the fourth string is lower(flatter), then tighten it. If it is higher(sharper), then loosen it. If you find it difficult to hear a harmonious tone, start over by flattening(lowering) the fifth string and raise the pitch back up.
3. Play the fifth fret of the 4th string(D) and the third string(G) open. Let the strings ring together. Is the thrid string flat or sharp. Adjust it until it is in harmony with the fourth string, 5th fret.
4. This one is the only exception to the rule. Play the fourth fret(not the fifth fret) of the 3rd string(G) and the second string(B). Let them ring together. Adjust the pitch of the second string for flatness or sharpness.
5. Now we are back to using fifth frets. Play the fifth fret of the 5th string(B) and the 6th string(high E) open. Let them ring together and then adjust the 6th string as needed. You have now tuned the upper 5 strings to the fixed 6th string(low E) which may or may not be in tune.

Pitch Pipe
It may take come getting used to because you will be comparing a wind produced sound that is higher than the string produced sound. Guitar pitch pipes are specially designed to produce the pitces of the 6 open strings. The guitar pitch pipe allows you to be hands free as you pluck and adjust each string. With practice, tuning with the pipe will be as easy as using the piano, but more mobile.

Piano
Tuning to a fixed source such as an electronic tuner, a pitch pipe, or piano is a must when you are playing along with other musicians and singers. Since pianos and electronic keyboards are so reliable at holding their pitch, they make a great tools for tuning your guitar. All you need to do is match the sounds of the open strings with the corresponding notes on the keyboard. Use the diagram below to locate these notes.