Tuning the Guitar


For a beginner, one of the best things that you can do is buy a tuner. A tuner is a very handy
tool that will give you the exact pitches that you need to tune the guitar. Because it is
portable it can fit right in your guitar case.The pitches that you need are the name of the
notes. So find the E, A, D, G, B, and E strings and match the lowest E to the lowest E on your
tuner.

To tune, rotate the tuning pegs on the head of the guitar until the pitches match. If you listen
to the notes and you hear waves, then the notes are out of tune. If you listen and you do not
hear waves then you are in tune.


To begin tuning, find the proper pitch on the tuner. Then play the string that you are tuning.
If the pitch is lower than the tuner rotate the tuning peg away from you, if the pitch is higher
than the tuner rotate the tuning peg towards you.


As you get more comfortable with tuning then you need to tune the guitar with itself. You
then tune the strings with each other.

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Six steps to tune your guitar

1. Find the E on your tuner and tune the low E string.


2. Place your finger on the low E string or 6th string on the 5th fret. The name of the
pitch on the 5th fret of the E string is A. A is also the name of the A string or 5th string
open. Move the open A tuning peg to match the sound of the 5th fret on the E string.


3. When you have the A string in tune then you do the same to the next string. Place
your finger on the 5th fret of the A string.The name of that pitch is D. That is the name
of the open D string. Rotate the tuning peg of the D string to match the pitch of the
5th fret A string.


4. When the D string is in tune, place your finger on the 5th fret of the D string.The name
of that note is G. Rotate the tuning peg of the G string to match the pitch made by the
5th fret of the D string.


5. When the G string is in tune, place your finger on the 4th fret of the G string. The
name of this note is B or the same as the B string or 2nd string open.


6. When the B string is in tune place your finger on the 5th fret of the B string. The name of this
note is E. This is also the name of the 1st string or high E string open. Rotate the tuning peg
of the high E string to match.


7. When all strings are in tune play the high E string and low E string together. There
should be no waves within the notes if the guitar is in tune.
Remember: tuning the guitar is a skill. It takes practice. Rarely is someone able to tune the
guitar on the 1st try. Keep practicing this technique and refer back to your tuner or to
buildingmusicianship.com for proper pitches.


There are other techniques for tuning the guitar but this one is commonly used for beginner
guitarists.