Tuning Your Guitar
An out-of-tune guitar makes chords sound muddy and kills your motivation. Learn standard tuning once and check it every time you pick up the instrument.
Standard Tuning
From lowest (thickest) string to highest (thinnest):
| String | Note |
|---|---|
| 6th (low E) | E |
| 5th | A |
| 4th | D |
| 3rd | G |
| 2nd | B |
| 1st (high e) | e |
Remember: E–A–D–G–B–e. Mnemonic: "Every Amateur Does Get Better Eventually."
How to Tune
Electronic tuner or app — clip-on tuners and phone apps are the fastest way to start. Pluck a string; adjust the tuning peg until the display shows the correct note.
Reference pitch — match one string to a piano, tuning fork, or the examples in Music Buddy, then tune the others relative to it.
Fifth-fret method — once the low E is correct, fret the 5th fret on that string—it should match open A. Repeat up the neck (with one exception: match open B to the 4th fret of the G string).
Tuning Check Exercise
Play each open string in order. Compare to Music Buddy—both should sound the same.
X:1
T:Standard Tuning Check
K:C
M:4/4
L:1/2
E,2 | A,2 | D2 | G2 | B2 | e2 ||
Turn on Tab and play string by string. If any note clashes with the app, adjust that string's tuning peg and try again.
Relative Tuning — Fifth Fret Matches
This melody reinforces how strings relate: each note should match the next open string when fretted at the 5th fret (except G to B, which uses the 4th fret).
X:2
T:Fifth-Fret Reference Pitches
K:C
M:4/4
L:1/4
E, A, D G | B e z2 ||
You won't play this as a piece—it's a reminder that tuned strings align with each other in predictable ways.
New Strings Stretch
Fresh strings drift flat for a few days. Retune often after restringing. Older strings can sound dull but still hold pitch—change them when intonation suffers or they feel rough.
(Justin Sandercoe)—electronic tuners, fifth-fret method, and troubleshooting.
Practice tip: Tune before every practice session and after any long playing stretch. It becomes automatic in a week or two.
Further viewing
- —action, nut slots, neck relief, intonation, pickups, and maintenance causes of tuning problems
Next: read guitar tab so you can follow every exercise in this series.
©Music Buddy