To tune a guitar, set the six open strings to E, A, D, G, B and E, from the thickest string to the thinnest. The quickest way is a tuner: pluck one string, watch whether the reading is flat or sharp, and turn the peg until the needle sits in the middle. Without a tuner you can tune by ear: get one string right from a reference note, then match each string to the one below it using the 5th fret (the 4th fret for the G to B pair) or harmonics.
- Standard tuning is E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4, which is 82.41, 110, 146.83, 196, 246.94 and 329.63 Hz with A4 = 440 Hz.
- A tuner (clip-on, app or online guitar tuner) is the fastest and most accurate method for most players.
- By ear: the 5th fret of each string matches the next open string, except the G string, where you use the 4th fret to match the open B.
- Always tune up to the note. If you overshoot, go below the note and come back up, so the string does not slip flat later.
- New strings stretch for a day or two, so expect to retune often at first.
Standard tuning: string notes and frequencies
Strings are numbered from the thinnest (1st) to the thickest (6th), but are usually named from the thickest up. The octave numbers show the pitch each string actually sounds; guitar music is written an octave higher than it sounds.
| String | Note | Frequency (A4 = 440 Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| 6th (thickest) | E2 | 82.41 Hz |
| 5th | A2 | 110.00 Hz |
| 4th | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 3rd | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2nd | B3 | 246.94 Hz |
| 1st (thinnest) | E4 | 329.63 Hz |
A popular way to remember the order is "Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie". The two E strings are two octaves apart, and every pair of neighbouring strings is a perfect fourth apart (five semitones), except G to B, which is a major third (four semitones). That one exception is why the by-ear method below has a different fret for the B string.
Using a tuner
A tuner shows the nearest note and how far off the string is, usually in cents (hundredths of a semitone). Most tuners mark a zone of about ±5 cents around the centre as in tune.
| Type | How it listens | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clip-on tuner | Senses vibration through the headstock | Noisy rooms, rehearsals, gigs | Needs a battery; can misread if clipped loosely |
| App or online tuner | Your phone's or computer's microphone | Home practice, nothing to buy | Background noise and other ringing strings |
Whichever you use, the routine is the same:
- Choose the tuning (standard unless a song asks for something else) and check that the reference pitch is A4 = 440 Hz.
- Pluck one open string firmly, then let it ring. Mute the other strings with your fretting hand so they do not confuse the tuner.
- Read the display once the pitch has settled after the pluck. Flat ("tune up") means tighten the string; sharp ("tune down") means loosen it. Turn the peg a little at a time; if you overshoot, drop below the note and come back up.
- Tune all six strings, then check them all once more, because changing one string's tension slightly affects the others.
Our online guitar tuner works this way in the browser and can also play each string's note so you can tune by ear.
Tuning by ear: the 5th-fret method
This relative method tunes the guitar to itself. It assumes the low E is right (or close enough when you play alone); if you need concert pitch, first tune the low E or the A string to a reference (see below).
- Press the low E string at the 5th fret. That note is A. Play it and then the open A string, and turn the A string's peg until the two notes sound the same.
- Press the A string at the 5th fret (D) and tune the open D string to it.
- Press the D string at the 5th fret (G) and tune the open G string to it.
- Press the G string at the 4th fret (B) and tune the open B string to it. This is the exception, because G to B is four semitones, not five.
- Press the B string at the 5th fret (E) and tune the open high E string to it.
| Fret this note | Note | Tune this open string to it |
|---|---|---|
| 6th string, 5th fret | A | 5th string (A) |
| 5th string, 5th fret | D | 4th string (D) |
| 4th string, 5th fret | G | 3rd string (G) |
| 3rd string, 4th fret | B | 2nd string (B) |
| 2nd string, 5th fret | E | 1st string (E) |
When two notes are close but not equal you hear a slow pulsing or "wah-wah" called beating. The slower the beats, the closer the pitches; when the beating stops, the strings match. Small errors add up from string to string, so finish by checking that the open high E sounds exactly two octaves above the low E.
Tuning with harmonics
Harmonics are the bell-like notes you get by touching a string lightly directly above a fret wire, without pressing it down, and plucking. They keep ringing while you turn the peg, so beating is easy to hear.
- Harmonic at the 5th fret of the low E string = harmonic at the 7th fret of the A string.
- 5th-fret harmonic of the A string = 7th-fret harmonic of the D string.
- 5th-fret harmonic of the D string = 7th-fret harmonic of the G string.
- For the B string, compare the 7th-fret harmonic of the low E string with the open B string.
- For the high E, compare the 5th-fret harmonic of the low E string with the open high E.
One subtlety: harmonics give acoustically pure intervals, about 2 cents away from the equal-tempered intervals the frets are built for. Across several strings that can add up, so check the result with fretted octaves or a tuner.
Tuning to a piano, a tuning fork or another instrument
When you play with others, tune to their reference rather than to yourself. On a piano, the guitar's low E is the E two octaves below the E just above middle C, and the open A string is the A two octaves below the A above middle C (A4, 440 Hz). If you do not have a piano to hand, the online piano plays any note.
A standard tuning fork gives A4 = 440 Hz. That is the note at the 5th fret of the high E string, and also the harmonic at the 5th fret of the A string (four times 110 Hz). Strike the fork, rest its stem on the guitar's body, and tune the A string until its 5th-fret harmonic stops beating against the fork. Then tune the other strings from the A with the 5th-fret method.
Common alternate tunings
| Tuning | Notes (low to high) | Change from standard | Often used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drop D | D A D G B E | 6th string down a whole step | Heavy riffs, one-finger power chords, folk bass notes |
| Half step down (E♭) | E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭ | All strings down a semitone | Rock and blues; easier bends, lower vocal key |
| Full step down (D standard) | D G C F A D | All strings down a whole step | Heavier rock and metal, singers with a lower range |
| Drop C | C G C F A D | D standard with the 6th string down another whole step | Metal and hard rock |
| DADGAD | D A D G A D | 6th, 2nd and 1st strings down a whole step | Celtic and acoustic fingerstyle |
| Open G | D G D G B D | 6th, 5th and 1st strings down a whole step | Slide guitar and rock rhythm parts |
| Open D | D A D F♯ A D | 6th, 2nd and 1st down a whole step, 3rd down a semitone | Slide, folk and blues |
| Open E | E B E G♯ B E | 5th and 4th up a whole step, 3rd up a semitone | Slide guitar (it raises string tension, so take care) |
Tuning down lowers string tension, so strings feel looser and may buzz; many players use heavier strings for tunings a whole step or more below standard. Tuning up (as in open E) adds tension, so go slowly.
How to keep your guitar in tune
- Stretch new strings. New strings keep stretching for a day or two. After fitting them, tune up, pull each string gently away from the fretboard along its length, retune, and repeat a few times.
- Tune up to the note. If you tune down to a note, slack can remain in the tuning machine or the string can stick in the nut, and it creeps flat as you play. Go below and come up.
- Mind temperature and humidity. Moving between a cold car and a warm room changes the string and neck tension. Let the guitar settle for a while before tuning, and tune again after the first few minutes of playing.
- Check the nut. A string that pings or jumps in pitch may be catching in its nut slot; a little graphite from a soft pencil can help.
- Retune after big changes such as a new tuning or a capo. With a floating tremolo, each string you change pulls the bridge, so go round all six strings several times.
Tuning and intonation are not the same
Tuning sets the open strings. Intonation is whether the notes you fret further up the neck are in tune too. If your open strings read perfectly but chords at the 7th or 12th fret sound sour, the problem is usually intonation, not tuning.
To check it, tune an open string, then play the same string fretted at the 12th fret. The fretted note should be exactly one octave above the open string, so a tuner should show the same note in tune. If the fretted note is sharp, the string's speaking length is too short and the bridge saddle needs to move away from the neck; if it is flat, the saddle moves towards the neck. Electric guitars usually have a screw for each saddle; on acoustic guitars it is a job for a repairer. Old strings also intonate poorly, so try a fresh set first.
Once you are in tune, steady timing is the next thing to work on: practise along with the online metronome, starting slowly and speeding up in small steps.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tune a guitar without a tuner?
Use the 5th-fret method: fret the low E at the 5th fret and tune the open A to it, then repeat up the strings, using the 4th fret of the G string for the B string. To be at concert pitch, first tune one string to a piano, a tuning fork or a reference tone.
What order should I tune the strings in?
Any order works with a tuner; going from the 6th string to the 1st and then checking again is a good habit. By ear you must go in order, because each string is tuned from the one before it.
Why does my guitar keep going out of tune?
Usually new strings that are still stretching, tuning down to the note instead of up, strings catching in the nut, or changes in temperature and humidity.
What does A440 mean?
A440 is the standard concert pitch: the A above middle C is tuned to 440 vibrations per second (440 Hz), and every other note is set relative to it. Some orchestras use a slightly higher A, such as 442 Hz, and tuners usually let you change the reference.
Should I tune up or down to a note?
Up. Approach the target pitch from below and stop when you reach it. If you overshoot, loosen the string below the note and bring it up again. This keeps the string tight against the tuning gear so it holds its pitch.