Tuning the Guitar to Itself

Lesson 4/71 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Beginner Rhythm Guitar

Tuning the Guitar to Itself

Unless you are using an electronic tuner, to be able to tune the guitar accurately usually requires many months of practice. You will probably need your music teacher or musician friend to help you tune when you are learning.

If you do not have another instrument to tune to, you can tune the guitar to itself by using the following method.

Place a left hand finger on the 6th string (thickest string) at the fifth fret, and play the string.
Play the open 5th string (an A note). If this note sounds the same as the note you played on the 6th string at the fifth fret, the A note is in tune.
If the open A string sounds higher, it means that it is sharp. Turn the tuning key slowly in a clockwise direction. This will lower the pitch of the string. Play the two strings again and compare the notes. Keep doing this until the open A string sounds the same as the E string at the fifth fret.
If the open A string sounds lower, it means that it is flat. Turn the tuning key slowly in a counter-clockwise direction. This will raise the pitch of the string. Play the two strings again and compare the notes. Keep doing this until the open A string sounds the same as the E string at the fifth fret.
Tune the open 4th string (a D note), to the note on the fifth fret of the 5th string, using the method outlined above.
Tune all the other strings in the same way, except for the open 2nd string (a B note), which is tuned to the note produced on the fourth fret of the 3rd string. (See diagram).
To check the tuning, strum a chord. (see Lesson One ).

Previous Lesson Next Lesson

Gary Turner

Product Designer

5.00

Profile

Class Sessions

1- Eighth Note Triplet Rhythms 2- F Major Chord 3- B Minor Chord 4- Minor Chords 5- Silent Strums and Continuous Rhythm 6- Eighth Note Rhythms 7- Suspended Chords 8- A Major Chord 9- Bass Note Rhythm Patterns 10- Alternative Chord Shapes 11- Rock Chords 12- LESSON ONE 13- Sixteenth Note Rhythms 14- Augmented Chords 15- INTRODUCTION 16- GLOSSARY OF MUSICAL TERMS 17- Chord Chart 18- How to Tune Your Guitar 19- Major Seventh Chords 20- Staccato Strumming 21- Rhythm Rests 22- Minor Seventh Chords 23- Major Sixth Chords 24- Alternate Bass Note Picking 25- Rhythm Rests and Eighth Note Strum Combinations 26- Diminished Chords 27- Silent Strum Rhythm Variations 28- Tuning to Another Instrument 29- More titles by LearnToPlayMusic.com 30- Chord Symbols 31- Arpeggio Playing 32- Turnaround Progressions 33- New Topic 34- <span class="symbolA">^</span> Time Rhythm Patterns 35- Eighth Note Rhythm Patterns 36- Slide Finger 37- The C Major Chord 38- Alternative Chord Fingerings 39- Approach to Practice 40- Tuning the Guitar to Itself 41- Combining Strumming And Arpeggio Patterns 42- The Seventh Chord 43- Bass Note Rhythm Patterns 44- 12 Bar Blues 45- Chord Progressions 46- Electronic Tuner 47- Tuning Hints 48- Rhythm Patterns 49- Notes on the Guitar Fretboard 50- Acoustic Guitars 51- Open Chord Shapes 52- The Chromatic Scale 53- Electric Guitars 54- Electric Guitars (played through an amplifier) 55- Guitar Fretboard 56- Amplifiers 57- How to Read Sheet Music 58- Strings 59- Easy Chord Table 60- Seating 61- How to Transpose 62- The Pick 63- The Capo 64- Right Arm Position 65- 12 Bar Blues 66- The Rudiments of Music 67- Turnarounds 68- Note Values 69- Notes, Rhythms and Rests 70- Chord Diagrams 71- Rhythm Symbols

GDPR

When you visit any of our websites, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and manage your preferences. Please note, that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

Tuning the Guitar to Itself