How to Tune Your Guitar
Before you begin each lesson or a practice session you must tune your guitar. If your guitar is out of tune everything you play will sound incorrect even though you are holding the correct notes.
If you want to play along with a teacher or other musicians, your guitar must be tuned to "concert pitch." This is a standard tuning that all musicians tune to so that they can play "in concert" with each other. It is possible for a guitar to be in tune with itself (e.g., you strum a chord and it sounds in tune) but out of tune with a piano which would be tuned to concert pitch. the following examples are methods you can use to tune to concert pitch i.e., electronic tuner, tuning to another instrument, tuning fork and pitch pipes. Also discussed is a method of tuning all guitarists must know, i.e., tuning the guitar to itself. This tuning method is essential to know because when tuning to concert pitch you may only be given one note (usually the open 5th string A) so you have to know how to tune the other strings to this note.
How to Tune Your Guitar
If you are playing along with another instrument, it is essential that your guitar be in tune with that instrument. Tune the open strings of your guitar to the corresponding notes of the accompanying instrument. E.g., to tune to a piano, tune the open 6th string to the E note on the piano, as shown on the keyboard diagram. Then tune your guitar to itself from this note using the method outlined on the following page, or tune each string of your guitar to those notes of the piano shown on the keyboard diagram.
Tuning Fork
A tuning fork produces a note usually the 5th string A Note) which you tune one string to. Then you tune the other strings to that string.
Pitch Pipes
Pitch pipes produce notes that correspond to each of the six open strings.
Tuning a 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 previously outlined in these instructions
- 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 G chord. (see Lesson 1).
