Mastering Guitar String Notes: A Beginner’s Guide to Tuning and Beyond

Learning to tune your guitar is a foundational skill for any aspiring guitarist. An out-of-tune guitar can be frustrating and hinder your progress, making practice sessions less enjoyable. This guide will walk you through the essentials of guitar tuning, helping you identify Guitar String Notes and keep your instrument sounding its best, whether you’re using a tuner or training your ear. Consistent tuning is key to a rewarding practice and a great sounding guitar.

Understanding the Basics of Guitar Tuning

Guitar tuning is all about adjusting the tension of your strings using the tuning pegs located on the guitar’s headstock. Turning these pegs changes the pitch of each string. Tightening a string increases its pitch, making it sharper, while loosening it lowers the pitch, making it flatter.

How Often Should You Tune Your Guitar?

Ideally, you should tune your guitar every single time you pick it up to play. Guitars are sensitive instruments and can easily fall out of tune due to changes in temperature, humidity, or even just from the vibrations of playing. Even during a practice session, especially if you’re bending strings or playing vigorously, your guitar can drift out of tune. Developing a habit of frequent tuning, even a quick check between songs, will ensure you’re always playing in tune. If chords start to sound off, even when you’re confident in your finger placement, it’s a clear sign your guitar needs tuning.

Close-up of a guitar headstock showing tuning pegs

Tuning Your Guitar: Methods for Every Guitarist

Modern technology has simplified guitar tuning immensely, thanks to electronic tuners. However, learning to tune by ear is a valuable skill that develops your musicality. Let’s explore both methods.

Tuning with a Chromatic or Pitch Tuner

Clip-on tuners have become a game-changer for guitarists. These compact devices attach to your guitar’s headstock and detect string vibrations, providing accurate and instant feedback. They indicate whether a string is flat (too low), sharp (too high), or perfectly in tune. Suitable for both acoustic and electric guitars, clip-on tuners are affordable, precise, and user-friendly, making them excellent tools for beginners and experienced players alike. Many modern guitar amplifiers also come equipped with built-in tuners for added convenience.

Tuning Your Guitar Using a Mobile App

If you’re looking for a free and readily available tuning solution, mobile tuner apps are a fantastic option. Available for smartphones and tablets, these apps utilize your device’s microphone to analyze the pitch of your guitar strings. As you adjust your tuning pegs, the app’s display provides visual feedback, guiding you until the string reaches the correct pitch. This method is convenient and surprisingly accurate, perfect for quick tuning on the go.

Tuning Your Guitar Without a Tuner: Training Your Ear

Tuning by ear involves using a reference pitch to tune one string and then tuning the remaining strings relative to that first string. You can obtain a reference pitch from a piano, a tuning fork, another in-tune guitar, or even online pitch generators.

To tune by ear:

1. Choose a Reference Note: The A string is often used as a starting point, typically tuned to 440Hz.
2. Tune the Reference String: Play the reference note and then play the A string on your guitar. Listen carefully and adjust the A string’s tuning peg until its pitch matches the reference.
3. Tune the Remaining Strings: Use fretted notes on already tuned strings as reference points for the open strings you want to tune. We’ll detail this process in the step-by-step guide below.

Tuning by ear takes practice, but it develops your aural skills and understanding of intervals, which is invaluable for any musician.

Discovering Guitar String Names and Notes: EADGBE

Standard guitar tuning uses six strings, each tuned to a specific note. From the thickest (lowest pitch) to the thinnest (highest pitch), the guitar string notes are:

• 6th String: E (lowest E)
• 5th String: A
• 4th String: D
• 3rd String: G
• 2nd String: B
• 1st String: E (highest E)

To remember these guitar string names, use memory aids like: “Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie” or “Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears”. The 1st string is the thinnest string (high E), and the 6th string is the thickest (low E).

Diagram showing guitar string names and notes EADGBE

Mnemonic phrase to memorize guitar string names: Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie

While standard tuning (EADGBE) is the most common, exploring alternate guitar tunings can open up new sonic possibilities as you advance.

Step-by-Step Guide to Tuning Each Guitar String Note

Let’s walk through tuning each string using the “by ear” method, which is also helpful for understanding how the strings relate to each other, even if you primarily use a tuner.

Tuning Your Low E String (6th String)

If you have a reference pitch (like a 440Hz A), you can start by tuning the A string first and then use the 5th fret of the A string to find your E reference for the low E string. If not, and you are starting from scratch, you can use online pitch generators to get an E note to tune your thickest string to.

Tuning the 6th String (Low E)

1. Play a Reference E: Use a reference pitch (tuning fork, piano, online generator, or the 7th fret of the A string once it’s tuned).
2. Play the Low E String: Pluck the 6th string (thickest string) open.
3. Compare Pitches: Listen carefully to both notes.
4. Adjust Tuning Peg: If your 6th string’s pitch is lower than the reference E, tighten the tuning peg to raise the pitch. If it’s higher, loosen the peg to lower the pitch.
5. Match the Pitch: Continue adjusting and comparing until the 6th string’s pitch matches the reference E.

Tuning the 5th String (A)

1. Fret the 6th String at the 5th Fret: Press down the 6th string at the 5th fret. This note is an A.
2. Play the 5th String Open: Pluck the 5th string (A string) open.
3. Compare Pitches: Listen to the note at the 5th fret of the 6th string and the open 5th string.
4. Adjust Tuning Peg: Tune the 5th string until its pitch matches the note from the 5th fret of the 6th string.

Tuning the 4th String (D)

1. Fret the 5th String at the 5th Fret: Press down the 5th string at the 5th fret. This note is a D.
2. Play the 4th String Open: Pluck the 4th string (D string) open.
3. Compare Pitches: Listen to the fretted note and the open 4th string.
4. Adjust Tuning Peg: Tune the 4th string until its pitch matches.

Tuning the 3rd String (G)

1. Fret the 4th String at the 5th Fret: Press down the 4th string at the 5th fret. This note is a G.
2. Play the 3rd String Open: Pluck the 3rd string (G string) open.
3. Compare Pitches: Listen and compare.
4. Adjust Tuning Peg: Tune the 3rd string until it matches.

Tuning the 2nd String (B) – The Exception

1. Fret the 3rd String at the 4th Fret: Important Note: For the B string, you fret the G string at the 4th fret, not the 5th. This note is a B.
2. Play the 2nd String Open: Pluck the 2nd string (B string) open.
3. Compare Pitches: Listen and compare.
4. Adjust Tuning Peg: Tune the 2nd string to match.

Tuning the 1st String (High E)

1. Fret the 2nd String at the 5th Fret: Press down the 2nd string at the 5th fret. This note is an E.
2. Play the 1st String Open: Pluck the 1st string (high E string) open.
3. Compare Pitches: Listen and compare.
4. Adjust Tuning Peg: Tune the 1st string to match.

Once you become comfortable with tuning guitar string notes, you’ll be ready to explore reading guitar tabs and playing your favorite songs!

School of Rock Summer Camps

Guitar Summer Camps

School of Rock summer music camps offer an immersive experience, teaching students not only how to tune a guitar but also how to play songs and perform as part of a band. From songwriting workshops to mastering stage presence for guitarists, these camps cater to all skill levels.

Explore Summer Camps!

Tips to Keep Your Guitar in Tune Longer

After you’ve tuned your guitar, here are a few practices to help maintain its tuning stability:

1. Regularly Change Strings: Old strings lose their elasticity and are more prone to going out of tune. Replace your strings when they sound dull or won’t stay in tune.
2. Stretch New Strings: New strings need to be stretched. After stringing your guitar, gently stretch each string by pulling it away from the fretboard and retune. Repeat this process a few times until the strings hold their tune better. Be careful not to pull too hard and break them.
3. Proper Guitar Care: Avoid exposing your guitar to extreme temperature or humidity changes, as wood expands and contracts, affecting tuning. Store your guitar in its case or gig bag when not in use, and wipe down the strings with a clean cloth after playing to remove oils and sweat.

Whether you prefer electronic tuners or tuning by ear, consistent practice and these helpful tips will ensure your guitar is always in tune, making your playing experience more enjoyable and productive.

Thinking about a new guitar? Check out our Guitar Buying Guide!