How To Tune Guitar: How Do You Tune A Guitar? 4 Different Ways (Plus Drop D Tuning)

Is your guitar out of tune? There are many waysHarmonics are played by fretting lightly (barely
to fix that. Here are four methods to tune yourtouching) the space on the string immediately
guitar.above the fret (the metal bar). It should be a
bright ringing sound. To tune with this method,
Use An Electronic Tuneryou're using harmonics on the seventh and fifth
frets.
This is the easiest way to tune a guitar.
Electronic tuners come in various styles andThe fifth harmonic (the harmonic on the fifth
qualities. Some use a microphone to hear thefret) on the low E string is a higher E, and the
pitches, and some you can plug directly into (ifseventh harmonic on the A string is the same E.
you have an electric guitar). They show the noteSo the fifth harmonic on E and the seventh on A
with either a needle indicating how close to theshould be exactly the same. You can tune the
pitch you are, or a simple digital readout. It can bestrings to match.
with a digital meter, or it can be a set of lights
with different colors to indicate when you're tunede--------
to the proper note. The best tuners can tune anyB--------
string to any note. Be cautious about buying aG--------
cheap tuner, as it may not pick up the sound ofD--------
your guitar accurately.A----
E----
Use Another Instrument
Same with most of the rest of the strings: the
This method means you're tuning by ear tofifth on A matches the seventh on D, the fifth on
another instrument that can play the notes forD matches the seventh on G, and the fifth on B
you. This can be another guitar, a piano, amatches the seventh on the high E. The
handheld pitch pipe, or even your computer. Toexception is again the G and B strings. The fifth
tune with this method, you have to play theharmonic on G is G, but the fifth on B is an F#.
proper note for each string, then tune the stringThere are different ways to handle this - you can
until it matches the pitch played.tune the fifth harmonic on the low E string to the
open B string (they're the same pitch). You can
Tune The Guitar To Itselfalso just tune the B with the "normal" method, by
playing the fourth fret normally on G to get your
To use this method, it's assumed you're doingB note.
standard tuning, and you're trying to tune your
strings to EADGBE (from low to high). If you useAdditional Info
this method, it's a good idea to have at least one
of the strings in proper tune, although it's notThose are the four methods to tune your guitar.
necessary. If you don't have another instrumentHere's some extra info you might find useful:
or an electronic tuner, you can tune your guitar
by playing the right note for the next string.Make sure to tune UP into your pitches. Drop the
note low, then tune up into it. The reason you
This means that if you want to tune your Awant to do this is because it keeps the tension on
string, you play the fifth fret on the low E string.the string when you tune up, so the string won't
go out of tune as easily. If you tune down to the
e--------note, playing the string will often pull the string
B--------farther out, tuning it down more. Tuning up
G--------makes sure your tension is tight enough that this
D--------won't happen.
A---0----Drop D Tuning. To get your guitar into drop D
E---5----tuning, you simply need to tune your low E string
to an open D. This is dropping it a full step. To
The fifth fret is an A note, and it should betune it relative to the A string, you should match
exactly the same pitch as your open A string.the seventh fret with the open A string, instead
You do this for every other string. The fifth fretof the fifth fret. You can also play the twelfth
of the A string is a D, the fifth fret of the Dfret and match it with the open D string, since
string is a G, the fourth fret of the G string is athey should be the same note.
B, and the fifth fret of the B string is an E. So
when you play the fifth fret of every string
(except for G), it should sound exactly the sameConclusion
as playing the next string open (without fretting
it).Keeping your guitar in pitch is a good idea to do
every time you play. Make sure you keep good
Tune The Guitar To Itself (using harmonics)fresh strings on for the best results. If your guitar
goes out of tune after playing it once, even after
You can also tune the guitar to itself in a similartuning it - it's probably time for new strings. If it
way to the above method by using harmonicshappens even with new strings - it might be time
instead of fretting the guitar. The big advantagefor a new guitar. At any rate, playing guitar while
to this is that you can actually tune the guitarit's in tune is polite for you, your guitar, and
while two strings are ringing from harmonics, andanyone listening. Now that you know how to do it
still hear the pitches. If you do the "normal"properly, you don't ever have to play an out of
method above, you can only play both stringstune guitar again!Alan Marquez is a guitarist with
once, then you have to tune, stop, play themover 10 years of experience. He plays on a
again, and so forth. This method lets you tune atweekly basis and has taught guitar for over five
the same time you hear the strings ringing.years.