How to Tune Your Guitar
by: Jeff Vivrette
It’s very important to begin every practice session by tuning your guitar. I strongly encourage you to tune your guitar by ear to help develop your ability to hear the pitches (or notes), even if you are using a tuner. If you have a tuner, use it to verify that you are in tune.
Follow along as I explain how to tune your guitar using the audio below. We will start from the thickest string and work our way down to the thinnest string. (From the Ceiling to the Floor).
Listen to track #1. Here we have the low “E” note played on string #6. String #6 is the thick string that is closest to the ceiling when you are holding your guitar in its playing position.
String #6 ( Low E)
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Listen to the note being played and tune the open low “E” string on your guitar so that the pitch on your guitar matches the low “E” note on track #1.
If the sound of your open “E” string is lower than the note on track #1, turn the tuning machine knob on your guitar to tighten the string and raise the pitch up to the sound on the track.
If the sound of your open “E” string is higher than the note on track #1, turn the tuning machine knob on your guitar to loosen the string and lower the pitch down to the sound on the track. It is sometimes easier to lower the note so it is lower than the note on the track and then raise it up to match the note.
Once you have the open low “E” string on your guitar in tune with the low “E” note on track #1, move on to the next string.
Listen to track #2. Here we have the “A” note played on string #5. Listen to the note being played on track #2 and tune the open “A” string on your guitar so that the pitch on your guitar matches the “A” note on the track.
String #5 (A)
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If the sound of your open “A” string is lower than the note on the track, turn the tuning machine head knob on your guitar to tighten the string and raise the pitch up to the sound on the track.
If the sound of your open “A” string is higher than the note on the CD, turn the tuning machine head knob on your guitar to loosen the string and lower the pitch down to the sound on the track. It is sometimes easier to lower the note so it is lower than the note on the track and then raise it up to match the note.
Once you have the open low “A” string on your guitar in tune with the “A” note on track #2, move on to track #3 and repeat the steps above on string #4 (D string), Track #4 – String #3 (G String), Track #5 – String #2 (B String) and finally Track #6 – String #1 (High E String).
String #4 (D)
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String #3 (G)
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String #2 (B)
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String #1 (High E)
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Congratulation’s, you have just tuned your guitar!
If you would like to learn about guitar lessons at Vivrette Guitar Academy then visit this page.
