How to Tune a Guitar
To tune a guitar, play one string at a time near your microphone and turn the peg until the tuner shows the right note and the needle is centred. Here is the full process.
Standard tuning
From the thickest string: E2 (82.4 Hz), A2 (110 Hz), D3 (146.8 Hz), G3 (196 Hz), B3 (246.9 Hz), E4 (329.6 Hz).
Step by step
- Open the guitar tuner and allow the microphone.
- Pluck the low E and let it ring.
- If the reading is flat (below), tighten the peg; if sharp, loosen below the note and tune up to it.
- Repeat for each string, then check them all again because neck tension changes.
Tips
Tune up to the note to keep the string from slipping, play in a quiet room and replace old strings that will not hold pitch. Use the chromatic tuner for alternate tunings and the pitch detector to check any note.
Related tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.Why does my guitar go out of tune?
New strings stretch, temperature changes and slipping pegs.
Q.What does ±5 cents mean?
Five hundredths of a semitone; it is close enough for most players.