How to Tune a Guitar Like a Pro – The Proper Way for Beginners

You want to know how to tune a guitar properly. It might be the first time you want to tune your guitar. Or, you tried it before but something didn’t work out. No worries. You’ve come to the right place. Learn to tune like a pro.

I had tuned my guitar “by ear” for 10+ years. I learned it that way as a child in my guitar classes. Tuners were not available widely. Yet, it was a great “ear training”. Today tuners are cheap and accurate. For the last ten years, I’ve been using tuners myself all the time. It simply makes the tuning process faster.

There are more ways to tune. I will show you how to tune a guitar with or without a tuner. One tuning method is enough to tune your guitar. Yet, you’ll benefit a lot from learning all the tuning methods that I cover here. You will be able to tune your guitar accurately and way faster. Learning more tuning methods is a great ear training as well. It will help you develop your guitar skills and become a better guitarist. 

You’ll tune yourself your guitar every time you play. It’s an everyday practice for guitarists. Learning the right ways of doing it will make it easy.

Here are the steps to learn to tune your guitar:

Let’s get started.

1 – Get a Professional Setup For Your Guitar

The reason – why you can’t tune your guitar correctly – can be, that your guitar needs a setup. A luthier can adjust your guitar intonation and the tension of your strings. It ensures that you can get your guitar in tune when you practice at home. And, a proper setup gives you the best playability of your instrument.

As a beginner, you want to focus on learning the basics. First, go to a luthier and get a setup for your guitar.

2 – Learn The Strings

Notes in Music

There are seven notes used in music. To begin, you need to know the names of these notes:

All the notes have higher variants (called octaves). After 7 notes, as you go higher and higher, they repeat themselves. I believe, a piano is the easiest way to visualize it for your understanding. The white keys of a piano represent the notes used in music.

There are also half notes. You indicate half notes with a # when they are higher. You use a b when they are lower. For example:

Gb – is half a note lower than G

G# – is half a note higher than G

Half notes are the black keys in the piano. There are five half-notes used in music:

C# = Db

D# = Eb

F# = Gb

G# = Ab

A# = Bb

Altogether, you use 7 notes and 5 half notes in music.

Standard Guitar Tuning – memorize the strings

On the guitar, on all strings, you can play all notes and half notes just like on a piano. You tune the strings to a given note. If you push the frets on a string with your finger, you will get higher notes. Every fret lets you go a half note higher.

The 12th fret gives you the octave variant of a string. As an example, if you pluck your thickest string open (no fret is pushed) it is an E. The 12th fret will give you the next higher variant of the E. Between the two E notes, you can play all the notes and half notes:

In standard guitar tuning, you tune the six strings of the guitar to:

E, A, D, G, B, E.

Memorize the strings. You will need to know them during the tuning process. You can easily remember the strings using a funny sentence:

Eddie Ate Dynamite Good Bye Eddie

Elephants Are Darn Good Banana Eaters 

Every Annoyed Dad Goes Bald Early

Note that there are a couple of songs that use alternate tunings. As a beginner, master your tuning skills first and learn songs that use standard guitar tuning. You can always find the tuning info in the guitar tab of the songs.

3 – Learn Handling The Tuning Pegs

You tune the guitar by turning the tuning pegs on the headstock. First, learn the right technique for that. Do the following:

Okay, you get the feeling of how the tuning pegs work. This is how you tune up or tune down a string. In the next steps, learn the methods to arrive at the right note when turning those pegs.

4 – Tune The Guitar With A Tuner

The fastest and most accurate way to tune a guitar is to use a guitar tuner device. Let’s see the kind of guitar tuners you can use.

Clip-on tuners

You use them by clipping them on the headstock of the guitar. They are suitable for electric and acoustic guitars. They work by sensing the vibrations of the guitar. They are very reliable and accurate. Even the cheapest $10 – $15 clip-on tuners from reliable brands work great. It’s a must-have item for every guitarist. It is the best for home use.

Tuner pedals

You connect them to your guitar using your jack cable. They use the signal coming from your guitar pickups. They are very accurate and don’t pick up any outside noises.

You can also use them to mute your guitar while you are tuning. The best option if you are in a band and for on-stage use. 

Smartphone apps

Smartphone guitar tuner apps are microphone-based. They work similarly to the other tuners. But, they are not as fast and not as accurate. They use the microphone of your phone which is not the greatest one for the task. The cheapest $10 – $15 clip-on tuners from reliable brands outperform the tuner apps. Still, you can have an app on your phone. They can help you out when you don’t have a tuner with you. 

Learn to read the guitar tuner display

All guitar tuners help you with a display. They are all very similar. If you pluck a string, they show you the following information:

1. The name of the note you are the closest to

2. An oscillating needle – showing how far you are from the displayed note

If the needle is on the left –  your note is lower than the displayed note.

If the needle is on the right – your note is higher than the displayed note.

If the needle is in the middle (usually with a green light) – it shows you that your string is in tune. 

Tune the guitar with the help of the tuner display

You start tuning the guitar with your thickest string. You want to tune it to E. Do the following steps:

1. Pluck the string – tune until the display shows an E

If your guitar is really out of tune you will see the name of another note. The note can be lower or higher than the desired E. This is the order of the notes:

C → D → Eb → E → E# → F → G

Tune up your guitar if you see C, D, or Eb on your display until you see E.

Tune down your string if you see E#, F or G until you see E.

Pluck your string several times, check the display, and turn your tuning pegs as needed. If you see an E, you are close. Go to the next step.

2. Fine-tune your string to an accurate E

Focus on the needle to fine-tune the string when the tuner shows you the right note (E). 

Important notice. To fine-tune a string, you always need to TUNE UP and arrive at the right note. That’s how you create the right tension and your guitar will stay in tune longer. Do the following process:

1. Tune down the string to be a little bit lower than E – that’s your starting point
2. TUNE UP – pluck the string several times while you are turning the tuning pegs
3. Finish your movement when the needle is in the middle, the display is green
4. If you go too high – tune down – start the process again

Repeat these steps as many times as needed. While tuning, pluck the string a lot. 

After you have tuned your thickest string to E you tune all your strings in the same way. The process is the same. Tune your six strings according to the standard guitar tuning to E, A, D, G, B, E.

5 – Tune The Guitar Without A Tuner

Without a tuner, you have no display to help you out. You use only your ears. Ear training is a fantastic practice. Traditional tuning methods help you to get to know your instrument better. They help you develop your guitar skills and become a better musician.

Traditional tuning methods follow the same principle. Tune one string based on a reference note. Once you have one string in tune you can tune all other strings based on that. 

In these traditional tuning methods, you compare notes using your ear. You need to hear the difference. When the difference is more than half note you can hear it easily. Fine-tuning begins when two notes are within a half-tone or less. If the sound waves of the two musical notes don’t match they generate an interference pattern. In that case, you hear wah-wah sounds that come in and out. You know you tuned your string if you eliminated these wah-wahs.

Tune one string using a reference note

First, you will need an E reference note to tune your thickest string. It can be anything from a source that’s available for you:

• Another instrument (piano, organ, etc…)
• Pitch pipe
• Tuning fork
• A song – like Nothing Else Matters or Enter Sandman from Metallica that starts with an E
• A tuner video on Youtube

You use your ears to tune the string to match the reference note. Listen to the reference note then pluck your string and look for the difference. Listen if your string is lower or higher than the reference note. To do that, here is a good method that works for me. I try to sing very silently (or inside my head) the notes that I hear. That way it’s easier to hear if I need to tune up or down.

When you are close to the reference note finish the tuning with these steps.

1. Tune down the string to be a little bit lower than the E reference note – that’s your starting point
2. TUNE UP – pluck the string several times while you are turning the tuning pegs
3. Finish your movement when you reach the reference note
4. Compare your string again with the reference note
5. If you go too high – tune down – start the process again

You are done when your thickest string matches the E reference note. Congratulations, you have one string in tune.

Tune all other strings using traditional tuning methods

You tune all other strings based on one string. Once, you have that one string in tune. You can use three different tuning methods for the task. Note, that you can also use these methods if you have no access to a reference note. Your strings will still be in tune relative to each other.

One method is enough to tune your guitar. Yet, I recommend learning all. I always combine these methods to tune my guitar. There are advantages to doing so. I can cross-check my tuning using more methods. That way the tuning of my guitar will be more accurate. I can also check the intonation of my guitar so I know if it needs a setup. As a beginner, I recommend to get a professional setup for your guitar.

The 5th fret method

This is the basic tuning method that everyone knows. Here are the tuning steps of the 5th fret method (once your 6th string is in tune).

Step 1 – Tune the 5th string – using the 6th string

Place your finger on the 5th fret of the 6th string. This is an A, which is the reference note for your 5th string. Pluck the fretted 6th string. Then pluck the open 5th string and tune it. The two notes on the two strings should be the same. 

Step 2 – Tune the 4th string – using the 5th string

Place your finger on the 5th fret of the 5th string. This is a D. Tune your 4th string based on that.

Step 3 – Tune the 3rd string – using the 4th string

Place your finger on the 5th fret of the 4th string. This is a G. Tune your 3rd string based on that.

Step 4 – Tune the 2nd string – using the 3rd string

Here is a little surprise. Now, you need to push the 4th fret of the 3rd string to play a B note. Tune your 2nd string based on that.

Step 5 – Tune the 1st string – using the 2nd string

Place your finger on the 5th fret of the 2nd string. This is an E. Tune your 1st string based on that.

The method using harmonics

This method is similar to the 5th fret method but you use harmonics on the strings. Harmonics are bell-like tones that you can play at the 5th, 7th, 9th, and 12th frets on each string. You touch the string slightly above the fret with your fretting hand. You don’t push the string to make contact with the fretboard. You pluck the string and you will hear the bell-like tones.

You can also raise off your fretting finger from the string right after you have plucked. The bell-like tone will still be ringing. You can turn the tuning peg while it is ringing. That way you will hear how the note changes. 

The tuning steps are the same as with the 5th fret method. But you fret and play harmonics on the strings.

Step 1 – Tune the 5th string – using the 6th string

Touch above the 5th fret of the 6th string to play the harmonic note. Then play the 7th fret harmonic note on the 5th string. Turn the tuning peg of the 5th string while it’s ringing.

Step 2 – Tune the 4th string – using the 5th string

Touch the 5th string at the 5th fret to play the harmonic tone. Play the 7th fret harmonic note on the 4th string. Tune the 4th string while the harmonic tone is ringing

Step 3 – Tune the 3rd string – using the 4th string

Play the 5th fret harmonic of the 4th string. Play the 7th fret harmonic on the 3rd string. Tune the 3rd string as needed.

Step 4 – Tune the 2nd string – using the 3rd string

Here the fretting is a little different. First, play the harmonic at the 9th fret of the 3rd string. After that play the 5th fret harmonic on the 2nd string. They should be the same. Tune the 2nd string.

Step 5 – Tune the 1st string – using the 2nd string

Play the 5th fret harmonic of the 2nd string. Play the 7th fret harmonic on the 1st string. Tune the 1st string as needed.

The tempered tuning method

This method uses a different approach as you don’t tune the guitar string by string. You use the high E string as a reference note all the time. You tune all your strings based on the high E string. 

After you have tuned your 1st string to a reference E note, here is how you do the tempered tuning.

Step 1 – Tune the 2nd string – using the 1th string

Pluck the 1st string open. This is your E reference note. Then, fret the 2nd string at the 5th, and pluck it. You tune the 2nd string now but must keep your fretting hand finger on the fretboard. You use your PICKING HAND to turn the tuning pegs. It feels awkward at first. With some practice, you can get used to this technique.

Step 2 – Tune the 3rd string – using the 1th string

You pluck your high E string here as well as your reference note. Then, fret the 3rd string at the 9th. Pluck and tune your 3rd string with your picking hand while you keep your fretting hand on the fretboard.

Step 3 – Tune the 4th string – using the 1th string

Your reference note is still the high E. Fret the 4th string at the 14th fret. Pluck and tune it with your picking hand.

Step 4 – Tune the 5th string – using the 1th string

Your reference note is still the high E. Fret the 5th string at the 7th fret. Pluck and tune it with your picking hand. This note is an octave lower than the high E string. It might be difficult for a beginner to tune based on an octave-higher note. Here is a pro tip. Play the 5th string 7th fret as a harmonic and this will give you the same high E.

Step 5 – Tune the 6th string – using the 1th string

You tune the low E string without fretting. You need to tune it based on the high E which is two octaves higher. If it is difficult, you can play the 12th fret harmonic of your 6th string. It’s an octave higher E note. You tune the 6th string.

6 – Check The Guitar If It’s Tuned Properly

You tune your guitar string-by-string but you want to check it all together in the end. The best way to do it is to play some basic chords on all your six strings. Go back and fine-tune your strings if it’s necessary.

Keep your guitar in tune longer

How often do you need to tune your guitar? Well, every time you play it. You even fine-tune it during your practicing and playing sessions if needed. Any time you hear that something sounds not right, check your tuning. You can see that even pro guitarists tune their instruments on stage between the songs. 

Certain practices will help you to keep your guitar in tune longer:

1. Buy and use a quality guitar
2. Get a professional setup for your guitar
3. Change strings regularly – use quality strings
4. When tuning – always TUNE UP to reach the right notes
5. Protect your instrument from climate changes (humidity, hot and cold weather)

What to do next?

Practice every day. Start learning songs on your guitar. Learn how to read guitar tabs. Need some inspiration? Check out the best female guitarists or the most influential rock albums.