How to Tune Your Guitar

A guitar that isn't in tune will sound wrong no matter how well you play. Tuning is the first thing to do every time you pick up the instrument.

Standard tuning

The six strings, from the thickest (lowest) to the thinnest (highest), are tuned to: E, A, D, G, B, E. A common way to remember it is a phrase like "Every Angry Dog Growls, Barks, Eats."

Using a tuner

The easiest method is a clip-on tuner or a tuner app. Play each string one at a time; the tuner shows the note and whether it's too low (flat) or too high (sharp). Turn the tuning peg slowly until it reads the correct note. Always tune up to the note for stability.

Tuning by ear (the 5th-fret method)

You can also tune the guitar to itself: press the 5th fret of one string and it should match the open string below it (the exception is the G string, where you use the 4th fret to match the B string). This is a great ear-training exercise.

Keep it in tune

New strings and temperature changes cause a guitar to drift, so check your tuning often — especially before you start a song.

Next steps

Once you're in tune, learn the 8 essential chords.

— Written by the ReanChord team.