How to Tune a Guitar for Beginners

Standard guitar tuning

Standard guitar tuning, from the lowest thick string to the highest thin string, is E A D G B E.

Before you start

• Move to a reasonably quiet room and mute the strings you are not tuning.
• Confirm that the selected preset matches the tuning you want.
• Identify string 6 as the thick low string and string 1 as the thin high string.
• Use small tuning-key movements and stop if a string feels unusually tight.

Step-by-step tuning

1. Open the free guitar tuner.
2. Choose your tuning from the dropdown.
3. Tap Start listening and allow microphone access.
4. Pluck one string clearly.
5. If the note is flat, tighten the string slowly.
6. If the note is sharp, loosen the string slowly.
7. Repeat for each string.

What flat and sharp mean

Flat means the string is too low. Tune up by tightening the string. Sharp means the string is too high. Tune down by loosening the string.

Tune in more than one pass

Changing one string slightly changes the total tension on the guitar, especially on instruments with floating tremolo bridges. Tune all six strings once, then return to the low string and check them again. Pluck with moderate force and judge the pitch after the sharp initial attack settles.

Why your guitar may still sound out of tune

• Old strings can drift or sound dull.
• New strings need to stretch.
• Pressing too hard on the frets can make notes sharp.
• The guitar may need intonation adjustment.

Popular tunings

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