How to Tune Your Guitar

Guitar Tuning Lesson Transcript

Introduction to Tuning

We need the guitar to be in tune before we play. To do this, we:

• Tighten the pegs to raise the pitch
• Loosen the pegs to lower the pitch

The six strings on the guitar, going from thick to thin, can be labeled using the phrase:

"Eddie, ate donuts."

Good boy, Eddie!

By taking the first letter from each of those words, we get the names of the pitches:

• E
• A
• D
• G
• B
• E (again)

Why Tuning is Important

I'll play you an example where the guitar is not in tune, and you'll be able to hear just how bad it sounds. This illustrates a good reason why we need to tune up before we play.

Using a Clip-On Tuner

You might have a clip-on tuner at home. Here's how to use it:

1. Turn on the tuner and clip it to the headstock at the end of the guitar.

   • Aim for the middle‚ if you've got a Stratocaster, clip it underneath.

2. Play the big E string.

   • You'll see the letter E come up, but if the needle is low, we need to adjust it.

3. Adjust the E tuning peg:

   • Twist or tighten to the left until the needle is in the middle and the light turns green or blue (or whichever color indicates it's in tune).

4. Locate the correct tuning peg by following the string to find where it ends up:

   • It's a good idea to do this every time to avoid turning the wrong peg and snapping a string by accident.

5. Next string (A):

   • Follow it all the way down to the second peg.
   • If the needle is low, tighten it up until the light turns green.

6. Last string (D):

   • Go all the way to the end.
   • Tighten it up by turning to the left until it's in tune.

If we test all our strings and they're in tune, you can hear just how good that sounds because we're in harmony with each other.

Tuning Without a Guitar Tuner

If you haven't got a guitar tuner yet, there are free apps on your phone that you can download. These work the same way, but rather than clipping them onto the headstock, you'll rest it on your leg, and it will listen to your strings to give you the same reading.

If not, we can tune the guitar to itself. This method isn't the most accurate because we may start off with an out-of-tune string, but it's a nice way to sound good without a tuner at home.

Self-Tuning Process

1. Start with the big thick E string closest to your head.
2. Play the fifth fret (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and pluck that note.
3. Then, pluck the string underneath (the A string).
   • If those two notes sound the same, then we're in tune.
4. Go through all the strings doing this:
   • Fifth fret on the A string matches to the D string.
   • Repeat this for all the strings, with one exception.

Special Case for the G String

On the G string (the fourth one down), follow ‚-Eddie ate donuts.‚-

• Play the fourth fret on the G string to match the open B string:
  • This is a crucial match.

If I give you an example of that, this is what it would sound like in tune.

If I detune the D string, you'll hear how it shouldn't sound and how we can get that D string in tune.

Final Adjustments

• From E to A: check the fifth fret on the E to the open A.
• Then, from A to D: the fifth fret on the A doesn't match up with the D string.

Remember that sound from the fifth fret on the A string, and try to match the D string to it. This way, you get all the strings in tune with themselves.

Practice Makes Perfect

It does take a bit of practice, so don't worry if you can't get it straight away.

But it's a good idea to train your ear and be able to play at home, wherever you are, with or without a tuner.