How to Tune Your Guitar By Ear - a basic survival skill
Do you know how to tune your guitar by ear? Guitar tuning is a skill that guitar players of all levels should have at their disposal. Here's a great lesson to get you started .
Tuning your guitar by ear is one of the most basic but important skills to learn when beginning guitar. Yes, you CAN use an electronic tuner (you'll definitely have to at some point), but if your guitar is WAY out of tune you may even have trouble trying to understand what the tuner is saying.
Not only that, you'll make much faster progress with ALL areas of your guitar playing if you know how to tune your guitar. It's kind of like knowing how to tie your shoes. Once you know, you've got it for life!
For now, follow the step by step instructions in the guitar lesson video below and you'll be on your way!
It's easy...
As you can see, tuning by ear is pretty easy. All it takes is some practice. If you're having difficulty, you could probably benefit greatly from some basic ear training.
In the how to tune your guitar video I mentioned A-440. That simply means that the A string is vibrating 440 times per second to create that particular pitch. (It's the universally accepted Concert Pitch for most instruments).
The other thing that I mentioned in the guitar tuning video was that our guitars will end up in Standard Tuning. This will work with all of the chord diagrams you see as well as with most songs.
Keep It Simple
There are definitely other methods of tuning your guitar that are worthwhile learning about. For now, I highly recommend keeping it simple by training your ear with this basic method. It would also be an excellent idea to work with the first part of the guitar lesson video above. Simply try to match your string to my string :-)
The Names of your Guitar StringsYour strings can be "numbered" 1 through 6. When holding your guitar in playing position the string that's closest to the floor is number 1. The string closest to the ceiling's number 6 . The strings can also be given "letter names". These letters correspond to the same notes on other musical instruments.
Eating Apples Daily Gives Boys Energy
How's that for a cheesy memory aid ;-) I suggest using the memory aid for a few days. Drop it as soon as possible. Memorize the names of your strings!
Here's a recap of the basic how to tune your guitar method from the video lesson above...
You'll need a reference pitch ... what's that, Dave? A keyboard, pitchpipe, tuning fork or other musical instrument. So long as you know it's in tune. If you can, spring for an inexpensive keyboard. Not only are they useful for tuning, but they help with gaining an understanding of how music works. Some of them even have "loops" to jam along with. Fun... :-)
Match your low "E" to the keyboard or other reference pitch. Just make sure it's an "E".
Fret the low "E" string at the 5th fret.
Match your open "A" string to the fretted note above. Be sure to turn the correct tuning peg. The one for your "A" string.
Fret the "A" string at the 5th fret.
Match your open "D" string to the fretted note above. Be sure to turn the correct tuning peg. The one for your "D" string.
Fret the "D" string at the 5th fret.
Match your open "G" string to the fretted note above. Be sure to turn the correct tuning peg. The one for your "G" string.
It changes here. Fret the "G" string at the 4th fret.
Match your open "B" string to the fretted note above. Be sure to turn the correct tuning peg. The one for your "B" string.
Back to the usual. Fret the "B" string at the 5th fret.
Match your open high "E" string to the fretted note above. Be sure to turn the correct tuning peg. The one for your high "E" string.
Important Points to Remember when Tuning your Guitar
Only one or two strings may be out of tune. Don't assume that all your strings are out until you listen.
This may seem overly simplistic, but... Pay Attention. Slow Down. Listen.
Now you know how to tune your guitar by ear. It's fun once you get the twang of it. If you can do it fairly well, go ahead...use that electronic tuner ;-) Just make sure you're in tune whenever you play. As always, it's my sincere wish that this lesson inspires you to keep dusting off your guitar :-)
