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Beginner • Lesson 3
Tuning Your Guitar
10 min read
Why Tuning Matters
An out-of-tune guitar sounds terrible, no matter how well you play. Tuning should become a habit - check your tuning every time you pick up your guitar!
Standard Tuning
The standard tuning for guitar (from thickest to thinnest string):
E
6th (Low)
A
5th
D
4th
G
3rd
B
2nd
E
1st (High)
Memory trick: "Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie"
Using Our Tuner
We have a built-in tuner! It uses your device's microphone to detect pitch.
How to Use the Tuner:
- Click "Start Listening" to activate your microphone
- Play one string at a time, letting it ring
- Watch the meter - aim for the center (green)
- Turn the tuning peg to adjust:
- Sharp (too high): Turn peg to loosen string
- Flat (too low): Turn peg to tighten string
- Repeat for all 6 strings
Tuning by Ear (5th Fret Method)
Once one string is in tune (usually the low E), you can tune the rest by ear:
- 6th string, 5th fret = Open 5th string (A)
- 5th string, 5th fret = Open 4th string (D)
- 4th string, 5th fret = Open 3rd string (G)
- 3rd string, 4th fret = Open 2nd string (B) ⚠️ Note: 4th fret, not 5th!
- 2nd string, 5th fret = Open 1st string (E)
Tips for Better Tuning
- Tune quietly: Background noise confuses tuners
- Let strings ring: Give the tuner time to detect the pitch
- Tune up, not down: Always tune from below the pitch to above for better stability
- New strings: They need to stretch - retune frequently for the first few days
- Check often: Temperature and playing can cause guitars to go out of tune
Lesson Complete!
You've learned how to tune your guitar! Practice this regularly - it's a skill that improves with experience. Next: Your first chords!