Standard tuning is six notes — E A D G B E, lowest to highest. A clip-on tuner and a habit of tuning up to pitch is all it takes.
An out-of-tune guitar makes even correct chords sound wrong, so tuning is the very first skill worth getting right. Standard tuning gives the six strings, from the thickest (lowest) to the thinnest (highest), the notes E, A, D, G, B and E. The simplest, most reliable way to reach them is with a clip-on tuner or a tuning app that listens to each string and tells you whether it is too low (flat) or too high (sharp). You turn each tuning peg until the tuner shows the correct note, in tune. This guide walks through it step by step, including the technique of always tuning up to the note, and how to check your tuning so chords ring true.
Standard tuning is the arrangement almost all beginner songs, chords and lessons assume, so it is the one to learn first. From the thickest string (the one nearest the ceiling when you hold the guitar to play) to the thinnest, the notes are E, A, D, G, B and E. The thickest is the low E (the 6th string) and the thinnest is the high E (the 1st string) — same letter, two octaves apart.
Plenty of people use a mnemonic to remember the order, such as 'Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie', read from the low E up to the high E. You do not strictly need it once tuning becomes a habit, but it helps at the start. The important thing is knowing which string should be which note before you start turning pegs, so you tune each string to the correct target rather than guessing.
The easiest and most accurate method for a beginner is a tuner that listens to the string and tells you the note. A clip-on tuner attaches to the headstock and reads the string's vibration, which works even in a noisy room because it senses vibration rather than sound through a microphone. Free tuning apps do the same job using your phone's microphone and are fine for quiet rooms. Many electric guitars can also plug into a pedal or audio interface tuner.
Whatever you use, the display works the same way: pluck one string at a time and the tuner shows which note it is reading and whether you are flat (too low, often shown left of centre) or sharp (too high, right of centre). Your job is to turn that string's tuning peg until the tuner shows the correct target note sitting dead centre or marked in tune. Tune one string completely before moving to the next.
There is a small technique that makes tuning hold better: always arrive at the correct note from below, tuning up to pitch rather than down to it. If a string is sharp (too high), do not just loosen it to the note — loosen it clearly below the target first, then tighten slowly up to it. Approaching from below takes the slack out of the string and tuning machine so the note is more stable and less likely to drift flat as you play.
Turn the peg slowly and in small amounts, plucking the string repeatedly so the tuner keeps reading. It is easy to overshoot, especially on the thinner strings, so make gentle adjustments. As you tighten toward the note, watch the tuner move toward centre and stop the moment it reads in tune. Then pluck once more to confirm it has settled at the right pitch before moving on.
Tune in a consistent order so you do not lose track — most players go from the low E (6th) up to the high E (1st), or the reverse. Pluck the low E, read the tuner, and bring it up to E. Move to the A string and do the same, then D, G, B and finally the high E. Take your time on the first pass; accuracy now saves frustration later.
Strings interact slightly, so once all six are roughly right, go back through them a second time for fine adjustments. Tightening one string changes the tension on the neck a little, which can nudge the others, especially on a guitar with new strings. A quick second pass usually brings everything into line. New strings in particular will keep stretching and drifting flat for a while, so expect to retune them often until they settle.
Once the tuner says every string is correct, confirm it with a simple chord. Play an open chord you know, such as E major or G, and listen: in-tune strings ring together cleanly and pleasantly, while an out-of-tune string creates a beating, sour quality against the others. If a chord sounds off, single out each string and recheck it on the tuner.
Developing your ear alongside the tuner pays off. Over time you will start to hear when a string has drifted before you even look at the device. For now, the routine is simple: tune every string up to pitch with a tuner, make a second fine-tuning pass, then play a familiar chord to confirm it sounds right. Tuning at the start of every practice session quickly becomes second nature.
Standard tuning, from the thickest string to the thinnest, is E, A, D, G, B, E. The thickest is the low E (6th string) and the thinnest is the high E (1st string). Know which string should be which note before turning any pegs so you tune to the correct target.
Clip a tuner onto the headstock, open a tuning app, or plug an electric guitar into a tuner pedal or interface. A clip-on reads the string's vibration and works even in noisy rooms. The display shows the note it hears and whether the string is flat (too low) or sharp (too high).
Play a single string cleanly and let it ring. The tuner shows which note it is reading and how far off it is. Identify whether you need to raise the pitch (tighten) or lower it (loosen) to reach that string's target note. Tune one string fully before moving on.
Always arrive at the correct pitch from below. If a string is sharp, loosen it clearly below the target first, then tighten slowly up to the note. Approaching from below makes the tuning more stable. Turn the peg in small amounts, plucking repeatedly, and stop the instant the tuner reads in tune.
Tune in order — usually low E up to high E — bringing each string up to its note. Because tuning one string slightly affects the others, make a second fine-tuning pass once all six are roughly right. New strings keep stretching, so expect to retune them often until they settle.
Play a familiar open chord such as E major or G and listen. In-tune strings ring together cleanly; an out-of-tune string sounds sour and beats against the others. If a chord sounds off, isolate each string and recheck it on the tuner.
Standard tuning gives the six strings, from thickest to thinnest, the notes E, A, D, G, B and E. The thickest string is the low E (the 6th) and the thinnest is the high E (the 1st) — the same letter two octaves apart. Almost all beginner songs and chord shapes assume standard tuning, so it is the one to learn first.
Arriving at the target pitch from below takes the slack out of the string and the tuning machine, so the note holds more reliably and is less likely to drift flat as you play. If a string is sharp, loosen it clearly below the note first, then tighten slowly up to it rather than easing down onto it from above.
New strings are the usual cause — they keep stretching and drifting flat for the first hours of playing until they settle, so expect to retune them often at first. Other causes include tuning down onto notes rather than up to them, large temperature changes, or strings that need a gentle stretch. Tuning up to pitch and a second fine-tuning pass both help.
A clip-on tuner or tuning app is the easiest and most accurate way to start, and well worth using every session. Tuning purely by ear is a valuable skill that develops over time, but it relies on already having one reliable reference note and a trained ear. Use a tuner now and let your ear improve alongside it by checking chords as you go.
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