Acoustic Guitar Tuning Help

By: Eryn Langers


If you play an acoustic guitar, you should tune it every time
you play whether you're playing for a show or simply practicing.
Besides, how would you like playing a guitar that's out of tune?
If you're a novice guitar player, you need to know the
importance of acoustic guitar tuning earlier on. Many novice
guitar players end up frustrated with themselves when they play
because they neglected to learn how to tune an acoustic guitar
and the importance of doing so every time they use their guitar.

Learning how to tune an acoustic guitar by ear takes time and
lots of practice. If you're a beginner, you can learn acoustic
guitar tuning by using an electronic tuner. An electronic tuner
costs only $20 so it's a pretty good investment. Make sure that
you buy an electronic tuner designed specifically for guitars
because such a tuner can tell what string you're playing.

When you're ready to begin acoustic guitar tuning, place the
electronic tuner on a table or stool next to you. Switch the
tuner on and then pluck the first string on your guitar. The
electronic tuner has a microphone that will help it sense which
string you're tuning. There is an indicator on the electronic
tuner that will let you know if you are close to the right pitch
for that string. The indicator will also let you know if you are
tuning sharp or flat. With your electronic tuner's help, you can
keep adjusting the string on your guitar until the indicator
tells you that the string is in tune.

You can learn acoustic guitar tuning without using an electronic
tuner. However, you'll still need something to help you tune the
strings at the right pitch. You can use another acoustic guitar
or a piano. You can also use a tuning fork or even an MP3.

To tune your acoustic guitar, begin by tuning the low E (the 6th
string) to the reference pitch. When you've got the 6th string
tuned, tune the other five strings to that note by following
these steps:

1. Play the 6th string (the one that's already in tune) on the
5th fret. Tune the open 5th string to that note.

2. Play the 5th string on the 5th fret. Tune the open 4th string
to that note.

3. Play the 4th string on the 5th fret. Tune the open 3rd string
to that note.

4. Play the 3rd string on the 4th fret. Tune the open 2nd string
to that note.

5. Play the 2nd string on the 5th fret. Tune the open 1st string
to that note.

That's it -- you've got your acoustic guitar tuned!

If you want to be able to accurately tune your acoustic guitar,
you'll need to use an electronic tuner. However, you can try
tuning your guitar the old fashioned way first and then check
your work against an acoustic guitar to see how close you got to
the right pitch for each string. If you tune your acoustic
guitar this way, you'll be able to develop the ear for acoustic
guitar tuning.