How To Tune a Guitar By Ear

  • February 5, 2008
  • 10,371 Views
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An out-of-tune guitar can grate like nails on a chalkboard or a cat in heat, so know how to keep yours humming.

You Will Need

  • A guitar
  • A tuning fork with a frequency of 440 Hz
How To Tune a Guitar By Ear: Strike your fork

Step 1: Strike your fork

Strike your tuning fork against something hard so that it begins to vibrate, then listen closely to the note that rings out. It’s an A.

How To Tune a Guitar By Ear: Adjust the string

Step 2: Adjust the string

Loosen or tighten your A string (also known as the fifth string) by rotating the pertaining tuning key until the string sounds at the exact same pitch as the fork.

Don’t worry if you don’t have perfect pitch. Just listen closely and be patient. The more your ears familiarize themselves with an exact pitch, the better a musician you will become.

How To Tune a Guitar By Ear: Press the E string

Step 3: Press the E string

Press the lower E string (also known as the sixth string) down on the fifth fret.

How To Tune a Guitar By Ear: Adjust the string

Step 4: Adjust the string

Pluck the fifth and sixth strings, one right after the other, allowing each string to ring out. Listen closely and then loosen or tighten the sixth string until it matches the pitch of the fifth string.

How To Tune a Guitar By Ear: Press A string

Step 5: Press A string

Press the A string down on the fifth fret.

How To Tune a Guitar By Ear: Adjust the string

Step 6: Adjust the string

Pluck the A string and D string (that is, the fourth string), one right after the other. Adjust the fourth string so it rings out at the same pitch as the fifth.

How To Tune a Guitar By Ear: Tune third string

Step 7: Tune third string

Tune the third string (the G string) using the same method as you have for the other strings. Tune the open string so that it matches the lower, adjacent string (the fourth string) when the fourth string is pressed on the fifth fret.

How To Tune a Guitar By Ear: Press the G string

Step 8: Press the G string

Press the G string down on the fourth fret.

How To Tune a Guitar By Ear: Adjust the string

Step 9: Adjust the string

Pluck the G-string and B string (the second string), allowing each string to ring out. Loosen or tighten the second string so that these two strings are exactly the same pitch.

How To Tune a Guitar By Ear: Press the B string

Step 10: Press the B string

Press the second string on the fifth fret.

How To Tune a Guitar By Ear: Adjust the string

Step 11: Adjust the string

Pluck the second string and first string, and adjust the pitch of the first string until it matches that of the second string.

How To Tune a Guitar By Ear: Enjoy

Step 12: Enjoy

Enjoy your now pitch-perfect instrument. As for your voice—well, we leave that up to you…

Studies suggest that all babies are born with perfect pitch.

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Comments (6)

jesse

Can you recommend a good electronic tuner?

over 3 years ago by jesse

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Chris_Davis

I have a BOSS electronic tuner that I got about 10-15 years ago - still works great

over 3 years ago by Chris_Davis

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MessengerBoy

I agree with jdbausch. Why don't you revise this video with audio of the tuning process. I think it would make you Howto much more helpful.

over 4 years ago by MessengerBoy

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dave

Tuning in this way is a great beginning step, however it does have potential for error if you make a mistake on the 4th string or above it will have a knock on effect. If you know the notes on actual frets you can play an A on every string and tune to the A string. I find it actually easier to tune by using an E note.

over 4 years ago by dave

Reply
luckylam

This is a great idea! I found the video very helpful.

over 4 years ago by luckylam

Reply
jdbausch

you should have some actual sounds of the tuning, so the viewer could hear the sounds matching...

over 4 years ago by jdbausch

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