Before you play
Tune first. Every chord depends on it.
An out-of-tune guitar makes a clean chord sound wrong and makes every “why does it buzz?” question harder to answer. Standard tuning is E–A–D–G–B–E, from the thickest string to the thinnest.
Reference tones
Hear each open string
These are synthesized/sampled reference pitches, not a replacement for a tuner. A clip-on tuner is more accurate and works in a noisy room.
Standard tuning, low to high
The six open strings are E2, A2, D3, G3, B3 and E4. The low E is the thickest string and sits closest to your chin when the guitar is on your lap. The high E is the thinnest and sits closest to the floor.
A common memory aid is “Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie” — silly, but it works. What matters is the order: E, A, D, G, B, E.
Clip-on tuner: the two-minute routine
- Clip the tuner onto the headstock and turn it on.
- Pluck one string at a time, starting with the low E.
- Turn the tuning peg until the tuner shows the right note and the needle is centred.
- If you go past the note, loosen below it and tune up again.
- Repeat on A, D, G, B and high E, then check the low E once more.
Tune up to the pitch rather than down to it. Coming up from below takes the slack out of the string and helps it stay in tune. New strings need a few rounds of tuning and stretching before they settle.
Tuning by ear: the 5th-fret method
Once the low E is in tune, use it as the reference. Press the low E at the 5th fret; that note is A, and it should match the open A string. Then use the A string at the 5th fret for D, the D string at the 5th fret for G, the G string at the 4th fret for B — that is the exception — and the B string at the 5th fret for the high E.
This method trains your ear, but it also compounds errors: if the low E is wrong, every string after it is wrong. Check the low E against a tuner or a reference tone first.
After a capo, a string change or a break
Re-check the tuning after clamping a capo, after changing strings, and after the guitar has been in a cold car or a hot room. Wood moves with humidity and temperature; a guitar that was in tune last night may not be in tune this morning. That is normal.
What to do next
Tune, then play the eight open chords slowly. If a chord still sounds wrong after tuning, use the clean-chord checklist. If the open strings are in tune but the chord is not, the problem is the fingering, not the guitar.
Frequently asked questions
What is standard guitar tuning?
From the thickest string to the thinnest: E, A, D, G, B, E. Players say it as “EADGBE” or “E A D G B E, low to high”.
Should I tune up or down?
Tune up to the note. If you overshoot, go below the pitch and come back up; this takes the slack out of the string and helps it hold tune.
Why does my B string go out of tune?
The B string is plain steel and relatively thin, so it is sensitive to pressure and temperature. Stretch new strings and re-check it after a few minutes of playing.
Do I need to retune after using a capo?
Yes. A capo changes the tension and can pull notes slightly sharp. Clamp it just behind the fret, then check the tuning again.
Can I tune by ear without a tuner?
Yes, once one string is in tune. The 5th-fret method compares each string to the next: low E/5th for A, A/5th for D, D/5th for G, G/4th for B, and B/5th for high E. The G string is the exception; a clip-on tuner is faster and more reliable while you are learning.