Guitar Tuning: Basic

Description

by Kevin Taylor and Jon Broderick

There are several ways to tune a guitar. The preferred method is to use an electronic tuner. Electronic tuners tell you when each string is
in tune. For those times when you don't have
an electronic tuner, here's a simple way to tune a guitar to
standard pitch. The first step is to get a least one of the strings in tune (most
people start with the low E). For this you can use a pitch pipe, a tuning fork, a
piano, or one of the sound files on guitar tricks. Now, the funny thing about
the guitar is that each string has some notes that are identical to notes
on the other strings. This diagram above will help you see that.

Notice that the A button on the bottom (6th)
string of this diagram is the same note as the A on the next string. To
test this, press down on the 5th fret A on the lowest (6th) string as pictured,
and then strike the next (5th) string open. If the guitar is in tune, both notes
will sound the same. Tuning a guitar is the process of adjusting the strings until
these particular notes sound the same.