Tuning Your Guitar

Welcome to Guitargate!

Let's begin with tuning your guitar. It is imperative that you keep your guitar in tune for two reasons:

1. So you sound good!

2. Training your ear

There are six strings on the guitar and we count down from the thickest string to the thinnest string. The thickest string is closest to you and has the deepest sound, while the thinnest string is closest to your legs and has the highest sound. Your strings are named after letters in the alphabet, and they are as follows:

6 - E

5 - A

4 - D

3 - G

2 - B

1 - E

The best way to tune your guitar is with a tuner. I highly recommend that you buy a tuner if you do not already have one. Using a tuner is very simple and most tuners work exactly the same way. While your tuner should automatically detect which string you are tuning, remember to make sure that the tuner displays your desired tuning note. If it doesn't, then the string is either too high or too low in pitch.

For example: If you are tuning the 6th string you should see an "E" on the tuner. If you see another note, then you are either too high or too low for the tuner to know you are on the 6th string.

When you adjust the tuning peg, the string tension will increase or decrease, depending on the direction you choose to turn it. While the string is ringing, turn the tuning peg until the display is in the center of the tuner. On most tuners, when you reach the correct pitch, the tuning light will change color.

Always remember to tune "up" to a pitch and not down to a pitch. This helps in keeping your guitar in tune.