How to tune a guitar for beginners

The short answer

Use a chromatic tuner (phone, clip-on, or our free mic tuner). Tune each string from low E to high E, always approaching the note from below, then re-check all six — changing one string moves the neck and slightly detunes the others.

Likely causes

  • Tuning down to a pitch, which leaves the string loose on the tuner post.
  • Stopping after one pass instead of re-checking once tension settles.
  • Confusing string numbers — 6th string is the thickest (low E), 1st is the thinnest (high E).

Diagnose it — 60-second checklist

  • Is your tuner set to chromatic mode at A=440 Hz?
  • Are you turning the correct peg for each string?
  • After all six are green, did you re-check from low E again?

Fix it, step by step

  1. 1

    Know the target notes

    Standard tuning low to high: E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4 — remembered as 'Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie.' Open the standard tuning page if you want reference tones.

  2. 2

    Tune up to pitch

    Pluck one string at a time. If you're sharp, detune below the note first, then come up into tune. Approaching from below keeps the string seated and holds longer.

  3. 3

    Work low to high, then repeat

    Finish all six strings, then immediately re-check from the low E. Neck relief changes with total tension — a second pass is part of tuning, not a failure.

  4. 4

    Tune before every session

    Temperature, humidity, and playing all pull strings out. Two minutes of tuning at the start of practice prevents practicing wrong pitches into muscle memory.

Now practice it

Full six-string tune-up

Open the microphone tuner, tune standard from low E to high E, then verify with reference tones.

Open the free tuner →

You've fixed it when…

  • All six strings show in-tune on a chromatic tuner.
  • A second pass confirms they still hold.
  • You can name each open-string note without looking it up.

Related

E major chordA major chordD major chordTunerStandard tuning guide

FAQ

Can I tune by ear without a tuner?

Eventually yes, using relative fifths from a reference pitch — but beginners should use a tuner every session. Accurate pitch trains your ear faster than guessing.

My new strings won't stay in tune. Is something broken?

Usually not. New strings stretch for a day or two. Stretch them gently by hand after installing, retune often, and they settle. Old rusty strings also refuse to hold — replace them.

Should I use Drop D or other tunings as a beginner?

Master standard first. Drop D is a useful next step (only one string changes), but almost all beginner lessons and charts assume standard EADGBE.