Complete guide · All levels

How to tune a guitar: every method explained

Clip-on tuner, app, ear, harmonics — every tuning method explained, plus alternative tunings for rock, blues and open tuning.

⏱ 10 min read🎸 All levels🎵 Standard · Drop D · Open tunings
📑 Contents
  1. Why tune at every session
  2. The notes of standard tuning
  3. The 4 tuning methods
  4. Using a chromatic tuner
  5. Tuning with harmonics
  6. Alternative tunings
  7. Common problems and solutions
  8. Frequently asked questions

Why tune your guitar at every session

A guitar goes out of tune constantly. Temperature, humidity, string tension variations while you play, even just setting it down and picking it back up — everything contributes to strings drifting from their target pitch. An out-of-tune guitar sounds wrong no matter how good your technique is.

Tuning isn't just for beginners. Professionals tune their instrument before every show, often between songs. It's a basic reflex, not a sign of skill level.

A guitar off by 10 cents is nearly imperceptible in isolation. But played with a backing track, another instrument, or recorded, the tuning issue is immediately obvious. Tuning takes 30 seconds — it's always worth it.
  • 🌡️ Temperature and humidity: the wood of the neck and body reacts to climate changes. Moving from cold outdoor air into a warm room can detune a guitar within minutes.
  • 🎸 New strings: freshly installed strings take 2 to 3 sessions to stabilise. You need to stretch them and retune multiple times.
  • 🤘 Energetic playing: bends, vibrato and hard-pulled power chords stretch the strings and cause them to drift. A tuning done at the start of a session doesn't necessarily hold for a full hour.

The notes of standard tuning

Standard tuning (also called "E standard") is the reference tuning for guitar. From the lowest string to the highest:

🎸 STANDARD TUNING — E STANDARD 6th string 5th string 4th string 3rd string 2nd string 1st string E A D G B E 82 Hz 110 Hz 147 Hz 196 Hz 247 Hz 330 Hz low E A D G B high e
String Note Frequency Mnemonic
6e (la plus grave) Mi E 82,4 Hz Éléphants
5th A 110 Hz Ate
4th D 146.8 Hz Dynamite
3rd G 196 Hz Good
2nd B 246.9 Hz Boys
1st (highest) e 329.6 Hz Every
💡 Mnemonic: "Eddie Ate Dynamite Good Bye Eddie" — strings from lowest to highest (E–A–D–G–B–E).

The 4 tuning methods sa guitare

There are several ways to tune a guitar, from simplest to most precise. Here are the 4 main methods, with their advantages and limitations.

🎯 Clip-on tuner Recommended

Detects vibrations directly in the wood — works even in noisy environments. The most reliable and fastest method for beginners. Cost: €8 to €15.

📱 Smartphone app Convenient

GuitarTuna, Fender Tune, insTuner — free, accurate, always in your pocket. Less reliable in noisy environments since they pick up sound through the phone's microphone.

🎵 Natural harmonics Intermediate

A precise method once mastered, ideal for fine-tuning strings relative to each other. Requires experience and a quiet environment. See the dedicated section below.

🎹 External reference Context

Piano, tuning fork, another in-tune instrument. Useful for relative tuning or checking a reference string. Sometimes the only available option.

Using a chromatic tuner : pas à pas

The clip-on chromatic tuner is the most reliable method for a beginner. Here's how to use it correctly.

  1. Clip the tuner onto the headstock The tuner's clip attaches to any part of the headstock. It detects vibrations through direct contact with the wood — no need for the microphone to pick up the sound. Switch the tuner on.
  2. Play an open string and read the display Strum the string gently. The tuner displays the detected note (E, A, D, G, B or e) and shows whether the string is too low (needle left, red colour) or too high (needle right). The goal: needle in the centre and the tuner turns green.
  3. Turn the tuning peg in the right direction If the string is too low: turn the peg to tighten it. If too high: loosen slightly. Every guitar's tuners turn in one direction or another — feel it out the first time, you'll quickly find the right direction for each string.
  4. Always start with the 6th string (low E) Then 5th (A), 4th (D), 3rd (G), 2nd (B), 1st (high e). This order prevents the tension of one string from affecting the others during tuning. Once all strings are tuned, go back to the 6th — the mutual tension adjustments often shift everything slightly.
  5. Do a quick second pass over all strings Especially with new strings or if the guitar was very out of tune. Strings influence each other through the tension exerted on the neck. A second 30-second pass ensures a stable tuning.
📱 Recommended apps:
GuitarTuna Fender Tune insTuner
All three work well for beginners. GuitarTuna is the most popular and most accurate for everyday use.
⚠️ Always tune up, never down: if a string is too high, loosen it below the target note, then tune back up. Tuning "downward" creates slack in the tuning pegs and the string goes out of tune faster.

Tuning with harmonics

Natural harmonics are crystalline tones produced by lightly touching (without pressing) a string exactly above a fret. Their pure sound makes beats (slight pulses caused by tuning discrepancy) very audible — allowing fine tuning with excellent precision.

Reference string Harmonic fret Compare with Fret / note
6th string (E) 5th fret 5th string (A) 7th fret
5th string (A) 5th fret 4th string (D) 7th fret
4th string (D) 5th fret 3rd string (G) 7th fret
3rd string (G) 5th fret 2nd string (B) Fretted fret 5 (no direct harmonic)
5th string (A) 7th fret 1st string (e) 5th fret

The technique: strike the harmonic on the reference string, let it ring, then strike the corresponding harmonic on the string to be tuned. If the two sounds create regular pulses (a fast "wow-wow-wow"), the strings are not in unison. Tune until the pulses completely disappear.

⚠️ Exception — B string (2nd): harmonic tuning between G and B doesn't work directly because of the different interval between these two strings. Use the 2nd string fretted at fret 5 (which gives an E) and compare with the harmonic at the 7th fret of the 5th string. Or simply use a tuner for the B string.

Alternative tunings

Standard tuning covers most styles. But certain genres and techniques use alternative tunings that open up new sonic possibilities. Here are the most common ones.

Drop D Rock · Metal

D – A – D – G – B – E

The 6th string (low E) is dropped a whole tone to D. Lets you play power chords across the 3 low strings with one finger — the foundation of heavy riffs. The easiest alternative tuning to set up.

Open G Blues · Slide

D – G – D – G – B – D

Keith Richards's (Rolling Stones) favourite tuning and that of many bluesmen. Open strings sound a G major chord. Ideal for slide guitar and acoustic blues.

Open D Blues · Folk

D – A – D – F# – A – D

Open strings sound a D major chord. Widely used in Delta blues (Robert Johnson, Elmore James) and folk fingerpicking. Same logic as Open G but in a different key.

DADGAD Folk · Celtic

D – A – D – G – A – D

Modal tuning, neither major nor minor. Widely used in Celtic folk music and fingerpicking. Pierre Bensusan and Jimmy Page (Kashmir) are among its most celebrated users. Creates a characteristic suspended atmosphere.

Drop C Metal · Djent

C – G – C – F – A – D

The entire standard tuning dropped a whole tone, with the 6th string additionally lowered to C. Standard in modern metal (Parkway Drive, Bring Me the Horizon). Heavier strings recommended (11-54 minimum).

🎯 Where to start: master standard tuning for the first few months. Drop D is the logical first excursion if you play rock — simple to set up, powerful for riffs. Open tunings come naturally if you're drawn to blues or fingerpicking.

Common problems and solutions

🔴 The guitar goes out of tune quickly after tuning

Main cause: new strings that haven't been stretched.

Fix: after tuning a new string, gently pull it upward (like a soft bend) along its full length, then retune. Repeat 3 to 4 times. Strings stabilise within 1 to 2 sessions.

🔴 The tuner detects a different note than expected

Cause: the string is far from its target note, often an octave off.

Fix: strum harder and make sure only one string is sounding at a time. If the 6th string shows "F" instead of "E", it's slightly too high: loosen it a little.

🔴 The guitar is in tune but sounds off when playing chords

Cause: intonation problem — the bridge needs adjusting.

Fix: this is a technical adjustment requiring a luthier or bridge setup. A tell-tale sign: chords progressively go out of tune as you move up the neck.

🔴 A tuning peg slips — the string won't hold its pitch

Cause: worn or low-quality tuning pegs that can't hold the tension.

Temporary fix: tune slightly above the target — the peg will drift down slightly on its own. Permanent fix: replace the tuning pegs.

🔴 The tuner detects nothing or shows an incoherent note

Cause: clip poorly positioned or string vibrating too weakly.

Fix: check that the clip is properly on the headstock (not another part). Is the string vibrating freely without being muted? In a very quiet environment, strum with a bit more force.

🎸 Once you're in tune — do you know what you're playing?

Tuning your guitar puts the strings on the right notes. But knowing which notes you're playing at each fret is another matter. The GuitarScaler shows you the notes of each scale in colour directly on your strings — while you play. Once you're in tune, that's the natural next step.

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Frequently asked questions

How often should you tune your guitar? +
Before every playing session, no exceptions. Even if you put your guitar away in tune the night before, overnight temperature and humidity changes will likely have shifted the strings. Tuning takes 30 seconds with a clip-on tuner — it's always the first thing to do before playing.
What tuner should you buy to start? +
A chromatic clip-on tuner under €15 is perfectly sufficient for beginners. Snark, D'Addario (NS Micro) and Korg (AW-OTG) are reliable and accurate brands. If you'd rather not buy one yet, GuitarTuna (free app) is an excellent alternative. The clip-on tuner remains preferable in noisy environments (rehearsal, gig) because it picks up the wood's vibrations rather than the sound in the air.
How do you tune a guitar without a tuner or app? +
Without any external reference, you can at least ensure the guitar is in relative tune (all strings in tune with each other). Method: start with the 6th string in an approximately correct position. Fret the 6th string at fret 5: you get an A. Tune the open 5th string to that reference. Then the 5th string fret 5 gives a D for the 4th. 4th fret 5 = G for the 3rd. 3rd fret 4 (not 5) = B for the 2nd. 2nd fret 5 = E for the 1st. The guitar may be slightly transposed from standard A, but all strings will be in tune with each other.
Why do my strings go out of tune so quickly? +
Several possible causes: new strings (they take 2 to 3 sessions to stabilise — stretch them every time you tune); low-quality tuning pegs that slip under tension; poor string winding around the pegs; temperature or humidity changes. On a guitar with a vibrato system (whammy bar), the whole setup is more sensitive. If the problem persists after ruling these out, a luthier can diagnose it.
What's the difference between a chromatic tuner and a guitar tuner? +
A "guitar" tuner is pre-configured for the 6 notes of standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) and simply tells you whether each string is in tune for that tuning. A "chromatic" tuner recognises every note in the chromatic scale (all 12 semitones) and displays the exact note detected. A chromatic tuner works for every tuning, but it doesn't automatically know which one you're aiming for.
What's the next step after tuning your guitar? +
Once your guitar is in tune, you can start learning the first chords (Em, Am, C, G) or the minor pentatonic scale if you want to improvise. The GuitarScaler is useful at this stage: it shows you the notes of each scale directly on the neck in colour, without having to memorise abstract diagrams. It's the tool that bridges knowing how to tune your guitar and understanding what you're playing on it.
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