The very first thing you should do every time you pick up your instrument is to check your tuning… and if you’re out tune, tune it!
Playing out of tune (especially as a beginner) can be extremely frustrating. You could be doing something perfectly, with correct technique, and it can still sound like a mistake. Knowing how to get in tune and stay in tune is an essential beginner skill.
This guide will walk you through guitar tuning step-by-step (also works for bass or ukulele!) so you can start playing like a pro.
Tuning 101
Don’t worry. Getting in tune is actually very simple, and once you master the basics, it shouldn’t take you more than about 30-60 seconds each time.
So what does “tuning” your instrument even mean? Tuning is the process we go through to adjust the sound of each string to a predetermined pitch. We do this by turning a string’s corresponding tuning peg (also called a tuning key) on the head of the guitar.
Turning the tuning peg away from your body will tighten the string and raise its pitch. Turning it towards your body will loosen the string and lower its pitch.
Pro tip: ALWAYS make sure you’re turning the correct peg for the string you’re trying to change. If you’re turning the wrong peg, you won’t notice the pitch shift, and if you don’t realize your mistake before it’s too late, you could even break a string! Not fun.
So what are the “predetermined pitches” I mentioned earlier? Well, they can technically be whatever you want, but today we’re going to focus on standard tuning for each instrument. We’ll start with standard guitar tuning and move on to bass and ukelele.
Standard Tuning
Standard tuning for guitar starts with the lowest 6th string (the thickest string) and progresses to your highest 1st string (the thinnest string). The notes are E, A, D, G, B, E.
A great phrase to help remember this is “Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie.”
When tuning a standard 4-string bass guitar it’s even easier! The notes of a 4-string bass are the same as the bottom 4 notes of the guitar: E, A, D, G.
When tuning a standard 4-string soprano ukulele, the notes are different, but you will still begin with the lowest string, as we do with guitar and bass guitar tuning. The notes are: G, C, E, A
Even when tuning these instruments to different notes, the process of guitar tuning vs bass tuning vs ukulele tuning remains the same. For example, as we mentioned, it’s common practice to start with your lowest (thickest) string and work up to your highest (thinnest) string.
Tuning Tools
When you’re first learning how to tune your instrument, it’s crucial to have a reliable way of finding the correct pitches for the strings. For this, we need a handy device called a pitch tuner.
Pitch tuners come in many different sizes, shapes, and price ranges, but they all essentially do the same thing: they “listen” to the note you’re playing and tell you the pitch!
You’ll be able to easily see if your guitar is flat (too low), sharp (too high), or in tune (just right!). I’ve included some tuner recommendations for you below.
Guitar Tuning in 3 Steps
The process of guitar tuning can feel overwhelming at first, but with enough practice, you’ll be in tune in no time!
Step 1
Use your guitar pick to play the string you’re trying to tune. Let’s say it’s your 6th string (the low E string). Pick the string steadily every couple of seconds, and don’t stop!
Step 2
Keep your eyes glued to your pitch tuner, and begin to turn the tuning peg.
- Turn the peg away from you if the note is reading too low.
- Turn the peg toward you if the note is reading too high.
Step 3
Keep going (picking and turning) until the note reads perfectly in tune with the note the string is supposed to be (E in this example).
It’s that easy!
A couple of things to remember when tuning:
- Never turn the tuning pegs too quickly or too much! Doing so can easily pop a string.
- Never randomly turn the tuning pegs without looking at your tuner! Doing so can easily pop a string.
- Always make sure you’re turning the correct tuning peg for the string you’re trying to tune. Trace the string all the way up to the headstock if you’re unsure.
These simple principles apply to guitar, bass, and uke, and if you follow them you’ll be in tune and shredding away in no time!
Tuner Recommendations
The very best tuner I’ve found for beginner guitar tuning is a simple mobile app called Guitar Tuna. This app makes it incredibly easy and intuitive to get started tuning your instrument.
Other tuners I’ve found to work very well are the Snark Clip-On Tuner and the more old-school Korg Tuner/Metronome.
For the Snark, you actually clip the tuner onto your headstock, push the button to turn it on, and then tune away. For the Korg and/or Guitar Tuna app, you simply set the tuner on your lap or near enough to your guitar that it can “hear” you and get tuning!
Mastering the skill of guitar tuning is absolutely essential. It affects every aspect of your practice routine! However, hopefully, we’ve shown you that tuning isn’t as hard as you might have first thought! We can also help your tuning during guitar lessons with Bold Music.
Enjoy using these tips, get in tune, and happy practicing!
