Tuner
Pick your tuning, turn on the microphone and play a string: the needle tells you if it’s too low or too high. You can also listen to each reference note.
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Play an open string
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Tuning well
- Pick the open string firmly, then let it ring: the needle settles after about a second.
- Always tune up to the note: if the string is too high, go a little below, then come back up. It will hold its tuning better.
- Turn the tuning peg in small steps and let the needle settle between moves.
- Within 5 cents is in tune to the ear. Then check with a chord: if it sounds off, go around once more.
The tunings
- Standard E A D G B E
- E A D G B E: the tuning for almost the whole repertoire, and for this entire site.
- Drop D D A D G B E
- The low E string drops a whole step to D: one-finger power chords, rock and metal riffs, folk in D.
- E♭ (half step down) E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭
- Every string a half step lower: a rounder sound and easier bends. Very common in rock and blues (Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan).
- D (whole step down) D G C F A D
- Every string a whole step lower: even deeper and slinkier, for metal or for singing lower.
- Open G D G D G B D
- The open strings play a G chord: the sound of slide and Keith Richards–style rock (often without the 6th string).
- Open D D A D F♯ A D
- The open strings play a D chord: slide, blues and folk.
- DADGAD D A D G A D
- Neither major nor minor: an open, suspended sound, widely used in Celtic music and folk.
- Open E E B E G♯ B E
- The open strings play an E chord: slide and electric blues. It puts a lot of tension on the strings: avoid it on a fragile guitar.
- Drop C C G C F A D
- Everything a whole step down, with the 6th string another whole step lower, to C: the sound of modern metal.
- Open C C G C G C E
- A very low, very open C chord, for fingerpicking and dreamy, ambient music.
Low tunings slacken the strings: if they buzz, heavier strings will hold them better.