How to tune a guitar by ear
A standard six-string guitar is tuned:
E2 – A2 – D3 – G3 – B3 – E4
Start with the lowest and thickest E string and work your way across to the highest E string.
Play one reference tone in the TuneStrings tuner above, then pluck the matching guitar string and listen to the difference between the two pitches. Adjust the tuning machine until the notes settle together.
If the pitches are close, you may hear a slow pulsing or “beating” between them. The slower the beat becomes, the closer you are to the correct pitch.
Standard six-string guitar tuning
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 6th string | E2 | 82.41 Hz |
| 5th string | A2 | 110.00 Hz |
| 4th string | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 3rd string | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2nd string | B3 | 246.94 Hz |
| 1st string | E4 | 329.63 Hz |
These frequencies assume the common reference pitch A4 = 440 Hz.
Why standard guitar tuning is E–A–D–G–B–E
Most of the guitar is tuned in fourths: E to A, A to D, D to G and B to E.
The exception is the interval between the G and B strings, which is a major third. That break in the pattern helps make common chord shapes and scale fingerings practical across six strings.
Standard tuning is used for an enormous amount of guitar music, which makes it the natural place to start before exploring alternative tunings.
Tuning by ear is a useful guitar skill
Tuning by ear is more than a way to get the instrument ready to play. It trains you to hear the relationship between pitches.
You do not need perfect pitch. What matters is relative pitch: hearing whether one note is higher or lower than another, and how far apart they are.
The more often you compare your guitar strings with a stable reference tone, the faster you become at recognising small tuning differences.
That same skill is useful when learning songs by ear, checking intervals, matching another musician and noticing when a chord does not quite sit correctly.
Should you tune from low E to high E?
For straightforward tuning with a reference tone, starting with the low E2 and working upward is simple and easy to follow.
There is no requirement to start on E, though. If you already have one accurately tuned string, you can use that as a reference and work outward from there.
After all six strings are tuned, check them again. Changing the tension of one string can slightly affect the others, especially if the guitar was significantly out of tune when you started.
How to hear when the pitch is right
Pluck the string with a normal, moderate attack and let it ring.
If your guitar note and the TuneStrings reference are close together, listen for the beating between them. If the beating becomes faster as you turn the tuning machine, you are moving farther away. If it becomes slower, you are getting closer.
Near the target pitch, make very small adjustments. The last few cents are where listening becomes much more useful than simply turning the peg and hoping.
Alternative guitar tunings
Standard E–A–D–G–B–E is only one way to tune a six-string guitar. Different tunings can change chord shapes, resonance and the range of the instrument.
Drop D
D2 – A2 – D3 – G3 – B3 – E4
Drop D lowers only the 6th string from E2 to D2. It gives you a lower bass note and makes D-based power chords especially easy to play.
DADGAD
D2 – A2 – D3 – G3 – A3 – D4
DADGAD creates a very open, resonant sound and is widely used in folk, acoustic and Celtic-influenced guitar playing.
Open G
D2 – G2 – D3 – G3 – B3 – D4
Open G forms a G major chord when the open strings are played together. It is often used for slide guitar and styles where open-string resonance is important.
These tunings are available directly in the TuneStrings guitar tuner above.
Why fresh strings can make tuning easier
Old strings do not automatically mean a guitar is unusable, but they can become duller, less stable and harder to intonate accurately.
Dirt, sweat and oxidation build up over time. Cleaning the strings can sometimes improve their feel and brightness for a while, but eventually replacement is the better option.
New strings usually need a little time to stretch after installation, so expect to retune more often during the first playing session.
A few practical guitar tuning tips
Use roughly the same picking strength each time you check a string. A very hard attack can make the note start slightly sharp before it settles.
Whenever possible, approach the final pitch from slightly below rather than tuning down from above. This helps keep tension stable around the tuning post and nut.
If one string repeatedly goes out of tune while the others remain stable, check the string, tuning machine and the way the string is wound around the post.
After tuning, play a few familiar open chords. Sometimes a small tuning problem becomes much easier to hear when several strings are sounding together.
Frequently asked questions
What is standard guitar tuning?
Standard six-string guitar tuning is E2–A2–D3–G3–B3–E4, from the lowest string to the highest.
What frequency is the low E string?
With A4 set to 440 Hz, the low E string is E2 = approximately 82.41 Hz.
Why is the B string different from the other intervals?
Most neighbouring guitar strings are tuned a perfect fourth apart. The G-to-B interval is a major third, which helps make common chord shapes practical across the fretboard.
Can I tune a guitar by ear?
Yes. Play a reference tone, compare it with the corresponding guitar string and adjust until the pitches match. With practice, this becomes much faster.
Do I need perfect pitch to tune a guitar by ear?
No. Tuning against a reference tone uses relative pitch, not perfect pitch.
What is Drop D tuning?
Drop D tuning is D2–A2–D3–G3–B3–E4. Only the lowest E string is lowered to D.
Why does my guitar go out of tune after changing strings?
New strings stretch after they are fitted and usually need several retunings before they become stable.