Guitar Tuning Theory and Methods for the Six String Standard Guitar

Guitar Tuning Theory and Methods for the

Six String Standard Guitar

For Electric and Acoustic Guitars

Fifth Fret Tuning and Electronic Tuning

-Alan Arnell

On the typical six string guitar each of the six strings is tuned to and named after a different note (pitch)  The thinnest in diameter or first string is referred to as the highest string because it is the string with the highest pitch. The thickest or sixth string is referred to as the lowest string because it is the lowest sounding strings.  Your first lesson on the guitar is to memorize the names of the open strings.  The strings are sixth to first E, A, D, G, B, e. To help memorize the strings with their corresponding pitch name use: Even All Dogs Growl Bark and eat.

Names of Open Strings (six string guitar)

When looking straight down at your guitar the open strings from the thickest to the thinnest are as follows:

6th String  5th String  4th String  3rd String  2nd String  1st String

E           A            D            G            B           e

The type of tuning that a beginner and most seasoned

guitar players use is standard tuning as shown above.

To change the pitch of each string on your guitar you will turn the machine heads on the headstock.  Twist (turn) the machine heads a little bit at a time while picking the string and listen to the change in pitch.  Tighten the string to raise the pitch. Loosen the string to lower the pitch.  Be careful not to accidentally break a string by tightening it too much or twisting the machine head too fast.  

The easiest way to tune a guitar is to use an electronic tuner.  There are many different types of electronic tuners on the market usually at a modest prices.  You may also download tuner apps on your phone.  Many are free and it you want added features you may buy an app with those features.  Old school tuning you would use an in-tune piano, tuning fork or a pitch pipe for the correct pitches.

 Corresponding keys of a piano for a guitar    

Tuning Fork

 Pitch Pipe

                  

Once you have gotten your guitar in tune pick each the open strings to lean how each string sounds. When I was five years old playing each string in a quarter note from E to e was my first song on the guitar.  I would hit each string sing low to high singing, “My, dog, has, fleas, me, too.” After a while with practice you will be able to make a quick strum and know if the guitar is in tune and ready to play.  Always ensure your guitar is in tune before practicing or playing a song.  You want to learn the correct pitch so you will know if you have made a mistake.  Over time this will be all too easy.  By playing an out of tune guitar you will not teach yourself the correct pitches and not be as good as a guitar player as you wish..  Knowing the proper pitch for each note or tab cannot be emphasized enough!

Maybe the most difficult thing to learn as a guitar player is try to tune a guitar by ear.  I have been playing for over 40 years and I still have problems perceiving if a string is higher pitched or lower pitched to a correct tune, especially if the string is close to the correct pitch.  I use an electronic tuner for precise tuning.  However, electronic tuning  is time consuming and not practical to use each time before you play a guitar piece.  Therefor, I use the Fifth Fret Method.

Before I explain the Fifth Fret Method, I wish to once again  tout the benefits of learning to tune and know correct pitch by ear alone.  If you are a slave to an electronic tuner you will fall victim of self-inflicted ‘tin ears syndrome.”  Learning correct pitch for the average beginner is no doubt an extreme source of frustration, but that frustration must be overcome to the best of your God given talent to be your best at being a musician.  

Fifth Fret Guitar Tuning Method

The 5th Fret Tuning Method is a fast and easy way to check your guitar's tuning.  If you wish, the fifth fret method may be used at any time to tune your guitar. To start you have to get one of your strings in tune (I start with the low E string), since from that string you will tune the rest of your strings. If you don't have access to a, keyboard, or other electronic device, no worries. You can get one string as close as you can by ear and then tune the rest of the guitar to it. The guitar will be in tune with itself and will sound just fine, even if every string is a little sharp or flat.

To review and aid in understanding this way of tuning let me define the term Open Strings - To play an open string means to play a string without fretting the string with you fingers or a capo. So that's why it's called Open.

Using the above illustration as a guide, Fret the 5th fret on the 6th String, If your guitar is in tune or close, then if you pluck the fretted 6th string and the open 5th String, they should sound pretty close. Tune the pegs on your 5th string until they match the 6th String.

1. Fret the 5th fret on the 6th String, pick the fretted 6th string and the open 5th String, to tune tune the machine head until the two strings have the same pitch. Tune the pegs on your 5th string until they match the 6th String.
2. With the 5th String you will tune the 4th String to it. It is the same process as before, fret the 5th fret on the 5th string and play the string and the open 4th String, and then turn the pegs on the 4th String till they match.
3. Same process again, fret the 5th fret on the 4th String, and tune the Open 3rd String to the fretted 4rd String.
4. At this step of the tuning process, Instead of fretting the 5th fret on the 3rd String, you fret the 4th, Use the illustration above for a guide to understanding. Therefore, you will fret the 4th fret on the 3rd String and tune the Open 2nd string to it.
5. For the last string, just fret the 5th fret on the 2nd String as you have done before with the E, D & G strings, . Tune the Open 1st String, to the 5th fretted 2nd String.

Your guitar should now be in tune and done much faster than relying on an electronic tuner. For a simple check to see if you like the tuning choose a well known chord and play it to see if it is sounds good.  You could also play both the 1st and the 6th string at the same time. They should sound similar, but just in a different octave. They both are tuned to E, they just are in different Octaves

Guitar Tab For Fifth Fret Tuning

This tab shows you quickly what frets and string to play to check your tuning.

e:--------------0--0-:

B:-----------0--5----:

G:--------0--4-------:

D:-----0--5----------:

A:--0--5-------------:

E:--5--------------0-:

Video of How To Use Fifth Fret Method

Now you know how to tune your guitar.  One of the reasons John Lennon asked Paul McCartney to be in John’s first band the Quarrymen was because Paul knew how to tune a guitar.  Every journey starts with a single-small step.  Remember, you too can tune a guitar but you can’t tune a fish.

Do you like my posts?  Please share my blog with your friends

to keep me motivated and making posts.

Love and Peace and keep Rocking!

Checkout the Right Column for more Posts & TABS