Tuning

To develop good playing skills it is vital that your guitar is always properly tuned.
The easiest way to tune your guitar is with an electronic tuner. These devices often have an easy-to-read LED indicator that tells you if your string is sharp (too high) or flat (too low). We recommend an electronic guitar tuner as a 'must-have-item' especially if you are a student player.

Once your ear training is in place you may just need a single note to tune by. This could be from a pitch pipe, a piano or even an other in-tune guitar.
This technique is called Relative Tuning.

Where should you start with Relative Tuning?

It's best to start by tuning Low E - the 6th string (the thickest one).
The 6th string has the lowest pitch.
You will need to find a low E note from, for example, a pitch pipe and tune your open sixth string as closely as possible to it. For relative tuning it is not essential that your 6th string is exactly low E as you tune your remaining strings relative to your 6th string.

This is what you do.

1. Hold down the 5th fret of the low E-string (the thickest) and pluck it. Tune the open fifth (A) string until they sound the same.
2. Hold the 5th fret of the A string and pluck it. Tune the open fourth (D) string until they sound the same.
3. Hold the 5th fret of the D string and pluck it. Tune the open third (G) string until they sound the same.
4. Hold down the 4th fret of the third string and pluck it. Tune the open second string (B) until they sound the same.
5. Hold down the fifth fret of the second string and pluck it. Tune your open first (high E)string (the thinnest) until they sound the same.

Guitar Tuning using an electric tuner

Using an electronic tuner is a great way to make sure you are always in tune. These tuners are small, inexpensive, run on batteries, and fit in your guitar case. Every player should have one since they assure you of being tuned to concert pitch. Most electronic tuners have built-in microphones for tuning acoustic instruments and a jack so you can plug in an electric. In noisy situations, these can be lifesavers.

Using an electronic tuner is the quickest and most accurate way to tune your guitar. Electronic tuners are small battery-run devices that indicate whether or not your guitar is in tune.

1) Plug the guitar into the tuner, then pluck a string and watch the indicator.
2) Check the indicator - a flashing light and/or a meter. It will tell you how close you are to the right pitch and whether you are sharp or flat.
3) Adjust your tuning accordingly by turning the string’s tuning key.
4) Repeat this procedure for all six strings of the guitar.

Right, it’s just as easy as that and it won’t get more difficult. Tuning your guitar by using an electric tuner is probably the easiest approach but it doesn’t train your ear!

Learning how to play guitar.
If you live in the USA you might want to learn how to play guitar with guitar lessons for beginners.