Introduction: Tune Before Every Single Practice Session
Guitars go slightly out of tune daily due to temperature, humidity, and string stretch. Making tuning a pre-practice habit — using a proper tuner, not your ear at first — trains your pitch recognition over time too.
1. The Six Standard Tuning Notes
| String | Note | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 6th (thickest) | E | Lowest pitch |
| 5th | A | |
| 4th | D | |
| 3rd | G | |
| 2nd | B | |
| 1st (thinnest) | E | Highest pitch |
Remember this order with the phrase: Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie.
2. Step-by-Step With a Clip-On Tuner
Clip the tuner to your headstock, pluck one string at a time, and watch the display — it typically shows the note name and whether you're flat (too low) or sharp (too high). Turn the tuning peg slowly; small adjustments go a long way, and it's easy to overshoot.
3. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Tuning in a noisy room without a clip-on tuner (mic-based apps can pick up background sound), turning pegs too fast and snapping strings, and forgetting to re-tune after changing strings (they need a day or two to settle) are the three most common beginner errors.
Conclusion
Tuning becomes second nature within a few weeks of daily practice. Not sure which tuner to buy first? See our Best Guitar Tuners guide.