If your guitar is out of tune, then no amount of practice will help you sound good! That’s why learning how to tune a guitar is the first skill you must master if you want to play the guitar. Moreover, you should tune the guitar before every practice session, guitar lesson, and performance.
Before we dive in, let’s quickly review the names of the strings.
Guitar String Names
Before we dive in, let’s review the guitar string names. The guitar has six strings. From the lowest note (closest to the ceiling) to the highest note (furthest from the ceiling) the names of the guitar strings are E-A-D-G-B-E.
Acronyms are the Fastest Way to Learn How to Tune a Guitar
An acronym is a mnemonic device designed to help you recall information more easily. Acronyms are a specific type of abbreviation formed from the first letters of a phrase. While there are a few different acronyms for learning the guitar string names, my students always get a kick out of Eddie-Ate-Dynamite-Good-Bye-Eddie.
Which Direction to Turn Guitar Tuning Pegs?
If you have a Fender Stratocaster like me, then all the tuning pegs are on the left. In that case, turn the peg towards you to tune the string down (aka lower the pitch.) Turn the peg away from you to tune the string up (aka raise the pitch.)
If you have a guitar with tuning pegs on both sides, then the left side is the same. On the right side, everything is the opposite. That means you turn the pegs on the right side of the guitar away from you to tune the string down (aka lower the pitch) and towards you to tune the string up (aka raise the pitch.)
How to Tune a Guitar: Best Guitar Tuner App
Fortunately, there are a ton of tuner guitar apps designed to help make tuning the guitar easy. While there are hundreds of choices to choose from, my favorite guitar tuner app by a mile is Guitar Tuna. It’s totally intuitive, kid-friendly, and totally free.
Online Guitar Lessons for Kids
Now that you know how to tune a guitar, you’re ready to take your guitar playing to the next level. The best way to do that is to sign up for our FREE online guitar lessons for kids mini-course. By the end of the course, your son or daughter will build a rock-solid foundation for playing the guitar.
