Tuning the Guitar to Itself

Lesson 2/53 | Study Time: 5 Min

Course: Introducing Guitar 1

Tuning the Guitar to Itself

To be able to tune the guitar accurately usually requires many months of practice. You will probably need your teacher to help you when you are learning.

If you do not have another instrument to tune to, you can tune the guitar itself by using the following method.

Place one finger on the 6th string (thickest string) at the 5th fret, and pick the string.
Play the open A (5th string). If this note sounds the same as the note played on 6th string at the 5th fret, the A note is in tune.
If the open A string sounds higher, it means that it is a sharp. Turn the tuning key slowly in a clockwise direction. This will lower the pitch of the string. Play the two strings again and compare the notes. Keep doing this until the open A string sounds the same as the E string at the 5th fret.
If the open A string sounds lower, it means that it is flat. Turn the tuning key slowly in a counter-clockwise direction. This will raise the pitch of the string. Play the two strings again and compare the notes. Keep doing this until the open A string sounds the same as the E string at the 5th fret.
Tune the open 4th string to the note on the 5th fret of the 5th string, using the method outlined in this section.
Tune all the other strings in the same way, except for the open B string, which is tuned to the note produced on the 4th fret of the 3rd string. (See diagram).
To check the tuning, strum a G chord. (See Lesson 6).

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Gary Turner and Andrew Scott

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Class Sessions

1- The Note B 2- The G<sup>7</sup> Chord 3- The C Chord 4- The Three Four Time Signature 5- The Quarter Rest 6- Open E Note 7- Changing Chords 8- The Note F 9- The Eighth Note 10- Chords 11- The Note D 12- The Note C 13- The Note A 14- Eighth Note Rhythms 15- INTRODUCTION 16- Tuning the Guitar to Itself 17- How to Sit and Hold the Guitar 18- Sharp Signs 19- The Open D Note 20- The Dotted Quarter Note 21- First and Second Endings 22- The Note G 23- The D Chord 24- The Note F Sharp 25- The Lead-In 26- Two-Bar Eighth Note Rhythms 27- Approach to Practice 28- The Tie 29- Other Methods of Tuning the Guitar 30- Alternate Picking 31- Rhythm Pattern 32- Suggested Rhythms 33- Chord Diagrams 34- Right Hand 35- Two Chord Songs 36- The D Seventh Chord 37- Two-Bar Rhythms 38- Tuning to Another Musical Instrument 39- Tuning 40- The G Major Scale 41- Right Arm Position 42- Eighth Note Rhythms in <span class="symbolA">^</span> Time 43- Duets 44- Tuning Fork and Pitch Pipes 45- Parts of the Guitar 46- Left Hand 47- Strumming Chords 48- Left Hand Thumb 49- Guitar Fingering Diagram 50- The Open G String 51- How to Read Music 52- Music Notes 53- The Note G

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Tuning the Guitar to Itself