Tuning Acoustic Guitar

Tuning acoustic guitar properly is essential before each practice session and sometimes between compositions. There are a few different approaches to acoustic guitar tuning, including tuning to a keyboard.

Tuning to a Keyboard

Use a well-tuned piano or electronic keyboard as a source for reference tones for tuning your acoustic guitar. Pianos and keyboards give a precise, clear, loud pitch that is easy to tune to. This can be a good choice for beginners who have a keyboard available, or for guitarists who are going to be practicing or performing with a keyboard player.

Tune the guitar to six keys on the keyboard indicated in the diagram below. Note that guitar music actually sounds one octave lower than written. Therefore the highest guitar string, for example, is only the E above middle C, not the E an octave and a third above middle C, as it is written.

String Numbering

The strings of the acoustic guitar are numbered 1 thru 6. String 1(high E) is the thinnest string which is closest to your knee and String 6 (low E) the thickest and closest to the ceiling.

Guitar Tuning Keys

Tune to a Keyboard

Here's another graphic to help you locate the appropriate strings on your guitar to effectively tune to a piano. Match the strings of the guitar in the left column to the piano in the right column.

Tuen Guitar to Piano