How To Tune A Guitar By Ear? – 5 Methods You Should Try

Have you ever sat down to play your guitar just to have your tuner run out of charge? 

While many guitars have in-built tuners, we humans forget to recharge or replace these batteries in time. Tuning a guitar by ear becomes a great skill to have in times like these.

Jokes aside, tuning a guitar by ear can be a great way to be more connected to the instrument. It may seem difficult at first but you do not need much time to master it. 

Training your ear can be great in the long run too as identifying notes from its pitch is a valuable skill.

Let’s talk about how you can teach yourself how to tune a guitar by ear. In the process, we will also mention a few tips and tricks to remember to simplify the process!

Key Takeaways On Guitar Tuning (By Ear And Alternatives)

How to tune a guitar by ear:

• Tuning to the A string
• Tuning from the 5th fret
• Open string tuning
• Tuning with harmonics
• Octave Tuning

Alternative ways to tune by ear:

• Mnemonic for Standard Tuning: 55545
• Using A Secondary Instrument
• Using a Song of Choice

Why Tune By Ear When You Can Use A Tuner?

Tuning a guitar by ear is more than just a practical skill. 

It’s a fundamental part of becoming an advanced guitarist. Every guitar has its unique voice, and tuning by ear allows you to discover the best sound from your guitar. When a guitar is well-tuned, it resonates freely while producing a fuller sound. This is especially critical when playing complex chords where a slight detuning can greatly change the sound output.

When you tune by ear, you get a better understanding of pitch and tonal accuracy. With this practice, you slowly develop how to notice even subtle discrepancies in pitch. Over time, this leads to better pitch recognition and a more refined musical ear. This skill can be invaluable during live performances or while playing with a band.

You can always say electronic tuners are more convenient. However, it doesn’t sharpen your listening skills. Being able to tune by ear means that you can adjust your instrument anywhere, anytime, without needing a device. 

Guitar Tuning Prerequisite

It is no lie that we do need a reference pitch that can help tune the other strings. Doing this solely by ear is great, but not many can right from the get so. So follow these steps below to start tuning your guitar.

Start With The A String

The A string is centrally located which is why we recommend starting from this string. The A note is a standard reference pitch used by orchestras and other instruments. Use a reference pitch from a tuning fork vibrating at 440 Hz, a digital tuner, or an online pitch tool. This is an important first step as you can work your way to tuning the rest of the strings from this point. 

Strike The Tuning Fork 

If you use a tuning fork, hold it close to the guitar’s body, ideally near the bridge. This way you can hear the pitch clearly as the sound is properly transferred.

Tune According To The Pitch 

Pluck the A string and listen to the reference pitch. If you notice any beating or wobbling sound between the two pitches, the frequencies do not match. Adjust the tuning peg slowly until the beating stops and the string’s pitch matches the reference pitch perfectly.

How To Tune a Guitar By Ear? – 5 Different Methods To Use

Now that you have set your reference let’s get down to tuning the rest of the string by ear

Tuning to the A String

From the single reference note we tuned above, you can tune all other strings based on intervals relative to it. 

• Tuning the Low E (6th): You can find an E note on the A string at the 5th fret. Start tuning the low E string until the pitches match with this reference.
• Tuning the D (4th): The D note is on the A string at the 7th fret so tune your open D string to match this pitch.
• Tuning the G (3rd): Tune the G string fretting the 2nd fret of the A string. 
• Tuning the B (2nd) and High E (1st): For these strings, you can use the 9th fret for B and the 12th fret for the high E on the A string. 

Tuning From the 5th Fret

Here you tune each string relative to another already tuned string. 

• Low E to A: First tune your low E string (6th string)  and use it as a reference pitch. Once the E is tuned, press down on the 5th fret of this string for the A note. 
• A to D: Fret the A string at the 5th fret for a D note and tune your open D string (4th string.) 
• D to G: Fretting the D string at the 5th fret produces a G note. Tune your open G string (3rd string) with this reference string.
• G to B: Shift to the 4th fret of the G string to produce a B note and tune the open B string (2nd string).
• B to High E: Finally, fretting the B string at the 5th fret should give you an E note. Tune your open high E string (1st string) to match it.

Tuning with Harmonics 

Harmonics are natural overtones produced at specific points along the string. You can use this method to precisely tune your string. This method is particularly effective because harmonics are very clear and sustain longer. 

• Tune the through 5th frets: Start by lightly touching the 5th fret of the low E string and plucking it to produce a harmonic. Next, produce a harmonic at the 7th fret of the A string. Adjust the A string until both harmonics sound the same without any beats or wobble.
• Repeat for the other strings: Use this same pattern across the guitar, matching the 5th fret harmonic on one string to the 7th fret harmonic on the next string. 

Open String Tuning 

This method does not entirely tune the strings to dot but is a way to make needs slight adjustments:

• Tune using intervals: Start by tuning the open A string as a reference. Then, tune the open D string by playing both the D and A strings together, listening for a perfect fourth interval. Tune the D string until no beats are heard.
• Fifths and fourths: similarly, tune the other strings aiming for perfect fourths between most strings and a perfect fifth between the B and high E strings.

Octave Tuning

You can use octaves between strings for tuning too. Even if the open string is in tune, the pitch may not match if you fret the strings! Play each open string and the sound of the 12th fret (octave) the same. This is what is called an octave adjustment. 

For a better understanding of how to tune your guitar by ear, check out this video from free guitar lessons!

3 Alternative Ways To Tune With Ear 

Here are a couple of different ways you can ensure your guitar is pitch-perfect. 

1. Mnemonic for Standard Tuning: 55545

If you have difficulty remembering the above methods, you can memorize this simple pattern to help tune a guitar. This pattern represents the frets used for tuning adjacent open strings. This method only applies to standard tuning and requires careful listening and adjustment. 

2. Use A Secondary Instrument

If you’re fortunate enough to have access to another tuned instrument like a keyboard or piano, you can use it to tune your guitar. Using a piano is great as they are generally well-tuned and stable. This method not only tunes your guitar but is a great exercise to train your ears. 

• Identify Root Notes: Locate the piano keys that correspond to the guitar strings you need to tune—E, A, D, G, B, E.
• Play and Compare: play a note on the keyboard and match it to each guitar string. For instance, press the E key on the piano and pluck the low or high E string on your guitar simultaneously.
• Listen for Beating: As you hold both notes, listen for the beating or wobbling sound caused by slightly out-of-tune frequencies and adjust accordingly.

3. Use a Song Of Your Choice

Tuning your guitar to a song you enjoy especially when you’re familiar with the tune and its chords:

• Pick Your Song: Select a song that is made up of easy guitar chords. For example, the opening chords of “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond include A, D, and E. This aligns with the low E, D, and A strings on the guitar.
• Tune to the Chords: Play the song, and as each chord is struck, tune the corresponding guitar string to match. 
• Combine Methods: To refine your tuning, apply the fifth fret tuning method after matching your strings to the song. 

Using A Tuner For The Easy Way Out

A tuner is honestly the easy solution to tuning a guitar, especially for beginners. However, tuning by ear can be a great way to feel more connected to the instrument. Using one is very straightforward and you have many types to choose from:

Types of Tuners

• Clip-On Tuners: Clip-on tuners attach to the headstock of the guitar and pick up vibrations through the wood. They are very portable and easy to use.
• Pedal Tuners: if you use an electric guitar, pedal tuners can be of great use to you. These tuners mute the signal while tuning, making them ideal when you need to silently tune your guitar.
• Smartphone Apps: you can find many tuning apps on your smartphone. These are usually free to use and can be the cheapest way to tune your guitar.
• Chromatic Tuners: These tuners can identify every note in the chromatic scale. They are the most accurate but may come at a slightly higher price.

Useful Reddit Threads Reddit threads 

• How can you learn to tune your guitar by ear? And what are some easy songs to learn by ear?
• [QUESTION] Tuning your guitar by ear – Is it necessary, or “worth it?”
• A couple of tricks I use for tuning by ear. : r/Guitar
• [LPT] Most people who think they can tune by ear… can’t. : r/Guitar
• Learning to tune by ear: r/Guitar
• Tuning by ear: r/guitarlessons

Frequently Asked Questions

Tuner Or Tune By Ear? 

Summing up, there are 4 sure-shot ways to tune your guitar by ear. If you put in enough time to follow the rules, you can get a hang of it in no time. 

There may be a situation where you are following the steps just to find your guitar out of tune in seconds. This may be an indication of a more complex problem with your guitar that requires professional help.
We cannot emphasize enough on learning to tune a guitar by ear as it is a great way to learn the guitar too. Mastering this skill not only improves your skills but also builds your perception of chords, notes, scale, and pitch. So be patient and make a habit of tuning by ear to become a master of it!