How Do You Tune a Guitar by Ear?

While electronic tuners are easy to use, you may sometimes want to tune without one.

A common approach is to tune each string to the 5^th fret on the adjacent string.

The problem here is compounding of error.

In other words, if you make a mistake on one string, it affects every string after it.

My favorite way to avoid this is to tune one string to an external pitch source and then tune every other string to that string.

This is sometimes called reference-string tuning.

To tune the guitar by ear, try this process:

1. Use an A=440 tuning fork to tune the 5th string, 5th-fret harmonic. You could also tune to a piano or other pitch source. If you have nothing to which to tune the 5^th string, you can simply act as if the 5^th string is in tune. Then use the 5^th string as the reference string to which all others are compared.
2. Use the open 5th string to tune the 6th string, 5th fret.
3. Use the 5th string, 12th-fret harmonic to tune the 4th string, 7th fret.
4. Use the 5th string, 12th-fret harmonic to tune the 3rd string, 2nd fret.
5. Use the 5th string, 5th-fret harmonic to tune the 2nd string, 10th fret.
6. Use the 5th string, 5th-fret harmonic to tune the 1st string, 5th fret.

The important thing is that the 5^th string is the reference to which each other string is compared.

Avoid 7th-fret harmonics when tuning because they are two cents sharper than equivalent fretted notes.

After tuning each string to the reference string, check one or more chords from the piece you are about to play.

Listen carefully to the chords and return to checking strings against the reference string as needed.

Tuning is one of the 8 things I do when I sit down with the guitar.

If you would like a free PDF of the 8 items in my Warmup Routine, you can get it here.