Guitar and technique
Standard tuning
Standard guitar tuning is E A D G B E from the lowest string to the highest: perfect fourths between strings, except a major third between G and B.
What are the notes of standard tuning?
From the 6th string (lowest and thickest) to the 1st string (highest):
| String | Note | Pitch | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6th | E | E2 | 82.41 Hz |
| 5th | A | A2 | 110 Hz |
| 4th | D | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 3rd | G | G3 | 196 Hz |
| 2nd | B | B3 | 246.94 Hz |
| 1st | E | E4 | 329.63 Hz |
These values assume the A440 reference. The two E strings are two octaves apart. In written music, guitar is notated one octave higher than it sounds.
Why is the guitar tuned in fourths and one third?
E to A, A to D, D to G and B to E are each a perfect fourth (5 semitones). G to B is a major third (4 semitones).
Fourths let you play a scale in a four-fret position without moving your hand. The G-B third makes the open E, A, D, G and C chords playable and puts the two E strings exactly two octaves apart. The trade-off: any shape that crosses onto the B string shifts by one fret, which is why octaves and scale patterns change shape at that point on the fretboard.
How to tune a guitar to standard (5th fret method)
Tune the 6th string to a reference first, for example the reference tuner in the guitar toolbox. Then tune each string to the one below it:
- 6th string, 5th fret = A: tune the open 5th string to it.
- 5th string, 5th fret = D: tune the 4th string.
- 4th string, 5th fret = G: tune the 3rd string.
- 3rd string, 4th fret = B: tune the 2nd string (the major third exception).
- 2nd string, 5th fret = E: tune the 1st string.
Final check: strum an E major chord (0 2 2 1 0 0). If it sounds sweet, you are in tune.
Standard tuning vs alternate tunings
Standard tuning is the starting point for almost every method book, tab and chord chart, and other tunings are described relative to it:
- Drop D tuning lowers only the 6th string to D;
- an open tuning like Open G (D G D G B D) rings a chord on the open strings;
- DADGAD gives an open Dsus4;
- half-step down (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb) keeps all the same fingerings.
To see chord shapes in each one, explore the alternate tunings tool.
Common tuning mistakes
- Tuning down to the note: always come up to pitch from below, the string holds better.
- Forgetting new strings stretch: they go flat for the first few days, so retune every session.
- Trusting the 5th fret method alone: small errors add up across strings, so check with a full chord or a tuner.
Key takeaways
- Standard tuning is E A D G B E, 6th string to 1st.
- Fourths everywhere, except a major third between G and B.
- To tune by ear: 5th fret on every string except the 4th fret on the G string.
- Every alternate tuning is described as a change from standard.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good way to remember the guitar string names?
A classic mnemonic is "Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie" for E A D G B E, low to high. Saying each name out loud while you pick the open string is the fastest way to make it stick.
What is A440?
It is the reference pitch for the A above middle C: 440 Hz. Your open 5th string (A2) vibrates at 110 Hz, two octaves lower. Most tuners default to A440.
Why isn't the B string tuned a fourth from G?
If every string were a fourth apart, the 1st string would be F and common open chords would become awkward. The G-B major third keeps those chords playable and makes the two E strings an exact two octaves apart.
Related terms
Practise in the workshop
Take it from theory to the fretboard
Open the workshop tools and see this idea across the whole neck. Free account, no card needed.