Low E Guitar Tuning

Low E Guitar Tuning

When tuning a guitar it is best to start with the low E string (also called the 6th string). If you have a piano or keyboard, play a low E note and match the low E guitar string pitch to it (pic of piano E note below). The string 'pitch' is musician speak for how high/low the string sound is.

To change the pitch of the E string, turn the 1st tuning peg (nearest you) on the guitar. Normally anti-clockwise makes the pitch higher and clockwise make the pitch lower.

Listen carefully to the frequencies and you will be able to hear that as the guitar string pitch gets closer to the pitch of the piano note, the notes will sound like they overlap. Listen to the example below -

Once the pitches are the same, the note frequencies will match exactly and you will not be able to hear any overlap.

Tuning the next string is exactly the same. Use either the piano A note or on the guitar play fret 5 on the low E string and match the 5th string pitch (A String) to it.

More help on tuning