To tune a guitar by ear, tune the 6th string to E, then use the 5th fret method: the 5th fret of the 6th string is A, which is the open 5th string, the 5th fret of the 5th string is D, the open 4th string, and so on, matching each string to the next, until all six strings are in tune.
How do you tune a guitar by ear?
To tune a guitar by ear, tune the 6th string to E, then use the 5th fret method: the 5th fret of the 6th string is A, which is the open 5th string, the 5th fret of the 5th string is D, which is the open 4th string, the 5th fret of the 4th string is G, which is the open 3rd string, the 4th fret of the 3rd string is B, which is the open 2nd string, and the 5th fret of the 2nd string is E, which is the open 1st string. The method works because the guitar is tuned in fourths, except for the 3rd to 2nd string, which is a major 3rd, so the 5th fret of one string is the open note of the next, except for the 3rd string, where it is the 4th fret. Tuning by ear is the skill of hearing whether two notes are the same, and adjusting the string until they match, and it is learned by listening for the beats, the wavering sound that two notes make when they are slightly out of tune, and the beats disappear when the notes are in tune. The 6th string must be tuned first, to a reference, such as a piano, a tuner, or another guitar, because the 5th fret method tunes the strings to each other, not to concert pitch, and the guitar will be in tune with itself, but not necessarily with other instruments, unless the 6th string is in tune. The guitar tuner gives the reference, and the note frequency calculator shows the pitch of any note.
How tuning by ear works
Tuning by ear works by comparing two notes, and adjusting the string until they are the same, and the comparison is the beats: when two notes are slightly out of tune, they make a wavering sound, called beats, and the beats are faster when the notes are further out of tune, and slower when they are closer, and the beats disappear when the notes are in tune. The player plucks the fretted note and the open string, listens for the beats, and turns the tuning peg, slowly, until the beats disappear, and the notes are the same, and the string is in tune. The 5th fret method is the standard way to tune by ear, because it uses the frets, and the frets are the notes, and the method is the same on every guitar. The 6th string at the 5th fret is A, because E plus five semitones is A, and the open 5th string is A, so the two should be the same, and the player adjusts the 5th string until they match. The 5th string at the 5th fret is D, because A plus five semitones is D, and the open 4th string is D, so the two should be the same, and the player adjusts the 4th string until they match. The E major guitar chord and the A major guitar chord are the chords the tuning is built on.
Worked example — tuning the guitar by ear. Tune the 6th string to E, using a tuner, or a piano, or another guitar, as a reference, and the 6th string is E2, 82.41 Hz. Play the 6th string at the 5th fret, which is A, and play the open 5th string, which is A, and listen for the beats: if the beats are fast, the strings are far out of tune, and if they are slow, they are close, and turn the tuning peg for the 5th string, slowly, until the beats disappear, and the two notes are the same, and the 5th string is in tune. Repeat for the 4th string, using the 5th fret of the 5th string, which is D, and the open 4th string, which is D, and for the 3rd string, using the 5th fret of the 4th string, which is G, and the open 3rd string, which is G, and for the 2nd string, using the 4th fret of the 3rd string, which is B, and the open 2nd string, which is B, and for the 1st string, using the 5th fret of the 2nd string, which is E, and the open 1st string, which is E. The guitar is now in tune, by ear.
How to practise tuning by ear
Practise tuning by ear slowly, listening for the beats, and turning the peg slowly, until the beats disappear, and the notes are the same.
- Practise the 5th fret method, tuning each string to the next, and listening for the beats, and turning the peg slowly, until the beats disappear.
- Practise tuning the 6th string to a reference, using the guitar tuner, and then tuning the other strings by ear, without the tuner.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major after tuning by ear, and listen for the chords to ring cleanly, and the guitar to be in tune.
- Practise listening for the beats, by detuning a string slightly, and then tuning it back, listening for the beats to get slower, and then disappear.
- Use the note frequency calculator to check the pitch of each string, and compare it with the tuned string, to see how close the ear tuning was.
Common mistakes
- Turning the peg too fast — A peg turned too fast will overshoot the note, and the string will go past in tune, and the player will have to turn it back, and the tuning will take longer. Turn the peg slowly, listening for the beats, and stop when the beats disappear.
- Tuning the wrong string — The 5th fret method tunes each string to the next, and tuning the wrong string will make the guitar out of tune, because the reference is wrong. Tune the 5th string to the 6th, the 4th to the 5th, the 3rd to the 4th, the 2nd to the 3rd, and the 1st to the 2nd, in order.
- Not tuning the 6th string first — The 5th fret method tunes the strings to each other, not to concert pitch, and if the 6th string is out of tune, all the strings will be out of tune, by the same amount. Tune the 6th string to a reference first, and then tune the others to it.
Quick reference
This table shows the 5th fret method, with the string to tune, the fret on the previous string, and the note, so you can see the method at a glance. The 5th fret of one string is the open note of the next, except for the 3rd string, where the 4th fret is used, because the guitar is tuned in fourths, except for the 3rd to 2nd string.
| String to tune | Fret on the previous string | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 5th string (A) | 5th fret of 6th string | A |
| 4th string (D) | 5th fret of 5th string | D |
| 3rd string (G) | 5th fret of 4th string | G |
| 2nd string (B) | 4th fret of 3rd string | B |
| 1st string (E) | 5th fret of 2nd string | E |
Use the table to tune your guitar by ear: tune the 6th string to a reference, then work through the table, one string at a time, listening for the beats, and turning the peg slowly, until the beats disappear. When you can tune the guitar by ear, without a tuner, you have the skill, and the guitar will always be in tune.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tune a guitar by ear?
Tune the 6th string to E, then use the 5th fret method: the 5th fret of the 6th string is A, the open 5th string, the 5th fret of the 5th string is D, the open 4th string, and so on, matching each string to the next, until all six strings are in tune.
What are beats when tuning?
Beats are the wavering sound that two notes make when they are slightly out of tune, and the beats are faster when the notes are further out of tune, and slower when they are closer, and the beats disappear when the notes are in tune.
Why is the 3rd string different in the 5th fret method?
Because the guitar is tuned in fourths, except for the 3rd to 2nd string, which is a major 3rd, so the 5th fret of the 3rd string is C, not B, and the 4th fret is B, which is the open 2nd string. The 3rd string is the exception, and the 4th fret is used, not the 5th.
Can I tune a guitar by ear without a reference?
You can tune the strings to each other, so the guitar is in tune with itself, but not necessarily with other instruments, unless the 6th string is in tune with a reference, such as a piano, a tuner, or another guitar.
How long does it take to learn to tune by ear?
A few weeks, with daily practice, because the ear must learn to hear the beats, and the hand must learn to turn the peg slowly, and the two together make the tuning. A player who practises tuning by ear every day will learn it in a few weeks.