The Fundamentals on How to Tune a Guitar
When it comes to playing the guitar, what is more important than learning how to play the instrument itself? This is simple. What's more important is actually knowing how to tune a guitar. This may seem trivial at one point or another, but knowing how to tune a guitar really helps. Your friends won't always be there to tune your guitar for you. Thus, you yourself should know how to tune a guitar.
Let's start by naming the six strings of the guitar first. It's simple, actually. They are named the 1st string, the 2nd string, the 3rd string, and so on. But it's the keys that these notes represent that you should also remember. The 1st string is the thinnest of all strings, and it is found at the bottom of the pile. This is also the string with the highest pitch. When you pluck the first string, it should give you the pitch of the key of E. This would be your higher E. The 2nd string is located above the 1st string, and when plucked, it gives the key of B. The 3rd string gives the key of G. The 4th string gives the key of D. The 5th gives the key of A, and the 6th gives the key of E. Now, the 6th is the thickest string, and gives a more baritone version of the 1st string's E. Thus, the pitch would be lower here.
When tuning a guitar, you should a reference instrument, like a piano. Pluck the 6th string, and it should match the key of E, or Mi, on the keyboard. When you have that, then you can move on to the other strings. Go for the 6th string at the 5th fret. Then compare it with the 5th open string. The tunes they give out should match. If they don't, then adjust the bottom string accordingly. Repeat this step as you go down each string. But when you get to the 3rd string, then it should be played at the 4th fret, rather than the 5th. Compare the 3rd string with the tune given by the 2nd open string. After than, go to the 2nd string back at the 5th fret once again. Compare the tune given to that of the 1st open string.
This is just the basic when you want to learn how to tune a guitar. When you first learn how to tune a guitar, comparing tunes and adjusting strings may be a bit difficult. But you get better with practice, just like any other activity.
