Free tool · Complete guide
Guitar tuning
Tune your guitar right in your browser — free, via the microphone of your phone or laptop. Choose from six tunings or play the reference tones per string. Then scroll on for the complete guide: step by step, by ear, and everything about drop D.
- Works on phone, tablet and laptop
- Six tunings — from standard to Open G
- Private: your audio stays in your browser
Tuning
—
Play a string — reference tone
Pluck one string at a time. Mic stream stays in your browser.
Chromatic — pluck one string at a time. Choose your tuning (Standard, Drop D and more) or tune by ear with reference tones per string. The mic stream stays in your browser, goes nowhere.
Standard tuning
E A D G B E — how your guitar is tuned
Almost every song assumes standard tuning: from the thickest to the thinnest string E A D G B E. Remember it with the mnemonic “Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie”.
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 6Low E | E2 | 82.41 Hz |
| 5A | A2 | 110.00 Hz |
| 4D | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 3G | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2B | B3 | 246.94 Hz |
| 1High E | E4 | 329.63 Hz |
All frequencies assume concert pitch A4 = 440 Hz — the worldwide standard that pianos and tuners use too.
Step by step
How to tune your guitar with a tuner — in 5 steps
- 01
Turn on your tuner
Use the online tuner at the top of this page (allow the microphone) or clip a clip-on tuner onto your guitar's headstock.
- 02
Play one string at a time
Start with the thick low E string (6). Pluck the string gently and let it ring — the tuner automatically detects which note you're playing.
- 03
Read it: too low or too high
If the needle sits left of center, the string is too low: tighten the tuning peg a tiny bit. Right of center means too high: loosen it.
- 04
Always tune up to the pitch
Sitting too high? First drop a little below the pitch, then tune up to it. The tuning peg grips better and the string stays in tune longer.
- 05
Repeat and check with a chord
Do the same for A, D, G, B and the high E. Then play a chord you know — if it sounds clean, you're done.
💡 Turn in small steps: a quarter turn is often plenty. Turning too fast is the number one cause of broken strings.
Without a tuner
Tuning by ear: the 5th-fret method
No tuner at hand? Then tune the strings to each other. Press a string at the fifth fret and it sounds exactly like the next open string — except for the B string, where you use the fourth fret.
- 15th fret on the low E (6) → sounds like open A (5)
- 25th fret on the A (5) → sounds like open D (4)
- 35th fret on the D (4) → sounds like open G (3)
- 44th fret on the G (3) → sounds like open B (2) — the exception
- 55th fret on the B (2) → sounds like open high E (1)
Note: this tunes the guitar in tune with itsélf. For the correct pitch you need one reference tone — for example the low E from the tuner above, or a piano.
Tuners, apps & devices
Which way of tuning suits you?
Online tuner (this page)
Free and instant, no installation. Chromatic, six tunings, reference tones per string.
- + Pro
- Always at hand on any device
- − Con
- Needs a microphone and a quiet room
Tuning app on your phone
Our own ProTabs app has a built-in tuner and metronome alongside thousands of tabs — free on the App Store and Google Play.
- + Pro
- Tuner, metronome and tabs in one app
- − Con
- Watch out with other apps: some quietly charge over €8 per week
Clip-on tuner
Clips onto the headstock and measures the wood's vibration instead of the sound. That's why it also works perfectly in a noisy room.
- + Pro
- From around €10, works anywhere
- − Con
- Another gadget (with a battery) to carry around
Tuner pedal or desktop tuner
Standalone tuners have a bigger display and often a built-in metronome; with a cable you tune electric guitars silently and very precisely.
- + Pro
- Big display, cable input, very accurate
- − Con
- The internal microphone struggles with background noise
By ear
The 5th-fret method above. Takes more effort, but trains your musical ear — and you can always tune, even without any gear.
- + Pro
- The best training for your ear
- − Con
- You need a reference tone for the correct pitch
Other tunings
Drop D, half step down and more
Some songs call for a different tuning than standard — you'll see it at the top of the song page. The tuner above knows them all: pick the tuning and start tuning right away.
| Tuning | Strings (low → high) | When |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | E A D G B E | The basis — almost every song on Gitaartabs |
| Drop D | D A D G B E | Rock and metal: one-finger power chords, deeper sound |
| Half step down | E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭ | Everything sounds darker and sings easier — think Guns N’ Roses and Jimi Hendrix |
| Drop C | C G C F A D | Even heavier than drop D; modern metal (thicker strings recommended) |
| DADGAD | D A D G A D | Folk and Celtic music — open, floating sound |
| Open G | D G D G B D | An open G chord with no fingers: blues and slide — the Rolling Stones sound |
A capo is not a different tuning: you tune standard as usual and the capo shifts everything up. Tune first, then put the capo on. More in Using a capo.
Troubleshooting & common mistakes
Guitar won't stay in tune?
New strings keep going flat
New strings stretch during the first days. Gently pull each string up a few times and retune — repeat until they hold.
You turn too fast
Big turns are the number one cause of broken strings. Turn in small steps and keep plucking the string in between.
You're tuning the wrong string
Classic beginner mistake: you look at string 5 but turn the peg of string 6. Follow the string with your finger to the right tuning peg before you turn.
Temperature and humidity
Wood moves: going from a cold car to a warm room will detune your guitar, guaranteed. Let it acclimatize and don't store it next to a heater.
Sloppily wound strings
A messy tangle around the tuning post slowly slips loose. Two or three neat wraps below each other hold the tuning.
Everything checks out, still off
Old, dull strings tune poorly and sound off at the higher frets. Strings older than six months? Replacing them often makes more difference than any tuner.
Video — tuning in practice
Watch along: how to tune your guitar
Our teacher shows how to tune with a tuner and by ear — including what to do when a string is far off pitch.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about guitar tuning
What is the standard tuning of a guitar?
From the thickest to the thinnest string: E A D G B E. Remember it with the mnemonic “Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie”. All pitches assume concert pitch A4 = 440 Hz.What is the fastest way to tune my guitar?
The online tuner at the top of this page: free, via your microphone, and your audio stays in your browser. Play one string at a time and turn slowly until the needle sits green in the center. On the go? The free ProTabs app has the same tuner built in.How often should I tune my guitar?
Every time you play — a check takes thirty seconds. New strings go flat faster during the first days, and temperature changes detune your guitar too. During long practice sessions it pays to check again halfway.Can I tune my guitar without a tuner?
Yes: with the 5th-fret method you tune the strings to each other (the 5-5-5-4-5 pattern, see the explanation on this page). For the correct pitch you do need one reference tone, for example the per-string reference tones in the online tuner.Does this online tuner work for any guitar?
Yes. The tuner is chromatic and recognizes any pitch — acoustic, classical (nylon) and electric. Tune an electric guitar unplugged close to the microphone, or with some volume through your amp. You can also tune a bass guitar or ukulele with it.Why does my guitar keep going out of tune?
Usually one of three causes: new strings that are still stretching (gently pre-stretch and retune), strings wound sloppily around the tuning post (two or three neat wraps hold), or temperature and humidity swings (don't store it next to a heater).What is drop D?
The same as standard tuning, except the low E string drops a whole step to D: D A D G B E. Popular in rock and metal because power chords become a one-finger job. Choose ‘Drop D’ in the tuner above to tune to it right away.Why do many bands tune half a step down?
Half a step down (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb) sounds darker and fuller, and is easier on the singing voice. Many classics by Jimi Hendrix and Guns N’ Roses, for example, use it. In the tuner, choose ‘Half step down’.Do I tune before or after putting on a capo?
Tune first without the capo, then put it on. If it still sounds off afterwards, you can fine-tune lightly with the capo on — and check again after taking it off.What do the cents on the tuner mean?
Cents are hundredths of a semitone: 100 cents is exactly one fret. The needle shows how far off you are; within ±5 cents it turns green and the string sounds in tune.
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Keep learning
Learn to play guitar
The complete beginner's guide: chords, rhythm and your first songs.
Chord library
Every chord shape with a diagram — look up any chord.
Using a capo
What a capo does and when to put it on.
Metronome
Free online metronome to practice right on tempo.
In tune — now play.
Grab a song or a lesson and hear the difference right away.