How to Tune an Electric Guitar

Why Proper Tuning Matters

A well-tuned electric guitar is the foundation of great tone. Whether you're a beginner picking up your first Stratocaster or a seasoned player warming up before a gig, tuning is the one habit that separates players who sound polished from those who don't. The good news? It's easier than ever with the right tools and technique.

What You'll Need

• A clip-on or pedal tuner — the most accurate and beginner-friendly option
• A tuner app (GuitarTuna, Fender Tune) — great for practice at home
• Your ears — for relative tuning once you've built the skill

Standard Tuning: EADGBE

Standard tuning runs from the thickest string (6th) to the thinnest (1st):

• 6th string — E (low)
• 5th string — A
• 4th string — D
• 3rd string — G
• 2nd string — B
• 1st string — E (high)

A handy mnemonic: Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie.

Step-by-Step: Tuning with a Clip-On Tuner

1. Clip the tuner onto the headstock — it reads vibrations directly from the wood, so background noise won't interfere.
2. Pluck the 6th string (low E) — pluck it cleanly and let it ring.
3. Read the display — the needle or indicator will show whether you're flat (too low) or sharp (too high).
4. Adjust the tuning peg — turn slowly. Tighten to raise pitch, loosen to lower it.
5. Aim for center — most tuners show green when you're in tune.
6. Repeat for all six strings — always tune from low E to high E.

Pro Tips for Staying in Tune

• Stretch new strings — gently pull each string away from the fretboard after stringing up. New strings go flat quickly until they're broken in.
• Tune up, not down — always approach the target pitch from below. This keeps the tuning peg under tension and more stable.
• Check intonation — if your guitar sounds in tune open but off at the 12th fret, your intonation needs adjusting. This is a setup task best handled by a tech.
• Temperature and humidity matter — wood expands and contracts. Always retune after moving your guitar between environments.
• Tune before every session — even a guitar that was perfectly tuned yesterday may have drifted overnight.

Alternative Tunings to Explore

Once you're comfortable with standard tuning, you can experiment with alternate tunings that open up new sonic possibilities:

• Drop D (DADGBE) — popular in rock and metal; enables powerful one-finger power chords
• Open G (DGDGBD) — a blues and slide guitar favourite
• Half-step down (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb) — used by Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan for a slightly looser, darker feel

Our Pick: The AODSK Clip-On Guitar Tuner

If you want a reliable, no-fuss tuner to keep in your gig bag, we recommend the AODSK Clip-On Guitar Tuner. It features a large, clear LCD display, 360° rotatable clip, and works with guitar, ukulele, bass, violin, and more. Chromatic mode makes it versatile for any tuning. Comes with 10 guitar picks — a great starter bundle.

Happy playing — and stay in tune.