Tuning a
guitar
 There are a number of different tuning protocols for tuning a guitar but the most common one
and the one first taught to the novice is known as ‘Standard’ Tuning. With standard tuning the first string is
the first E above middle C and the sixth string is also an E but two octaves lower. The ‘Helmholtz Pitch‘ is
the notation protocol used to describe a strings pitch, (although the ‘Scientific’ notation also occasionally
used). Helmholtz Pitch was developed by the German scientist Hermann von Helmholtz and uses the sub- and
super-prime symbols (.)
and (‘) to annotate a combination of upper and lower case letters (A to G) in
order to describe each individual note of the scale.
|
String
|
Helmholtz pitch
|
Position
|
|
first
|
e'
|
major third above
|
|
second
|
b
|
minor second below
|
|
third
|
g
|
perfect fourth below
|
|
fourth
|
d
|
minor seventh below
|
|
fifth
|
A
|
minor tenth below
|
|
sixth
|
E
|
minor thirteenth below
|
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Software
From this basic tuning protocol, fretting the strings can produce a full range
of notes across the six strings as outlined in the following table:
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
|
E
|
F
|
F ♯
|
G
|
Ab
|
A
|
Bb
|
B
|
C
|
C ♯
|
D
|
Eb
|
E
|
|
B
|
C
|
C ♯
|
D
|
Eb
|
E
|
F
|
F ♯
|
G
|
Ab
|
A
|
Bb
|
B
|
|
G
|
Ab
|
A
|
Bb
|
B
|
C
|
C ♯
|
D
|
Eb
|
E
|
F
|
F ♯
|
G
|
|
D
|
Eb
|
E
|
F
|
F ♯
|
G
|
Ab
|
A
|
Bb
|
B
|
C
|
C ♯
|
D
|
|
A
|
Bb
|
B
|
C
|
C ♯
|
D
|
Eb
|
E
|
F
|
F ♯
|
G
|
Ab
|
A
|
|
E
|
F
|
F ♯
|
G
|
Ab
|
A
|
Bb
|
B
|
C
|
C ♯
|
D
|
Eb
|
E
|
There are a number of variations to standard tuning. One of the most common is
known as Drop D. In this tuning the lower E string is tuned to be a D string. This tuning enables simple fifths
to be played and is very popular among hard rock musicians. However, there is a wide range of alternative tuning
protocols some of which are outlined below:
|
Standard Guitar Tuning
|
E
|
A
|
D
|
G
|
B
|
E
|
|
Pentatonic
|
A
|
C
|
D
|
E
|
G
|
A
|
|
Baritone
|
B
|
E
|
A
|
D
|
F#
|
B
|
|
Leadbelly
|
B
|
E
|
A
|
D
|
F#
|
B
|
|
Admiral
|
C
|
G
|
D
|
G
|
B
|
C
|
|
Aug
Fourths
|
C
|
F#
|
C
|
F#
|
C
|
F#
|
|
Buzzard
|
C
|
F
|
C
|
G
|
A#
|
F
|
|
C A
D G B E
|
C
|
A
|
D
|
G
|
B
|
E
|
|
Cittern (1)
|
C
|
F
|
C
|
G
|
C
|
D
|
|
Magic Farmer
|
C
|
F
|
C
|
G
|
A
|
E
|
|
Major Sixth
|
C
|
A
|
F#
|
D#
|
C
|
A
|
|
Major Third
|
C
|
E
|
G#
|
C
|
E
|
G#
|
|
Minor Sixth
|
C
|
G#
|
E
|
C
|
G#
|
E
|
|
Minor Third
|
C
|
D#
|
F#
|
A
|
C#
|
D#
|
|
Open C
|
C
|
G
|
C
|
G
|
C
|
E
|
|
Open C
|
C
|
G
|
C
|
G
|
C
|
E
|
|
Kottke
|
C#
|
F#
|
B
|
E
|
G#
|
C#
|
|
Spirit
|
C#
|
A
|
C#
|
G#
|
A
|
E
|
|
D A
E A E E
|
D
|
A
|
E
|
A
|
E
|
E
|
|
D
Minor
|
D
|
A
|
D
|
F
|
A
|
D
|
|
DADGAD
|
D
|
A
|
D
|
G
|
A
|
D
|
|
Drop D
|
D
|
A
|
D
|
G
|
B
|
E
|
|
Four & Twenty
|
D
|
A
|
D
|
D
|
A
|
D
|
|
G 6
|
D
|
G
|
D
|
G
|
B
|
E
|
|
G
Minor
|
D
|
G
|
D
|
G
|
Bb
|
D
|
|
Layover
|
D
|
A
|
C
|
G
|
C
|
E
|
|
Modal D
|
D
|
A
|
D
|
G
|
A
|
D
|
|
Open D
|
D
|
A
|
D
|
F#
|
A
|
D
|
|
Open D Minor
|
D
|
A
|
D
|
F
|
A
|
D
|
|
Open G
|
D
|
G
|
D
|
G
|
B
|
D
|
|
Open G
|
D
|
G
|
D
|
G
|
B
|
D
|
|
Open G Minor
|
D
|
G
|
D
|
G
|
A#
|
d
|
|
Pelican
|
D
|
A
|
D
|
E
|
A
|
D
|
|
Processional
|
D
|
G
|
D
|
F
|
A
|
A#
|
|
Slow Motion
|
D
|
G
|
D
|
F
|
C
|
D
|
|
Triqueen
|
D
|
G
|
D
|
F#
|
A
|
B
|
|
Cooder
|
Db
|
Ab
|
Db
|
F
|
Ab
|
Db
|
|
All
Fourths
|
E
|
A
|
D
|
G
|
C
|
F
|
|
Fourths
|
E
|
A
|
D
|
G
|
C
|
F
|
|
High Plain D
|
E
|
A
|
d
|
G
|
B
|
E
|
|
Nashville
|
e
|
a
|
d
|
G
|
B
|
E
|
|
Open A
|
E
|
A
|
C#
|
E
|
A
|
E
|
|
Open A
|
E
|
A
|
E
|
A
|
C#
|
E
|
|
Open E
|
E
|
B
|
E
|
G#
|
B
|
E
|
|
Standard
|
E
|
A
|
D
|
G
|
B
|
E
|
|
Toulouse
|
E
|
C
|
D
|
F
|
A
|
D
|
|
Hendrix
|
Eb
|
Ab
|
Db
|
Gb
|
Bb
|
Eb
|
|
Half Bent
|
F
|
Bb
|
Eb
|
Ab
|
C
|
F
|
|
Mayfield
|
F#
|
A#
|
C#
|
F#
|
A#
|
F#
|
|
Dobro
|
G
|
B
|
D
|
G
|
B
|
D
|
|
Charango
|
X
|
G
|
C
|
E
|
A
|
E
|
If you are classically trained and read sheet music you should be aware that
the classic guitar is transposed one octave so that its tone will sound one octave lower than concert pitch
manuscript.
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|