Lesson 2 of 14

Tuning your acoustic

EADGBe, same as electric. Why acoustic strings drift more, and how to keep up.

Standard tuning is EADGBe, low to high, same as every other six-string. Acoustics drift more than electrics because the body responds to humidity. A guitar that was in tune yesterday is rarely in tune today.

Tool

Open the chromatic tuner

Tunes by ear via your laptop or phone mic. Pluck a string, watch the indicator center.

Use the Guitaring tuner

Pluck one string at a time. Match each to the target. Tune up to pitch, not down (loosen below, then tighten up). Pegs hold better that way.

The order matters

Always tune low to high. Once each string is at pitch, do a second pass: tuning one string changes the tension across the neck, which slightly detunes the others. After two passes you're solid.

Strum check

Strum all six strings as one big chord (an open E minor 7 shape, basically). If any single string sounds sour, that's the one to retune. Train your ear: every session, before you play.

Next: how to hold the guitar without cramping your shoulder by minute ten.

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