How to Tune Your Guitar Online — Step by Step

Before you start: find a quiet space. Background noise is the most common reason a tuner gives unstable readings — even a TV on in the next room can cause the needle to jump. Move away from open windows, fans, and speakers.

Step 1 — Open and allow mic access Click Start and allow microphone permission when your browser asks. The tuner needs to hear your guitar — no audio is recorded or sent anywhere. Everything is processed locally on your device.

Step 2 — Select your tuning Standard EADGBE loads by default. If your song uses an alternate tuning, select it from the tuning menu before you start tuning any strings. The target notes update instantly.

Step 3 — Tune from low E to high e Start with the 6th string (thickest — low E) and work toward the 1st string (thinnest — high e). This order matters: changing string tension on lower strings affects the tension of higher strings, so tuning low to high minimises drift.

Step 4 — Pluck clearly, one string at a time Pluck the string with a firm, even stroke — not too hard, not too soft. Let the note ring and hold it for 2–3 seconds. Mute all other strings with your other hand so the tuner locks onto only one pitch at a time.

Step 5 — Read the needle and adjust

• Needle left of centre → string is flat (too low) → tighten the tuning peg
• Needle right of centre → string is sharp (too high) → loosen the tuning peg
• Needle centred and green → string is in tune → move to the next string

Step 6 — Make a second pass After tuning all 6 strings, go through them again in the same order. Changing tension on one string slightly affects the others — a second pass catches any drift and confirms the guitar is stable.

Step 7 — Tune up, not down When possible, approach the target pitch from below (from flat) rather than above. This helps the string settle into tune more reliably, especially on wound strings and new string sets.

Standard Guitar Tuning — EADGBE

Standard tuning is the universal reference for virtually all guitar lessons, chord charts, tab notation, and music. When anyone talks about “guitar tuning” without specifying otherwise, they mean EADGBE.

The six open strings in standard tuning from thickest to thinnest:

The intervals between strings are mostly perfect fourths — each string is tuned four semitones above the one below it — with one exception: the G-to-B interval is a major third. This asymmetry is what makes standard chord shapes possible across the neck.

Standard tuning has been the dominant guitar tuning since the early 19th century. It’s the starting point for all alternate tunings — you’ll always return to EADGBE as your reference. To understand how these Hz values map to note names and octave numbers, the frequency to note converter shows the exact relationship between every Hz value and its musical pitch.

Alternate Guitar Tunings — Complete Reference

Every alternate tuning below is listed with the notes for each string (6th to 1st), the genre most associated with it, and which string changes from standard. The tuner above supports all of these — select the tuning from the dropdown before you start.

Drop D — D A D G B e

What changes: Only the 6th string drops one whole step from E2 to D2 (82.41 Hz → 73.42 Hz).

Why musicians use it: Drop D makes power chords playable with a single finger barred across the bottom three strings instead of the standard two-finger shape. This is the most popular alternate tuning in rock, metal, and grunge because it speeds up riff playing dramatically and adds a lower root note.

Famous songs: Everlong (Foo Fighters), Heart-Shaped Box (Nirvana), Moby Dick (Led Zeppelin)

Tuning tip: Lower only the 6th string. Every other string stays exactly as in standard — no need to retune the rest of the guitar.

Half Step Down — Eb Ab Db Gb Bb eb

What changes: Every string drops one semitone (half step) from standard.

Why musicians use it: Slightly slacker string tension makes bending easier and gives the guitar a warmer, slightly darker tone. Also lets a vocalist sing in a key that sits comfortably without a capo. Famously used by Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Guns N’ Roses on most of their recordings.

Famous songs: Purple Haze (Hendrix), Pride and Joy (SRV), Sweet Child O’ Mine (GN’R)

Tuning tip: Lower every string by exactly one semitone. The relationships between strings stay the same as standard — all your chord shapes work identically.

Open G — D G D G B D

What changes: 6th string drops from E to D, 5th string drops from A to G, 1st string drops from e to D.

Why musicians use it: Strumming the open strings produces a G major chord. This is the foundation of slide guitar, Delta blues, and country fingerpicking. Barring across all strings at any fret produces a major chord on that root — which is why slide players love it.

Famous songs: Start Me Up (Rolling Stones), Brown Sugar (Rolling Stones), Rave On (Buddy Holly)

Tuning tip: Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones used Open G with only 5 strings — he’d remove the low 6th string entirely. With all 6, it’s equally valid.

DADGAD — D A D G A D

What changes: 6th string drops from E to D, 2nd string drops from B to A, 1st string drops from e to D.

Why musicians use it: DADGAD produces a Dsus4 chord on the open strings — an ambiguous, neither major nor minor sound that’s ideal for Celtic folk, fingerstyle, and atmospheric playing. The open drone strings ring beautifully against fretted notes.

Famous songs: Kashmir (Led Zeppelin), Black Mountain Side (Led Zeppelin), most of Jimmy Page’s fingerstyle work

Tuning tip: The 3rd through 5th strings stay the same as standard. Only the three outer strings change.

Open D — D A D F# A D

What changes: 6th string drops from E to D, 3rd string drops from G to F#, 2nd string drops from B to A, 1st string drops from e to D.

Why musicians use it: Open strings produce a D major chord. Excellent for slide guitar and blues — barring gives easy major chords, slide gives the characteristic gliding bluesy sound. Closely related to Open G but with a different tonal center.

Famous songs: Slide guitar work in Delta blues; She Talks to Angels (Black Crowes)

Drop C — C G C F A D

What changes: First tune to Drop D, then lower every string one additional whole step.

Why musicians use it: Deep, heavy sound preferred in metal, metalcore, and hard rock. The low C string adds a full whole step of range below Drop D. If you’re using this tuning regularly, heavier gauge strings (at least .011s) are recommended to maintain proper tension.

Famous songs: B.Y.O.B. (System of a Down), Chop Suey (System of a Down), many Slipknot tracks

Tuning tip: Change to heavier strings if you tune this low regularly — standard gauge strings will feel floppy and intonation suffers.

Full Step Down — D G C F A D

What changes: Every string drops one whole step from standard.

Why musicians use it: A full step below standard gives a heavy, darker tone while keeping all standard chord shapes intact. Popular in alternative rock and metal for players who want a heavier sound without the asymmetry of drop tunings.

Famous songs: many Soundgarden tracks; Alice in Chains material

How the Guitar Tuner Works

Your guitar string vibrates at a specific frequency when plucked — the 6th string (low E) vibrates at 82.41 times per second in standard tuning. Your device’s microphone captures that vibration as an audio signal. The tuner uses the Web Audio API to process that signal in real time using an autocorrelation pitch detection algorithm that isolates the fundamental frequency — the lowest and strongest repeating component of the string’s vibration.

That detected frequency is compared to the target frequency for the selected string and tuning. The difference is expressed in cents — hundredths of a semitone — and displayed on the needle. When your detected frequency matches the target within roughly ±5 cents, the display turns green.

Everything runs inside your browser. No audio is recorded, uploaded, or stored anywhere. For a detailed technical explanation of how browser-based pitch detection works, see the real-time browser pitch detection guide.

Guitar Tuning Tips for Better Results

Acoustic guitar Hold your device near the sound hole — this is where the acoustic resonance is strongest and the microphone gets the cleanest signal. Avoid holding the phone directly against the guitar body, which can cause vibration interference.

Electric guitar Tune unplugged or with a clean tone at low volume. Distortion, overdrive, and effects pedals add harmonics that confuse pitch detection algorithms — the tuner is reading the fundamental frequency, and heavy effects bury it. If you must tune through an amp, use the cleanest channel at low volume.

Nylon string (classical) guitar Nylon strings take longer to stretch and settle — especially when new. After restringing, stretch each string by gently pulling it away from the fretboard around the 12th fret, then retune. Expect to do this 3–4 times over the first playing session before the strings stabilise.

New strings on any guitar New strings stretch and detune quickly for the first few hours of playing. Tune, play for 5 minutes, retune, play again. After 2–3 cycles they settle into stable pitch. This is normal and not a sign of a problem with the strings or guitar.

Why guitars go out of tune Temperature and humidity changes expand and contract the wood and metal components of the guitar, shifting string tension and pitch. Active playing loosens the tuning pegs gradually. String age affects elasticity. As a rule, check your tuning every 30–60 minutes of active playing, and always before performing. For a full explanation of how pitch relates to string physics and frequency, the frequency vs note vs octave breakdown is a useful reference.

Bluetooth and wireless latency If you’re using a Bluetooth microphone or headset, the audio latency (100–300ms delay in the Bluetooth codec) makes real-time pitch detection unreliable. Use your device’s built-in microphone or a wired connection for tuning.

Guitar Tuner vs Chromatic Tuner — What’s the Difference?

A guitar tuner is preset to the 6 strings of standard guitar tuning (or a selected alternate tuning) and shows you which string you’re closest to matching. It’s fast and guitar-specific.

A chromatic tuner identifies any of the 12 notes across all octaves without a preset — it shows whatever note it detects, regardless of which string you’re playing. This is more flexible: you can use it for any instrument, any tuning, or any custom configuration.

Use the guitar tuner on this page for standard guitar tuning workflows. Use the chromatic tuner if you’re setting up an unusual custom tuning, tuning a 7-string or 12-string, or working with an instrument other than standard 6-string guitar.

Tuning by Ear — Reference Tones

If you can’t use a microphone (public space, mic access denied, or device issue), you can tune by ear using reference tones. The standard frequencies for each string are:

• 6th string (E2) — 82.41 Hz
• 5th string (A2) — 110.00 Hz
• 4th string (D3) — 146.83 Hz
• 3rd string (G3) — 196.00 Hz
• 2nd string (B3) — 246.94 Hz
• 1st string (e4) — 329.63 Hz

To generate a reference tone at any of these frequencies, use the frequency to note converter to verify any Hz value, or use the note finder with your microphone to identify what note a string is producing when you’re not sure if you’re on the right pitch.

Guitar Intonation vs Guitar Tuning — What’s the Difference?

Tuning sets each open string to the correct pitch. Intonation determines whether fretted notes across the entire neck are also in tune — not just the open strings.

A guitar can be perfectly in tune on the open strings but produce notes that are consistently sharp or flat when fretted, especially at the 12th fret. This is an intonation problem, not a tuning problem — it’s fixed by adjusting the saddle position on the bridge, not the tuning pegs.

To check intonation: tune the open 6th string to E2. Then play the same string at the 12th fret (which should also be E, one octave higher at 164.81 Hz). Use the tuner or the pitch accuracy checker to check whether the fretted note is also exactly in tune. If it reads sharp, the string is too short (saddle forward). If flat, the string is too long (saddle back). Intonation adjustment requires moving the bridge saddles and is usually done by a guitar technician.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I tune a guitar online for free? Open this page in any browser, click Start, allow microphone access, and pluck one string at a time. The tuner shows whether you’re sharp, flat, or in tune for each string. Standard EADGBE tuning loads automatically. No download, no account, no cost.

What is the standard guitar tuning? Standard tuning is EADGBE — from the thickest string to the thinnest: E2 (82.41 Hz), A2 (110 Hz), D3 (146.83 Hz), G3 (196 Hz), B3 (246.94 Hz), e4 (329.63 Hz). This is the universal tuning reference used by virtually all guitar lessons, tabs, and chord charts.

Does the guitar tuner work on iPhone? Yes. Open this page in Safari on iPhone, allow microphone access, and it works immediately. For quick access, tap Share → Add to Home Screen to create an icon that launches like a native app. No App Store download needed.

Does the guitar tuner work on Android? Yes. Open in Chrome on Android, allow microphone access, and tune immediately. Add to Home Screen for one-tap access without opening the browser each time.

Why is my tuner reading jumping around? Usually caused by background noise, plucking multiple strings at once, or holding the device too close (causing audio clipping). Mute all strings except the one you’re tuning, move to a quieter room, and hold the device 15–30 cm from the guitar’s sound hole. See full troubleshooting in the pitch detector troubleshooting guide.

How often should I tune my guitar? Check tuning every time you pick up the guitar, and every 30–60 minutes during active playing sessions. Guitars go out of tune with temperature changes, string stretching from playing, and loosening of the tuning pegs over time. Before performing live, tune every 2–3 songs.

What is Drop D tuning? Drop D tuning lowers only the 6th string (low E) from E2 to D2 — one whole step down. All other strings remain the same as standard EADGBE. Drop D is used in rock and metal because it enables single-finger power chords across the bottom three strings and adds a lower root note. Select Drop D from the tuning menu above.

Can I use this tuner for bass guitar? The microphone-based tuner above will detect bass frequencies, but for a dedicated bass guitar tuner with proper string labels (E A D G for standard 4-string bass), use the instrument tuner which has bass presets. The chromatic tuner also works for bass with any custom tuning.

What is the difference between guitar tuning and intonation? Tuning sets the open strings to the correct pitch. Intonation determines whether fretted notes across the neck are also in tune. A guitar can be tuned correctly on open strings but still play out of tune when fretted — intonation issues require saddle adjustments, not tuning peg adjustments.

Why do my strings go out of tune so fast? The most common reasons: new strings that haven’t stretched yet (retune several times in the first session), temperature or humidity changes in the room, tuning pegs that need tightening, or a nut slot that causes the string to catch and release tension unevenly. New strings on a freshly restrung guitar will stabilise after 2–3 tuning sessions.

Does tuning the guitar myself affect sound quality? Tuning accurately improves your sound quality dramatically — even a few cents of deviation per string adds up to audible muddiness when chords are played. Accurate tuning makes chords ring clearly, makes bends land on pitch, and makes your playing blend better with other instruments. For understanding how small pitch deviations affect what you hear, the what are cents in music tuning guide explains the relationship precisely.

Related Tools

• Chromatic Tuner — tune any instrument, any note, any custom tuning with a universal chromatic display
• Ukulele Tuner — tune your ukulele to standard GCEA or soprano/concert/tenor/baritone tunings
• Violin Tuner — tune your violin to GDAE with string-by-string guidance
• Instrument Tuner — multi-instrument tuner with presets for guitar, bass, ukulele, violin, and more
• Frequency to Note Converter — convert any Hz value to a musical note name instantly
• Note Finder — identify any musical note from any sound source in real time
• Pitch Accuracy Checker — check how precisely your fretted notes match their target pitch (useful for intonation checks)
• Frequency Detector — detect the exact Hz value of any sound in real time
• Guitar Tuning Guide — complete guide to standard, alternate, drop, and open tunings with technique tips
• How to Find What Key a Song Is In — once your guitar is in tune, find what key to play in
• Song Key Finder — identify the musical key of any audio file or recording
• 432 Hz vs 440 Hz — if you’ve heard about alternate tuning references, this guide explains the physics and the debate