How to tune an acoustic guitar with this tuner
- Press Start and allow microphone access when your browser asks.
- Place the microphone of your phone or computer about one hand's width from the guitar, in front of the soundhole and slightly toward the neck.
- Pick the low E string (string 6) with a medium stroke and let it ring. Read the tuner after the first moment of the note, because a string sounds slightly sharp right after it is picked.
- Turn the peg until the reading is centered. If the string is sharp, go a little below the note and tighten back up to it.
- Tune the A, D, G and B strings and the high E string (string 1) in the same way.
- Play every string again in the final recheck. The top and neck of an acoustic guitar move a little when string tension changes, so the first strings you tuned often need a small correction.
Acoustic guitar string notes and frequencies
These are the target notes for standard tuning, from the low E string (string 6) to the high E string (string 1). Choose another tuning in the tuner menu to see its notes.
| String | Note | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | E2 | 82.41 Hz |
| 5 | A2 | 110.00 Hz |
| 4 | D3 | 146.83 Hz |
| 3 | G3 | 196.00 Hz |
| 2 | B3 | 246.94 Hz |
| 1 | E4 | 329.63 Hz |
Getting a clean reading from an acoustic guitar
The soundhole is where an acoustic guitar is loudest, but the air inside the body adds a strong low resonance there. Placing the microphone in front of the soundhole and slightly toward the neck gives the tuner a clear note with less boom. Keep the microphone about one hand's width away. Closer than that, a hard pick stroke can overload a phone microphone.
Room noise is the most common reason for a jumpy reading. Fans, air conditioning, a television or another player in the room all reach the microphone. Lower the sensitivity slider in a noisy room and raise it if the level meter barely moves when you play.
Open strings that you are not tuning keep ringing in sympathy and can pull the reading. Rest the side of your picking hand lightly on the other strings, or touch them with your fretting hand, so only one string sounds.
Tuning new strings
New strings stretch for the first day or two of playing and keep going flat until they settle. After you fit them, tune every string to pitch, then pull each string gently away from the top of the guitar along its length and tune again. Repeat this two or three times and the strings will hold their pitch much sooner.
A new string often starts several semitones below pitch, and the tuner can mistake it for the string below it. Turn Detect String off and tap the peg of the string you are fitting. The tuner then tells you how far to go, for example "Tune up 2 semitones", until you are close enough to read cents.
Nylon-string and classical guitars
This tuner works well with nylon strings. A classical guitar uses the same standard notes as a steel-string acoustic, so you can keep the default tuning.
Nylon strings stretch much more than steel strings. A new set can take several days of regular tuning before it holds pitch, and the treble strings take the longest. Use the final recheck pass every time you tune during that period.
On a slotted classical headstock it is easy to lose track of which way each roller turns. If you are not sure, turn the peg a small amount and watch whether the reading rises or falls before you turn further.
Temperature and humidity
An acoustic guitar is made of thin wood that reacts to temperature and humidity. If you bring the guitar in from a cold car or a hot room, let it sit in its case for a while and reach room temperature before you tune it. Otherwise the strings and the wood keep changing and the tuning drifts as you play.
Frequently asked questions
Can I tune a classical or nylon-string guitar with this tuner?
Yes. Classical guitars use the same standard notes, E A D G B E, and the tuner reads nylon strings well. Expect new nylon strings to need frequent retuning for several days.
Where should I hold my phone while tuning?
Hold it about one hand's width in front of the soundhole, slightly toward the neck. Keep the microphone pointed at the guitar, not covered by your hand.
Why does the reading jump around?
The usual causes are room noise, other strings ringing in sympathy and reading the note too early, right after the pick stroke. Mute the other strings, wait a moment after picking, and lower the sensitivity slider if the room is noisy.
How often should I tune my acoustic guitar?
Tune it every time you pick it up, and check again after a few minutes of playing, because the strings warm up under your hands. New strings need checking more often.
Why does my new string keep going flat?
It is still stretching. Tune it to pitch, pull it gently away from the top along its length, and tune again. After a few rounds it will hold its pitch.
Do I need a clip-on tuner instead?
A clip-on tuner reads vibration through the headstock, so it ignores room noise. That helps on a loud stage. At home or in a quiet room, a microphone tuner like this one is just as useful.