Need to tune your guitar and get playing, not wrestling with knobs and apps? This guide walks you through standard tuning (E A D G B E) step by step, and shows you how to do it quickly with the TuneMode Online Guitar Tuner on any phone, laptop, or tablet.

Quick CTA:
Open the tuner in a new tab so it’s ready: “Open the Online Guitar Tuner” (Guitar → Standard).

The Quick Version (For When You’re in a Hurry)

If you’re about to rehearse or jam and just need to tune right now:

Open the TuneMode Online Guitar Tuner.
Set Instrument: Guitar and Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E).
Click “Start listening” and allow microphone access.
Tune each string (from thickest to thinnest):
- 6th string (low) → E
- 5th string → A
- 4th string → D
- 3rd string → G
- 2nd string → B
- 1st string (thin) → E
For each string:
- Pluck it cleanly.
- Watch the tuner’s note name and needle.
- Tighten if it’s flat (too low), loosen if it’s sharp (too high) until the needle sits in the center and the cents are close to 0.
Recheck all strings once more (tuning one string can slightly move the others).

You’re in tune. Start playing.

The rest of this guide explains what’s actually going on and how to troubleshoot common tuning problems.

What You’ll Need

You don’t need much:

A guitar (acoustic or electric).
An internet-connected device with a microphone:
- Phone, tablet, or laptop.
Access to the TuneMode Online Guitar Tuner.

Optional but helpful:

A quiet-ish room (the tuner can handle some noise, but less is better).
Fresh-ish strings (old, rusty strings are hard to tune accurately).

Standard Guitar Tuning: The Notes

Standard tuning for a 6-string guitar from lowest (thickest) string to highest (thinnest) is:

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

Many players remember it with a phrase like:

Every
Amateur
Does
Get
Better
Eventually

On the tuner, you might also see octaves (e.g., E2, A2, D3), but if you’re a beginner, don’t stress over the numbers; just make sure the note letters match and the needle is centered.

Step-by-Step: Tuning with the TuneMode Online Guitar Tuner

1. Open the tuner and choose “Guitar – Standard”

Go to TuneMode.
On the main tuner page:
- Select Instrument: Guitar.
- Select Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E).
Make sure “Auto-detect string” is enabled if you want the tuner to guess which string you’re playing, or disable it if you want to choose each string manually.

Tip: If it’s your first time, manual string selection can make things feel less confusing: you pick “String 6 – E” and the tuner expects low E.

2. Allow microphone access

The tuner needs to hear your guitar:

Click “Start listening” or the mic button.
Your browser will show a popup asking to allow microphone access:
- Click Allow.
If you see no movement in the tuner:
- Make sure you chose the correct mic (laptop mic vs audio interface).
- Check that the input level isn’t muted.

Once the tuner is hearing you, plucking a string should:

Show a note name (e.g., D, E, F#).
Move the needle left/right.
Show a cents deviation (how far you are from the target note).

3. Tune each string: low to high (E A D G B E)

We’ll go one string at a time.

3.1 6th string – Low E

Select or pluck the 6th string (thickest).
Watch the tuner:
- If it’s showing D, D#, F or anything not E, you’re far off.
- If it shows E but the needle is left/right, you’re close but not perfect.
Adjust the tuning peg for the 6th string:
- If the tuner says flat (needle left, negative cents):
  - Tighten the peg slightly (turn so pitch goes up).
- If the tuner says sharp (needle right, positive cents):
  - Loosen the peg slightly (turn so pitch goes down).
Pluck the string again (let it ring, don’t attack too hard) and repeat until:
- The tuner shows E.
- The needle is centered.
- Cents are close to 0 (within ±5 is usually fine).

Pro tip: Always approach the note from below if you can. If you overshoot and go sharp, drop below the note and tighten back up. This helps the string stay in tune longer.

3.2 5th string – A

Repeat the process:

Select or play the 5th string.
Tune until the tuner shows A and the needle is centered.

3.3 4th string – D

Select/play the 4th string.
Adjust until you hit D in the center.

3.4 3rd string – G

Select/play the 3rd string.
Tune to G.

3.5 2nd string – B

Select/play the 2nd string.
Tune to B.

The B string can feel touchy; small turns make big pitch changes, so go gently.

3.6 1st string – High E

Select/play the 1st string (thinnest).
Tune to E.

Be careful not to overtighten this one; thin strings break more easily.

4. Re-check and fine tune

Once all six strings say the right notes:

Go back and quickly check them again in order:
- E → A → D → G → B → E
Tiny adjustments are normal: tension changes on one string can nudge others.

Finally, play a few simple shapes:

Open E major or G major.
Strum slowly and listen – does anything sound sour?
If something feels off, check that string again with the tuner.

At this point, your guitar should be in standard tuning and ready to go.

How to Tune by Ear (and Then Check with the Tuner)

If you ever need to tune by ear (or want to train your ear), you can:

Use the tone playback in the tuner (or any reliable reference) to hear the correct pitch.
Match your string to the reference tone:
- Play the reference E tone.
- Play your 6th string and tighten/loosen until it sounds the same.
Once the 6th string is correct, you can tune the others to it using 5th-fret methods:
- 5th fret of 6th string (E) = open 5th string (A).
- 5th fret of 5th string (A) = open 4th string (D)
- 5th fret of 4th string (D) = open 3rd string (G)
- 4th fret of 3rd string (G) = open 2nd string (B)
- 5th fret of 2nd string (B) = open 1st string (E)

After tuning by ear, double-check with the online tuner; it will catch small errors your ear might miss, especially when you’re new.

Common Tuning Problems (and How to Fix Them)

Even if you tune correctly, your guitar can still sound off. Here are common issues:

1. New strings going out of tune

Symptom: You tune up perfectly, play for 5 minutes, and suddenly everything is flat.
Cause: New strings stretch.
Fix:
- After putting on new strings, gently pull them away from the fretboard a bit and retune a few times.
- Expect to tune more frequently for the first day or two.

2. Old, dead strings

Symptom: Hard to get the tuner needle to settle; tone sounds dull or “thuddy”.
Cause: Very old strings lose brightness and intonation.
Fix:
- Change strings.
- After installing, tune carefully and stretch them in as above.

3. Pressing too hard on the frets

Symptom: Guitar seems in tune open, but chords sound sharp when you play.
Cause: Pressing very hard, especially near the nut, bends the pitch sharp.
Fix:
- Use lighter pressure; you only need enough for a clean note.
- Play closer to the fret rather than in the middle of the fret space.

4. Nut or intonation issues

Symptom: Open strings are in tune, but higher up the neck everything sounds off.
Cause: Nut slots too high/low, or intonation not set properly.
Fix:
- For electric guitars, a proper intonation setup at the bridge is often needed.
- If you’re new, visit a guitar tech; don’t guess with a screwdriver.

5. Noisy room / bad mic pickup

Symptom: Tuner jumps around or can’t decide on a note.
Cause: Background noise, other instruments, or mic too far away.
Fix:
- Move closer to the mic; aim the sound hole or guitar body toward it.
- Mute other instruments, turn down backing tracks.
- Pluck strings clearly, one at a time.

Acoustic vs Electric: Any Difference?

The tuning notes are the same, but your setup may differ:

Acoustic guitar:
- The built-in laptop/phone mic is usually enough.
- Point the sound hole roughly toward the device.
Electric guitar:
- If unplugged, the tuner will still pick up string noise, but a quiet room helps.
- If you have an audio interface, set the browser input to that device.

Either way, TuneMode listens to whatever your system defines as “microphone”, not the guitar directly.

What to Do After You’re in Tune

Once your guitar is in standard tuning, that’s when the fun starts. A few ideas:

Warm up with chords:
- Strum basic shapes like G, C, D, Em.
- If you’re not sure about shapes, open the Chord Library and pick “Guitar – Standard”.
Practice rhythm with a metronome:
- Open the TuneMode Online Metronome.
- Set it to something comfortable (e.g., 80 BPM) and practice chord changes in time.
Explore alternate tunings later:
- Once you’re comfortable with standard, try Drop D (D A D G B E) or DADGAD for a new sound.
- Use our Drop D Tuner or DADGAD Tuner pages to switch tunings safely.

FAQs: Guitar Tuning Basics

1. How often should I tune my guitar?

Every time you play. Temperature, humidity, playing style, and string age all affect pitch. A quick tune-up before each session is normal, even for pros.

2. How accurate does tuning need to be?

Within ±5 cents of the target note is usually fine. If the tuner shows “in tune” and chords sound good, you’re good—you don’t need to chase absolute 0.0 every time.

3. Can I use the online tuner on my phone?

Yes. Open the TuneMode Online Guitar Tuner on your phone’s browser, allow mic access, hold the phone close, and use Wi‑Fi or stable data so the page loads quickly.

4. Do I need a different tuner for acoustic vs electric?

No. The notes are the same; use the same online tuner for both:

Acoustic: picked up via the built-in mic.
Electric: via mic (unplugged) or an audio interface if your system routes that as the input.

What standard tuning is (E A D G B E).
How to use the TuneMode Online Guitar Tuner step by step.
How to avoid the most common tuning problems.

Ready to tune?
Open the tuner: “Use the Online Guitar Tuner (Standard)”
When you’re done, try:

The Metronome to tighten your rhythm.

The Chord Library to explore new shapes.

Our Drop D Tuning Guide if you want heavier riffs next time.

Tune fast, play more.

How to Tune a Guitar (Step-by-Step + Online Tuner)