Electronic tuners

By far, electronic tuners are the number one choice for tuning guitars. With at least 100 different styles available (including a "green" version that uses a crank for power instead of batteries) and a wide variety of features, you’ll be able to find one that gets the job done and still fits your budget.

Most bare bones guitar tuners are only capable of measuring the intonation of the six strings of the guitar played open. In other words, your E, A, D, G, B and E strings. Most, if not all, have a built in microphone (for acoustics) and an input jack that allows you to plug in your electric guitar if you need to (you can use the tuner’s built in microphone if you are playing through an amp).

The next step up is a chromatic tuner which can tune all notes (A, A#, B, C, C#, D, etc.) not just the six open strings of your guitar. Not only can these tuners be used to tune a variety of different instruments, they can also be used to check the overall intonation of the guitar to make sure it stays in tune as you play higher up on the neck (if it does not, adjustments in your playing or your instrument may need to be made).

Some tuners are attached (clipped on) to the guitar for easy viewing. Rather than plugging in or using the microphone of an electronic tuner, these "clip on" tuners measure intonation using the vibration of the guitar. Most models are clipped on the headstock of the guitar (where the tuning machines are located) so they can be easily seen when tuning.

Tuning your guitar "by ear"

All of the tuning methods below require you to use your ear to determine whether a particular string is in tune or not. Don’t be concerned if this is a challenge at first or even if you never develop the skill. Many guitar players (great players included) are not able to tune by ear (or have used electronic tuners from day one and have not developed the ability).

Tuning the guitar "to itself." This method doesn’t always tune your guitar to the proper pitch (A440), it is simply a way to make sure the strings are tuned to each other. First, play the sixth string at the 5th fret and tune the open fifth string to the same pitch. Next, play the fifth string at the 5th fret and tune the open fourth string to the same pitch. Continue by playing the fourth string at the 5th fret and tune the third string to the same pitch. Now, things change slightly—play the third string at the fourth fret and tune the second string to the same pitch. Finally, play the second string at the fifth fret and tune the first string to the same pitch.

Using this method is not a guarantee that when you sit down with your buddies that your guitar will be in tune with theirs. Their guitar may also be tuned to itself and not at the standard A440 tuning. This is where an electronic tuner is invaluable.

Tuning to the piano. If you have a piano available, you can use it to tune your guitar (assuming the piano is in tune) by playing the E, A, D, G, B and E keys.

Using a pitch pipe or tuning fork. This traditional method of tuning is still used by some but requires a lot of ear training and experience and a very quite atmosphere.

One final thought

The advantages of using an electronic tuner are many. These little gadgets are pretty much indispensable and you can find one to fit any budget.