Guitar Tuning Help For a Beginner

The Severed Hand

I just got my first acoustic guitar and it came with a tuner. It is a basic LED unit. I turn it on and the light on the far left is on. Do I strum the same string and adjust until the center blue light comes on? I'm sure that I am a total idiot but I really need help.

who's_pearljam?

Yup! Congratulations on a new guitar, too! Not an idiot at all. There's no better place to start than with an in tune guitar.


Start with the low E string and you'll have to tune up to when the light hits the center. Just pluck the string repeatedly and let it ring for about two seconds each time so the tuner can pick up the signal. Do this for each string. Sometimes you'll have to go through the six strings a couple of times if the guitar is way out of tune.
If they are standard tuners that wrap around the metal post, you're best off lowering the pitch a little and tuning UP to the note rather than tuning down in pitch to keep the wraps tight.


Then rock on!

The Severed Hand

Thank You! Much love, Much love