It's a fact that if your guitar isn't in tune, it won't sound nearly as good as if it were in tune. That's why Thomas will teach you how to successfully tune your guitar in standard tuning with only the use of your ears!

The key to tuning your guitar properly is first understanding when a string is sharp and when a string is flat. Take the A string for example:

• Using your low E string (6th string) as a reference pitch, play the 5th fret on the E string and the open A string. If the A string sounds higher than the 5th fret of the E string, the A string is sharp and therefore needs to be lowered. To do this, take your right hand (left if you're left handed) and reach over to the machine head for the A string and turn it counter clockwise to lower the pitch. If the A string sounds lower than the 5th fret of the E string, the A string is flat and therefore needs to be raised. To do this, turn the machine head for the A string clockwise to raise the pitch.

Now, apply these same concepts to the rest of the strings:

• Play the 5th fret on the A string and adjust the open D string
• Play the 5th fret on the D string and adjust the open G string
• Play the 4th fret on the G string and adjust the open B string
  • This is the only case where you tune a string to the 4th fret. Use the 5th fret for all other strings.
• Play the 5th fret on the B string and adjust the open E string (1st string)