STANDARD / REFERENCE
Standard tuning.
E A D G B E is the home base. Check the open strings, look up a chord or map a scale before trying a different tuning.
THE TUNING CHECK
E A D G B E
LOW TO HIGH · STRINGS 6 TO 1
AGT / TUNING MAP · 440 HZ
E A D G B E
STRING 6
E
STRING 5
A
STRING 4
D
STRING 3
G
STRING 2
B
STRING 1
E
HOW TO TUNE
Tune to standard pitches.
Tune to the six pitches shown. This page assumes a normal six-string guitar set up for standard tuning.
01 · String 6: keep E2; String 5: keep A2.
02 · String 4: keep D3; String 3: keep G3.
03 · String 2: keep B3; String 1: keep E4.
After each full pass, recheck all six strings with a chromatic tuner. Stop if a string feels unusually tight.
KEEP YOUR BEARINGS
Check notes before names.
A familiar grip can sound different after retuning. Read the tuning map and use the chord explorer before trusting a shape name.
Notes and fingerings are shown from string 6 to string 1.
WHAT ACTUALLY CHANGES
Keep a familiar reference beside the alternate tunings.
These are sounding pitches, shown from string 6 to string 1: E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4.
What transfers
✓ The usual chord shapes retain their familiar names.
✓ Strings 6, 5, 4 and 3 rise in perfect fourths.
✓ The two outer strings are both E, two octaves apart.
What needs checking
· The G-to-B interval is a major third, not a fourth.
· A chord shape moved across that pair needs adjusting.
· Standard tuning is the comparison point, not an alternate tuning.
CHORD & SCALE EXPLORER
Start with E. Move from there.
Use the selected starter shapes, search another chord, or map a scale across frets 0 to 15. This explorer is set to Standard.
These selected charts are the practical starting points for this tuning.
Familiar shapes appear first where available. Choose a shape that suits your hand. Where a fifth is omitted, the chart says so. For a first set to practise, open Starter chords.
The high string is shown at the top and the low string at the bottom. Scroll horizontally on smaller screens.
LOW STRING ANCHORS
Find the roots on string 6.
These are single-note landmarks, not six-string chord grips. Use them to locate a root before choosing a chord shape.
E
OPEN
F♯
FRET 2
G
FRET 3
A
FRET 5
B
FRET 7
E
FRET 12
FIRST PROGRESSION
E minor → G major → D major → A major
Use the displayed E minor, G major, D major and A major shapes for one bar each. Keep each change slow enough that the open strings ring clearly.
SCALE MAP
Standard: find E natural minor.
On string 6, play frets 0, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12: E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D, then E.
Play the notes slowly in order, then reverse them. Keep the timing even and let each note speak.
0 · 2 · 3 · 5 · 7 · 8 · 10 · 12
Choose the same root and scale in the explorer to see the notes on all six strings.
The high string is shown at the top of the scale map. Each row follows one string.
RELATED TUNING
Standard or Drop D?
Use Standard
Stay in standard when you want familiar chord shapes. Choose Drop D when you want a low D while keeping the top five strings unchanged.
Explore Drop D
Open the related reference and compare the six string pitches before changing a familiar shape.
Explore Drop D tuning →QUICK REFERENCE
Standard tuning checks
What are the open-string pitches?
Strings 6 to 1: E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4.
What do the chord names mean?
They name the sounding notes in this tuning. A familiar fingering can have a different chord name after retuning. The fingering numbers run from string 6 to string 1; x means mute.
Can I use a different octave?
Use the octave numbers in the tuning map. A pitch-class match alone does not tell you that a string is in the intended octave.
How do I get back to standard?
Return strings 6 to 1 to E2, A2, D3, G3, B3 and E4. Recheck every string with a chromatic tuner.