Standard tunings by instrument
"Standard tuning" just means the most common set of open-string notes for an instrument — the default almost every player starts with. Here are the standard tunings for the main String Warrior families, listed from the lowest-pitched string to the highest:
Guitar — E A D G B E
Six strings, low to high: E, A, D, G, B, E. The top and bottom strings share a name but sit two octaves apart. Explore shapes for it in guitar chords.
Bass (4-string) — E A D G
The same four lowest notes as guitar, just an octave lower and without the top two strings. See bass for 5- and 6-string variants too.
Ukulele — G C E A
Soprano, concert, and tenor ukes share this tuning. Note that the G is usually "reentrant" — tuned higher than the C next to it, not lower. Head to ukulele to explore.
Mandolin — G D A E
Four doubled courses tuned in fifths, the same open notes as violin. See it in action on mandolin chords.
Plenty of players branch out into alternate tunings later — Drop D, DADGAD, and open tunings all reshape what your open strings ring out — but everything above is the place to start, and the tuning most tabs, chord charts, and lessons assume by default.
Full tuning reference, instrument by instrument
Every instrument String Warrior supports has its own dedicated tuning page: every string, low to high, plus tuning steps and a link straight to the tuner.
Guitar Family
Ukulele
Mandolin Family
Bowed Strings
Tuning with an electronic tuner
The easiest and most reliable method for a beginner is an electronic tuner, and String Warrior has a free one built in. Pluck one string at a time, let it ring, and the tuner listens to the pitch and tells you whether to tighten or loosen that string until it lands exactly on target.
- Open the tuner and allow microphone access when prompted.
- Pluck your lowest string on its own, letting the other strings stay quiet.
- Watch the display: it shows how far off you are and which direction to turn the tuning peg.
- Turn slowly — a little tension change moves the pitch a surprising amount — and re-pluck often to check.
- Repeat string by string until every one reads in tune.
Tuning by ear
Tuning by ear is a great skill to build once you're comfortable with a tuner, because it trains you to actually hear pitch instead of just reading a screen. The simplest approach is to tune against a known-good reference tone for each string.
Our reference tone tool plays a clean, sustained pitch for any note you choose. Play the reference tone for a string, then pluck that string and listen for the "beating" — a wobbling, pulsing sound that happens when two pitches are close but not quite matched. As you tune closer, the beating slows down; when it disappears completely, you're in tune.
Another classic trick once your low string is in tune: press the 5th fret of any string and compare it to the next string played open — on guitar, those two notes should match for every string pair except the G-to-B pair, which uses the 4th fret instead. It's a handy way to get close without any tools at all, though a tuner or reference tone will always be more precise.
A few tuning tips
New strings stretch
Fresh strings go out of tune quickly for the first day or two as they settle. Give each new string a gentle stretch after installing it to speed this up.
Tune up to pitch, not down
If a string ends up sharp, loosen it a little past the target and tune back up to it — this keeps tension on the gears more consistent and holds tune longer.
Temperature and humidity matter
Wood instruments shift slightly with the weather. Don't be surprised if you need to retune more after moving between a cold car and a warm room.
Check tuning before every session
Make it a habit, not a chore — a quick pass through all your strings before you start playing means every chord actually sounds the way it should.
Related on String Warrior
Get in tune, then put it to use.