How to Tune Your Guitar, Step 2: Tuning the Guitar to Itself

Other posts in this series about tuning the guitar:
How to Tune Your Guitar, Step 1: Using a Tuner
How to Tune Your Guitar, Step 3: Alternate Tunings

Okay, so you need to tune your guitar, but you don't have a tuner (or maybe the batteries have run out). What's a guitarist to do? Fear not, my friend. We can learn to tune without a tuner, and today I'm going to show you just how to do it.

I'm assuming you're looking for standard tuning EADGBE. (If not, read the rest of this post and then go here: How to Tune Your Guitar, Step 3: Alternate Tunings) The method we'll be using today will tune the guitar relative to itself. This method does not tune your guitar absolutely - that is, your guitar's E string may not be perfectly tuned to an E. There's a good chance your guitar won't be in tune with other guitars, but it will still sound perfectly fine by itself (and if you want to tune to, say, another guitar, or a piano, I'll explain how to do that later in this post).

Here's how we tune the guitar to itself...

Step 1: Decide which string to tune to.

If you know one of your strings is in tune, then use that string. If you don't, take your best guess. When tuning the guitar to itself, it doesn't really matter too much which string you tune to, as long as you keep track of which strings you have already tuned.

If your A string sounds the most in tune, you'll be able to tune your E string to your A string (don't worry, I'll show you how to do this in step 2). Then your E and A will be in tune. Then you'll be able to tune your D string to your A string, and tune each of your strings, one at a time, always to the one above it (which has already been tuned).

If you're not sure which string to use, just assume your E string (6th string, closest to head) is in tune, and make sure to leave it as is!

Step 2: Use the 5th fret (or the 4th fret if it's your G string) of the string above to determine if your strings are in tune.

The 5th fret of most strings should have the same pitch as the string below when played open. So, for example, your low-E string (6th string, closest to your head) should sound like your A string (5th string) when you play your E string at the 5th fret. The 5th fret of your A string should sound like your open D string. It works like this:

5th fret of E string = open A string
5th fret of A string = open D string
5th fret of D string = open G string
4th fret of G string = open B string
5th fret of B string = open E string (the high-pitched one on the bottom)

If any of these groups of notes don't sound the same, you need to tune one of your strings until they match up. You'll know the pitches are about the same when they sound close and you don't hear much of a warbling sound. This warbling sound - it kind of sounds like "whir whir whir whir" - is sometimes called a "beat" (not to be confused with the "beat" or tempo of a song). In other words, if you play both your E string (at the 5th fret) and your A string (open), and you hear that "whir whir whir whir" noise, there's a good chance those strings aren't in tune. Adjust whichever one is out of tune by turning the appropriate tuning peg until that "whirring" noise slows down, and eventually goes away.

Do this with each pair of strings until they all sound in tune. But before you try this, check out step 3...

Step 3: Make sure you're tuning the RIGHT STRING!!!

Once you've tuned a string correctly, don't re-tune that string! Make sure to keep careful track of which string you're tuning. I've often seen students tune their (out of tune) E string (6th string) to their (properly tuned) A string, then proceed to tune their A string to their (out of tune) D string (4th string)! Don't do this! If you just think carefully during each step of tuning, you should be fine. But trust me when I say this can happen if you don't pay close attention (especially if you don't have much experience with tuning).

That's all there is to it! If you follow these steps carefully, you can tune your guitar to itself.

How to tune your guitar to another instrument

This is actually pretty simple, in a sense. Just play the appropriate pitch on that instrument, and tune to it. So if you're tuning to another person's guitar, have them play their E string, then play yours, and tune until they sound the same. Repeat for all six strings.

If you're tuning to another type of instrument, things can get complicated if you can't tell them which E to play (or A, D, etc.). You'll want to tune to the following pitches:

E_2 (E two octaves below middle C)

A_2 (A two octaves below middle C)

D_3 (D one octave below middle C)

G_3 (G one octave below middle C)

B_3 (B right below middle C)

E_4 (E above middle C)

That should be enough information for them to help you tune your instrument to theirs.

Two important things to keep in mind while tuning:
1) STRINGS CAN BREAK IF YOU TUNE THEM TOO TIGHTLY

I wrote this warning in my first post on tuning (tuning with a tuner), but I repeat it here because it's so important it's worth reading twice: Tightening the string too much might break a string! Be sure you're tuning in the right direction first. And remember, when in doubt, tune down (loosen the string) until you're confident you're going the wrong way, then tune it back up.

2) Always end by tuning up!

Even if you have to tune down to the correct pitch, tune past the correct pitch, then tune back up. Why? If you end by loosening the string, the string can still be a bit loose in the head-stock of the guitar (where the tuning pegs are), and the string can un-tune while playing. Always end your tuning by tuning up.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Tuning is hard.

Okay, that's not really a question, but since I'm actually making these questions up for my own (and your) benefit, I'll let it slide. Yes, tuning is often hard, but with practice you get better at it. My general advice is to tune very slowly, take lots of time after each step to make sure you're doing everything correctly, and ask for help if you need it. Tuning the guitar to itself is much more of a challenge than using a tuner because you're relying on your ear. In fact, I usually teach tuning to my students with a tuner first, then gradually have them learn to use the fretboard once they've gotten used to the tuner. You should probably learn the same way. And definitely ask for help whenever you can - a more experienced ear is an asset!

I don't know which string to start tuning - any suggestions?

If you're not sure which string is the most "in tune", I would just assume your 6th string (low E, closest to head) is in tune, and go from there. That way you can work your way down, one string at a time, and it makes for an easy time keeping track of which string is in tune, and which isn't. Just remember not to change the tuning of your low E string after you've started tuning the other strings.

Notes on the Guitar Fretboard

This is the first twelve frets of the guitar fretboard (thirteen if you count the open strings). When reading this diagram, bear in mind that the string closest to your head is on the bottom (the "E" string written in red).

"Why do I need to know this?"
There are a number of good reasons to learn the notes of the guitar fretboard. Here are some listed below:

1) Tuning the guitar: If you know, for example, that the fifth fret of the E string is an A, and you know that the 5th string is supposed to be tuned to an A (that's the green string in the picture), then both of those pitches should be the same (they might a bit different because one would be played with an open string, and one would be a "fretted" note, but they'll be close enough - imagine two brothers singing the same note). If they aren't, your guitar is out of tune. You can actually tune your guitar without a tuner this way (see my article on how to do that here: Tuning the Guitar, Step 2: Tuning the Guitar to Itself).

2) Chord names: Some chords are played using the same fingering (i.e. your fingers go on the same strings the same distance from one another), but on different frets. Naming them is easy if you know your notes on the fretboard. For example, if you know how to play an F barre chord (a chord many students have trouble with - see my article on How to Play an F chord (coming soon!)), and you know that an F and a G are two frets apart on the same string, you'll know that if you move your F chord two frets to the right, you'll now have a G chord. Moving it another fret over would give you a G# (or an Ab) chord. And so on. There are a number of chords where you can do this (any chord that doesn't contain open strings will work).

3) Learning songs faster (including guitar solos!): This one involves a bit more theory knowledge, but if you know the fretboard well enough, you start to discover that many songs are based on scales (guitar solos in particular), and knowing the fretboard (and the note names) will sometimes allow you to short cut the learning process.

Let me give an example: if you know where a Bb note is on the E string, and you know that the Bb chord starts on that Bb note, then knowing the location of that Bb chord makes learning that part of the song much faster.

Knowing where the notes are can even make a guitar solo easier for you to learn. If the song you're playing is in A minor, and you know where all of your A's are, chances are you'll be able to figure out that solo more quickly.

There are probably other reasons that I'm not even thinking of at the moment, but needless to say, learning the notes of the fretboard will make learning everything else on guitar a much easier process.

"Ok... so what's the best way to learn the notes of the fretboard?"

There are many ways to climb this mountain, but probably the easiest way would be by using scales. Learn a scale, and learn to name the notes as you're playing it. As an added bonus, you'll also be learning how to play your scales (which are also a crucial tool in your development as a guitarist).

Check out page on scales (coming soon!) to get started!

Song Bucket List

This post is sort of a work-in-progress and list to help me keep track of the kinds of songs I'd like to write in the future. I'll probably be adding to it and editing as I go (linking to new pages about songs that I've written and 'crossed off" the list, for example).

In no particular order, my song bucket list:

(last updated: December 21 2016)

- song in locrian mode
- ukelele song
- song in dorian mode
- song in mixolydian mode
- song in lydian mode
- song in phrygian mode
- song without acoustic guitar (electric guitars permitted/desired)
- song with tapping (acoustic guitar)
- song with tapping (electric guitar)
- an album written entirely in my mind
- an album written entirely on paper (without having played it first)

As I said, I'll be editing this as I go and talking more about these song ideas in the future.

Weekly Progress: November 23

Weekly Progress: November 23, 2016

Here is a list of various musical projects of mine, and the progress I've made this week.

1) This blog - ongoing:

I've finished part 1 in my series on tuning (How to Tune Your Guitar, Step 1: Using a Tuner), and I've started on step 2 (tuning the guitar to itself). I've done more work making various edits and adding to the table of contents. Progress is good - slow, but steady.

Progress so far: 1.5%? (Slightly more than last week)

2) Songs For Ghosts (my next album):

I think so far I have all but 2 of the main guitar parts for the songs (there are 10 songs, and 9 have guitar), so progress has been great this week. I intend tonight to finish as much of the main guitar recording as I can, and then to start thinking about what else needs to be added to the songs (aside from vocals, which I haven't started yet).

Progress so far: 35% - the songs are written, a lot of guitar is recorded, Just keep recording!

3) Poster for my office:

For some time now I've been thinking about decorating my office more at Pro Music (where I teach guitar). I had a great idea for a poster: something along the lines of, "top 100 things you need to know as a guitarist/bassist". I have a lot of great ideas for this and I'm just gradually working on sorting them out.

This project is very low-priority for me, so I just make sure to do a little bit each week.

Progress so far: 15% - I have most of the ideas but am far from actual conception of the poster.

4) Other repertoire - ongoing:

I didn't make much progress this week with any of my other repertoire. Just a bit of light practice. Nothing to report here.

That's it for this week - I hope you're also making progress on your music projects.

How to Tune Your Guitar, Step 1: Using a Tuner

Other posts in this series:
How to Tune Your Guitar, Step 2: Tuning the Guitar to Itself
How to Tune Your Guitar, Step 3: Alternate Tunings

This is the first post in a series about how to tune your guitar. Tuning seems unpredictable - at times very difficult, while at other times it seems very simple. But fear not! With a bit of knowledge and some practice, you can tune like a pro. Here are some of the basic steps involved when tuning your guitar.

Step 1: Know thy string names

First things first, the tuning of the guitar starting from thickest string (the 6th string, the top string) to thinnest (the 1st string, which is the bottom string - yes, the strings are numbered "upside-down"):

E A D G B E

To remember this, I like to use a little mnemonic: Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie! (If you're not a fan of eating dynamite, you could try Elephants And Dogs Grow Big Ears).

Step 2: Grab your Tuner

Let's start using your tuner. If it's a clip-on tuner, simply clip it on to the headstock of your guitar (the part where the tuning pegs are found), and turn it on. If it's not a clip-on tuner, just place it somewhere nearby. Electric guitars can often be plugged plug into your tuner if it's not a clip-on (and if your tuner doesn't have that option, just be sure to go somewhere nice and quiet).

Step 3: Start Tuning

Play your low-E string (6th string). Is the string:
- In tune?
- Too low (flat)?
- Too high (sharp)?

Look for a needle or dial on your tuner's display that shows how close you are to being in tune. Some tuners use a display a bit like a car's speed-o-meter. If you're too far to the left the string is flat, and too far to the right means you're sharp. Some tuners use colours, where green means "in tune", and red and yellow mean "sharp" or "flat". Check your manual if you're not certain (or check online if you've already thrown your manual out by mistake!) and figure out if your string is in tune.

While doing this, keep one thing in mind: your tuner doesn't know what pitch you want to tune your string to, it simply shows you the pitch that the string is closest to. This pitch may not be the one you want. So in order to tune your guitar you may need to learn about the notes on the fretboard. I have a separate page about that, "Notes on the Guitar Fretboard", which is worth learning, but for now, I've listed the order of notes below:

C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab A A#/Bb B C C#/Db etc.

(# means "sharp" and b means "flat")

Our system of music cycles through the same notes over and over again, so we keep seeing the same order of C, D, E, F, G, and A (with all the sharps/flats in-between) over and over.

So, if your string is supposed to be tuned to an E, but it's reading as D#, there's a very good chance you need to tune it higher (read; sharper) to reach E. Why? Because there's a D# right below E, and the next D# is 11 notes higher, so odds are in favour of tuning up rather than tuning down. If, however, you're not sure, you can always try tuning down first, and if the string starts sounding and feeling really loose, tune it up instead.

Once you know whether your string is too low or too high in pitch, turn the tuning peg in the appropriate direction until you get the pitch you want. If you're not sure which direction that will be, try turning slowly in one direction and notice what the tuner indicates. If the tuner isn't showing you getting closer to the note you want, you're probably tuning the wrong way.

Two important things to keep in mind while tuning:

1) STRINGS CAN BREAK IF YOU TUNE THEM TOO TIGHTLY

I wrote that in all caps because it's important you pay attention. Make sure you don't tighten the string too much. Doing so might break a string! For example, if the string is supposed to be an E, but you accidentally try to tune it to the A above that E, you run the risk of breaking the string. Your strings don't like being too tight, so please be careful to avoid this. Not sure which way to tune? When in doubt, tune down (loosen the  string) until you're confident you're going the wrong way, then tune it back up. If you've loosened the string too far, you'll figure it out eventually - the string will get very loose and won't produce a clear sounding note.

2) Always end by tuning up!

If your string is flat and you're tuning up (higher in pitch), then you're fine. If you're tuning down to a pitch, make sure to tune slightly lower than the actual pitch, and then finish by tuning up to the correct pitch. Why? If you end by loosening the string, the string can still be a bit loose in the head-stock of the guitar (where the tuning pegs are), and the string can un-tune from that pitch slightly. So always end your tuning of a string by tuning up to the correct pitch.

That's all there is to it.

Follow this procedure for all of your strings, and then voila! You're in tune!

Frequently Asked Questions about Tuning:

What if I don't have a tuner?

Stuck without a tuner? Or did your tuner run out of batteries? It's still possible to tune your guitar - I'll teach you how in How to Tune Your Guitar, Step 2: Tuning the Guitar to Itself.

Can my string really break when I'm tuning?

Yes, it can, and sometimes it hurts when it does. I've bit hit in the hand and in the face with a string breaking before (though not from tuning), so please be careful. Usually people don't get beaten up by a broken string like I was, but better to avoid breaking strings whenever possible.

I'm really scared of breaking a string, how do I know if I should tune up (tighten the string) or tune down (loosen the string)?

As I said above, tune down first if you're not sure. For example, say you're trying to tune to an E. Tune down until you reach the next E below whatever pitch the string is currently tuned to. If the string feels very loose by the time you've finished, then you needed to tune up instead, so tune back up to the next E. You can always try checking online (do a YouTube search for "tuning the guitar" or something similar and you can hear what a tuned guitar sounds like), or try to play something you know really well, and if it sounds off... chances are you need to fix your tuning!

My tuner keeps doing this weird thing where one moment it shows me an E note, then suddenly shows me an A note. Can you help me fix this?

Your problem is a common one and has to do with overtones. You see, whenever you play a note, there is the fundamental note (the name of the note), and its overtones (basically, other notes that also ring when you play that note). Overtones are what make notes sound full and are part of what differentiates different instruments. This can cause other strings to vibrate in sympathy (because they are the same note). I won't go into detail here - partly due to temporary ignorance - but the fix for this is easy: just keep plucking the string you're trying to tune, over and over, as you tune it. Doing so should make it so that the loudest note picked up by your tuner is the one you want.

Weekly Progress: November 18, 2016

I had intended to make this post on Wednesday, but was feeling slightly under the weather. At any rate, here is my progress on various music-related projects for this week:

Here is a list of various musical projects that I'm working on, and my current progress with those projects.

1) This blog - ongoing:

Yes, as you can see, I'm still working on the blog. I've begun writing up a series on how to tune the guitar, after that I will start to cover the basics of how to play. I've also started a table of contents page (as yet unpublished), so you can more easily find what you're looking for on my site.

I've made progress since last week, but not a lot. Next week should be better (I was a bit sick this week for a few days).

Progress so far: 1.25%? (Slightly more than last week)

2) Songs For Ghosts (my next album):

Since last week's progress update, I've begun recording the main guitar parts, and I might have them done for 3 of the ten songs (I say "might" because I have to go back for another listen, but the first time I heard the tracks I was optimistic). I've begun arranging some of the lead guitar on "Step Outside". I feel good about this week's work, and next week I should have an even greater opportunity for recording (I had some more urgent stuff that I had to do for students)...

Progress so far: 27% - the songs are written, some stuff is recorded, I've just got to keep recording at this point!

3) Recital preparation:

I have some students who are in our Christmas recital at Pro Music (the music school where I teach), and I had to finish recording some backing tracks for their performances. It was easy enough to do, just time consuming: one particular track took over 3 hours because I couldn't figure out how to do a drum loop in Audacity. But now I can do drum loops! The time invested in the recording was worth it.

Progress: More or less done, just need to put the tracks on my iPod for performance night.

4) Other repertoire - ongoing:

Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel - I'm close to finished on the intro to the song, and I've started learning the verse - contrary to what I wrote last week, I don't really think there is a "chorus" part, at least not one distinct from the intro. Progress is probably about 30% on this song.

How Long Will I Love You from the "About Time" movie soundtrack - same as last week

Various songs for my 3rd album: no significant progress, but keeping what I have got so far in practice

That's it for this week!

I hope you're making great progress on your own musical projects!

Weekly Progress: November 9th, 2016

Here is a list of various musical projects that I'm working on, and my current progress with those projects.

1) This blog - ongoing:

I wanted to make this blog so that all guitarists/bassists/ukelele players - whether you're one of my students, or just a student of music in general - would have access to all of the information they would need to learn to play guitar.

As a guitar teacher, such a resource is actually good for my business, not bad. There is only so much as a teacher that I think I can accomplish with the written word (and, by extension, with videos, pictures, etc). Most guitar students need one on one time with a teacher. This blog simply serves (or will serve) as a way to enhance and accelerate your learning on the instrument. It's not a replacement for your teacher, if you have one.

Progress is slow, but steady. I work on the blog just about everyday, but the learning curve has been steep - I'm not used to blogger's blog interface and tools (I used to blog on Wordpress, but didn't want to have ads displayed to readers, which is why I made the switch). I'll figure it all out eventually! In the meantime, I'll just have to live with the quirks of not knowing everything about blogger.

I don't think I'll ever "finish" this project, as I'll want to keep blogging, but I feel like I will eventually reach a critical mass of information that, if I decided to stop updating, it would still serve as an excellent resource for guitarists (bassists, ukelele...ists?).

Progress so far: 1%?

2) Songs For Ghosts (my next album) - just starting (sort of):

I have 10 songs I've been meaning to record for a number of years, but various projects and circumstances allowed me to put it off. Regardless, I'm back into recording and enjoying writing music again.

I recorded all of the songs as demos for some friends and family (and for some of my students to hear), and now I'm just starting on recording the actual album. I'll be starting tonight with some of the guitar tracks for a few of the songs.

Songs for Ghosts will be my second album, and this one will be all acoustic. I'm really looking forward to sharing the end product with you! I can't tell you just how long it will take, but my guess is probably less than a year (which may sound like a long time, but I have to juggle my recording with teaching responsibilities, as well as my wife and three kids!)

Progress so far: 25% - the songs are written, I know more or less what they're going to sound like, I just need to record, produce, mix, and master the music.

3) Other repertoire - ongoing:

I have some other songs I'm working on for various reasons as well, which I will list in no particular order:

Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel - I've almost mastered the intro to the song, which just leaves me the verse and chorus, if I remember correctly. I'd put my progress at about 20% on this one.

How Long Will I Love You from the "About Time" movie soundtrack - I know how to play all of it (it's not a difficult song for me), I just need to learn the lyrics and memorize the chord progressions.

Various songs for my 3rd album: Why am I already working on material for my 2nd album? I find that once I start writing, it's very hard to stop. The floodgates of creativity open up, and I can't in good conscience close them. The best I can do is try to focus on the project at hand (my 2nd album), while allowing some small amount of time for writing new material.

I've already got about 13 or 14 different song ideas, some more fleshed out than others. Only two of the songs are "finished" (I have the general structure and all of the lyrics, but haven't done any recording yet), and a third song is close to that point. The others are all in the initial stage of creation, where I have some ideas, but no clear idea how the song is going to turn out. (Songwriting is a subject near and dear to my heart, and you can expect me to write a lot more about it in the future.)

Other random music projects: I've got a few ideas for some kids songs and possibly some video game music, but all of this is sort of on the back burner until I get some of my other stuff finished. I toy with the songs every now and again, but don't give them any serious focus at the moment.


That's about it!

That's what I'm working on these days. It's good to write down and keep track of these kinds of projects, if for no other reason than to stay organized, and perhaps to motivate yourself to finish them!

Here's hoping you're making great progress on whatever you're working on!

Buying Your First Guitar, Part 3: Buying a Good Quality Guitar

Other parts in this series:
Part 1, Buying Your First Guitar: Electric Guitars
Part 2, Buying Your First Guitar: Acoustic Guitars

Nobody wants a lemon when buying a guitar. Here are some tips to make sure that you end up with a quality instrument when you buy your first guitar (or second, or third, or fourth... hey, a guitarist has needs).

Not sure whether to buy an acoustic or an electric? Check out my articles on the pros and cons of electric guitars, and the pros and cons of acoustic guitars.

How to Buy a Good Quality Guitar

1) Buy new.

There are exceptions to this rule, but if you're buying your first guitar, you really should buy new. Why? If you're buying new, you're probably buying from a music store (I would be wary of buying a guitar from any store that is not a music store). Music stores make their living by selling decent equipment, so odds are that anything they sell will be good quality (some music stores do sell used equipment, which might be a good deal - check if they have some kind of warranty on their used gear). You're more likely to end up with a good quality guitar if you're buying it from a music store, and it's a new guitar.

2) Check the fretwires on the bottom of the guitar.

You see those metal strips all along the neck of the guitar? Those are the fretwires. Run your finger along the bottom of the neck (by "bottom" I mean the part of the neck that will be facing the floor when you're holding your guitar and playing). Does it feel smooth? Some low-quality guitars have fretwires that are sticking out, which can potentially hurt your finger while you're playing (they are kind of sharp). If it's not smooth, don't buy it.

3) Play the guitar before buying it!

This should be obvious, but really make sure you play that guitar. Play anything you know how to play (if you're new and you don't really know how to play, try pressing your fingertips into the frets and strumming the strings with a pick). Every fret on every string should sound clear (assuming you're pressing down properly), and there should be no buzzing or rattling anywhere when you play (again, assuming you're playing properly). If you pluck one of the open strings and hear some rattling or buzzing, that's not an instrument you want.

Playing the guitar also ensures that you like the way that it feels while you're playing. A guitar might look nice, but if it feels really awkward to play it, you probably don't want it!

Bonus tip for electric guitars: Make sure you try plugging in the guitar, and playing with an amp at the store, whether you're buying an amp or not (the store should have some you can try). Try flicking the tone-selector (the little switch) to make sure all of the pickups work. If you flick the switch and you can't get any sound after fiddling with the volume knob(s), check with the store to make sure everything is actually working.

4) Check for any obvious damage

Make sure there are no dents, chips, or any other wear and tear that you shouldn't expect to see from a new guitar (or if you're buying used, make sure you're okay with any damage to the guitar that's already there).

5) Bring someone with more experience

Do you know someone who plays guitar? Bring them with you when you buy! Their experience should help give you an idea of what to buy and what to avoid (but just remember, the decision is yours).

6) Check for reviews online
If I see an instrument or piece of equipment that I like, I always search for reviews online. Just enter something like "Taylor CE314 reviews" (replacing "Taylor CE314 reviews" with whatever guitar strikes your fancy), and see what people are saying. If a particular make or model is generally really good (or really bad), you're going to find out about it online.

Bonus tip if you're willing to learn a few things first: (this one is a bit tricky)

Check the intonation

This step might be a little tricky, and you might have to save it for when you (inevitably) buy your second guitar! However, if you have a tuner (or if you follow step 6 below) you can pull it off. Check first to make sure the guitar is in tune with either your tuner (note: if you don't have a tuner, see if the store will lend you one). Then check each of the first five frets or so of each string to make sure they're also in tune. You'll need to know how to use a tuner, and the names of the notes on the guitar fretboard, too, which you can find out about here:

How to Tune Your Guitar, Step 1: Using a Tuner
Notes on the Guitar Fretboard

Follow these steps as closely as you can, and you'll be playing your newly purchased guitar for years to come!