We still tune the strings as if there are six pairs and the lower four pairs are tuned an octave apart. Here is a diagram of the strings on a 12-string guitar tuned a half-step down: Learn more about Eb (E Flat) Tuning in this guide. This means E becomes E-flat (Eb), A becomes A-flat (Ab) and so on. To tune a 12-string guitar a half-step down, tune your guitar as normal, then tune every string down a semitone (or half-step). If you find your fingers hurt when playing a 12-string guitar, try tuning down to give your fingers some relief. Tuning a 12-string guitar down a half-step is also a great way to get used to playing it. Having the tension of 12 strings pulling is a great strain on the guitar, so it used to be common to tune 12-string guitars down to take some tension off of the neck. The reason a lot of older 12-string guitar songs are tuned a half-step down is because of the tension standard tuning places on the guitar’s neck. If you look up songs for 12-string guitars, you may notice that a lot of them are tuned a half-step down. Tuning a 12-String Guitar a Half-Step Down If you’re ready to try to tune your guitar, skip ahead to the section on how to tune a 12-string guitar with a tuner. g: an octave higher than the thicker paired stringĪfter you try this once or twice, it will start to make sense and you’ll quickly feel comfortable with tuning your 12-string guitar.d: an octave higher than the thicker paired string.a: an octave higher than the thicker paired string.e: an octave higher than the thicker paired string.The lowercase letters represent notes that are tuned an octave higher than normal.įrom left-to-right in the earlier diagram, the strings are tuned: The uppercase letters are tuned to normal 6-string guitar tuning. When we write out the tuning for a 12-string guitar, we write it as: When you play the B pair of strings together, you will hear that they sound exactly the same. The higher two pairs of strings (B & E) are tuned exactly the same as the paired strings. Tip: the thicker strings are always an octave lower than the thinner paired strings. The sound you hear when both are in tune is an octave difference between the notes. Then when you play those two strings together, you will hear that they both ring out in harmony. This means we tune the lowest string, E, an octave higher than the thicker E string. The lower four pairs of strings (grouped with E A D G) are tuned an octave higher. The strings highlighted in Green are the paired strings and we tune them differently. When you look at the lower pairs of strings, it’s the thicker strings you tune like a normal 6 string guitar. ![]() The strings highlighted in Red are tuned exactly the same as a normal 6-string guitar: E A D G B E. Here’s a look at all of the strings on a 12-string guitar and what each string is tuned to: Thinking about it this way makes it a lot easier. You don’t tune 12 individual strings, you tune 6 pairs of strings. The key point to remember when tuning a 12-string guitar to standard is that each string is part of a pair. This makes your 12-string guitar play the same as a normal guitar in Standard Tuning. The most common tuning for a 12-string guitar is Standard Tuning. Tuning a 12-String Guitar to Standard (Step by Step) Simply follow the advice in this guide and you can use any of those tunings on your 12-string guitar. Check out this Guide to Alternate Guitar Tunings for a list of open and other alternate tunings. Once you learn how to tune a 12-string guitar, you can use any alternate tuning listed for 6-string guitars. Keep this in mind when you tune your guitar up to any of the different tunings as covered below. Instead, you think of 6 pairs of strings and you play each pair as if it were a single string on a normal guitar. When you play a 12-string guitar, you don’t think about 12 individual strings. This is important to remember when tuning your guitar as the thinner strings are tuned to a higher note. There is a thin string paired with a thick string. You may also notice that the lower four pairs of strings are uneven in thickness. Notice that each pair of strings has a gap before the next pair of strings. ![]() Take a look at the photo below and you will see how there are six pairs of strings: If you think of a 12-string guitar as a guitar with six pairs of strings, it becomes much easier to understand. There are 6 pairs of strings on a 12-string guitar. The main difference between a 6 and 12 string guitar is that a 12 string guitar has an extra set of strings paired together. If you understand the difference between a 6 string and 12 string guitar, you will find it easy to tune your 12-string guitar in any tuning. 8.4 Related Guides and Lessons: Difference Between 6 and 12 String Guitar Tuning
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