12-string guitar tuning (standard)
Folk, rock and jangle: the chiming sound of the Byrds, Led Zeppelin's acoustic songs and a thousand campfire singalongs.
A 12-string guitar is tuned to the same six notes as a regular guitar, E A D G B E, but each string is doubled into a course. The four lowest courses pair each string with one an octave higher; the top two courses (B and E) are tuned in unison.
So you are tuning twelve strings to eight different pitches. The thin octave strings of the E, A, D and G courses are the fiddly part: they are light, they stretch, and they are easy to snap if you overshoot.
Notes and frequencies
From the thickest string to the thinnest, at concert pitch (A4 = 440 Hz). This is the reference every other 12-string guitar tuning is measured against.
| String | Note | Frequency (A4 = 440 Hz) | Octave string |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | E2 | 82.41 Hz | E3 · 164.81 Hz |
| 5 | A2 | 110.00 Hz | A3 · 220.00 Hz |
| 4 | D3 | 146.83 Hz | D4 · 293.66 Hz |
| 3 | G3 | 196.00 Hz | G4 · 392.00 Hz |
| 2 | B3 | 246.94 Hz | B3 · 246.94 Hz |
| 1 | E4 | 329.63 Hz | E4 · 329.63 Hz |
Tuning to Standard in TuneGlass
- Open Settings and choose 12-string guitar.
- Standard tuning is already selected. Play any string: the dial shows the nearest string and how far off it is.
- Play one string at a time. The needle turns green and the scale fills when the string is in tune. Hold a string circle to hear its reference note.
Tips
- Tune one course at a time, each string separately. Mute the partner string with a finger so the tuner hears only one.
- Tune the octave strings up to pitch carefully. The high G octave string in particular breaks if you go past the note and keep turning.
- Many players tune a 12-string a half step or a whole step down to reduce the strain on the neck. TuneGlass has 12-string presets for both.
- In TuneGlass pick 12-string guitar: each circle shows both notes of the course and the detector reads whichever string you pluck.
Questions
What are the notes on a 12-string guitar?
E A D G B E, as on a 6-string. The E, A, D and G courses have a second string one octave higher; the B and E courses have a second string at the same pitch.
Should I tune a 12-string down?
Many players do, usually a half step, to ease the tension on the neck and make it easier to play. The sound stays the same in character, just a touch lower.
Related tunings
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