12 String Guitar Tuning

If you are interested in 12 string guitar tuning, you have probably already realized that it is a little bit more difficult to tune a 12 string than it is to tune a six string guitar. However, once you get the hang of it, tuning will be a breeze.

Many people look at the strings on the 12 string guitar and assume that the rig is two six string guitars strung next to one another. This is not the case. Each side of the head of the guitar has six tuning pegs. Each of these strings is a particular note.

The strings are stretched on the guitar so they compliment one another. Two sets of strings on the guitar are tuned exactly the same so that they ring in harmony while the other four sets of strings are tuned in octaves. A different octave simply means that, while it is tonally the same note, it will be higher or lower sounding. For example, in the popular warm-up 'do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do,' the 'do's' are the same note, but the second one sounds much higher when sung than the first one. This is because they are both in a different octave.

Perhaps the easiest way to go about 12 string guitar tuning is to treat every other string as if it were just a basic six string guitar. Holding the guitar upright so that the fretboard is facing you, begin with the string to the far left. This would be a regular six string's E string. Tune this string on the guitar to E. Skip a string and tune the next string you land on to B. Skip a string and tune this string to G. Skip a string and tune this string to D. Skip a string and tune this to A. Now, skip one more string and tune this string to E. Congratulations, you have now tuned six of the strings on your 12 string guitar!

The remaining six strings are a little harder. Beginning from the left, the second string will also be tuned to E (just like the first string to the far left). The fourth string will be tuned to the third string. If you have a great ear, the remaining strings are not that hard: they are tuned to the string to their left, but one octave higher.

For players who don't have a great ear, there is an easier way to go about it. The sixth string will be tuned to the note the guitar makes when playing the third fret of the first string. The eighth string will be tuned to the note the guitar makes when playing the third fret on the second string. The tenth string will be tuned to the same noise the guitar makes when playing the second fret on the third string. Finally, the twelfth string will be tuned to the noise the guitar makes when playing the second fret of the fourth string.

• The lower G string is the most likely string to break on the guitar. To prevent this, be sure to use the proper gauge for your guitar and do not over-tighten.
• Since there are numerous variables involved, it is recommended that you use some form of tuner in your 12 string guitar tuning session. If you do not want to shell out for a plug-in tuner or tuning fork, you can use a virtual guitar tuner.
• Until you become used to the notes of all the strings, you may want to keep a reference guide around so that you can always see what note a string is in the event you forget.

Tuning a 12 string guitar can be difficult. However, remember how good the 12 string is at providing chorus lines and you will remember why you keep trying to tune it. The 12 string holds a big role in the history of the guitar and is well worth the effort to learn.

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