How To Tune A 12 String Guitar

Ah, the 12-string guitar. That majestic beast. That glorious monster. That… absolute joy to play. And also, a little bit of a beast to tune. If you've ever gazed longingly at a 12-string, dreaming of those big, jangly chords and shimmering melodies, but then the thought of tuning it popped into your head, well, you're not alone. It’s a bit like wrestling a friendly, but very loud, bear.

Let’s be honest, tuning a 12-string isn't exactly a walk in the park. It’s more like a brisk hike up a slightly slippery hill. You’ve got twice as many strings, which means twice the fun, right? And also, twice the potential for… shall we say… creative tuning? You know the sound. That slightly wonky, the-notes-are-doing-their-own-thing kind of sound. It’s an acquired taste. Some people even call it… character. I call it evidence that I might have accidentally invented a new scale. A very… interesting scale.

But fear not, brave strumming warrior! It’s not impossible. It just requires a little patience. And maybe a good sense of humor. And perhaps a small, calming beverage. For me, it’s usually a strong cup of coffee. For others, it might be something a bit stronger. No judgment here. We’re all in this together.

So, how do you tame this magnificent beast? It's actually quite simple, in theory. You still tune it to standard tuning, mostly. E-A-D-G-B-E. The familiar friends. But here’s where the magic, or the madness, begins. For each of those six standard strings, you’ve got a partner.

Let’s take the low E string. You’ve got your regular E. Then, right next to it, you have another E. But this second E is usually tuned an octave higher. So, you’ve got your deep, rumbling E, and then its higher, almost squeaky cousin. They’re like siblings who are always arguing but can’t live without each other. It’s a beautiful, chaotic harmony.

The A string? Same story. A low A and a high A. The D string? A low D and a high D. You’re starting to see the pattern here, aren't you? It's like a mirrored universe of sound.

Now, for the G string. This is where things get a little more interesting. You’ve got your standard G. Then, you have another G. But this second G is usually tuned in unison with the first G. So, they’re supposed to sound exactly the same. Supposed to. Sometimes, they’re a little off. And that’s okay. That’s the character I was talking about.

Then we get to the B string. Ah, the B string. The one that often likes to play hard to get. You’ve got your B. And then, its partner. This second B is tuned an octave higher. So, you’ve got your regular B, and then a tiny, chirpy B that lives in the clouds.

And finally, the high E. Just like the low E, you’ve got a high E and another high E, tuned an octave higher. So, you have a little E friend that’s even higher than the other little E friend. It’s like a family reunion, but with more strings and a lot more potential for string breakage.

So, the basic idea is:

• Low E: E (standard) + E (octave higher)
• A: A (standard) + A (octave higher)
• D: D (standard) + D (octave higher)
• G: G (standard) + G (unison)
• B: B (standard) + B (octave higher)
• High E: E (standard) + E (octave higher)

Now, the reality of it. You grab your trusty tuner. A digital one is your best friend here. Clip it on. Or use that handy phone app. Whatever floats your tuning boat.

You start with your low E. Get it right. Then, the high E next to it. Tune it up until it sounds like a higher E. Don't worry if it's not perfect. Honestly, it rarely is. It's a bit like trying to get two identical twins to wear the exact same outfit. Close enough is often good enough.

Then you move to the A strings. Get the low A singing. Then its higher sibling. Now, this is where the fun really begins. As you tune one string, it can sometimes affect the tension of the others. It’s like a domino effect, but with sound. You think you've got the A string perfectly in tune, and then you look at the E string, and it’s decided to go on vacation to a different key.

So, you go back and forth. Gently. Patiently. You tune the low E, then the high E. Then the low A, then the high A. Then the low D, then the high D. You do the Gs. Try to get them as close as possible to unison. It’s a delicate dance.

And the B strings? Oh, the B strings. Sometimes they’re in tune, sometimes they’re not. It’s their quirky little personality.

Then the high E strings. You get the main high E, and then its even higher, more ethereal counterpart.

The trick is to go through the process a few times. Don't expect perfection on the first pass. It’s a journey, not a destination. You'll tune, play a chord, and then realize one of the octaves is a little sharp or flat. So, you adjust. And then another one decides to join the party.

My own personal, and arguably unpopular, opinion? Perfection is overrated. A 12-string that’s perfectly in tune can sometimes sound a little… sterile. A little too polished. The beauty of the 12-string is in that slight shimmer, that little bit of chorus effect that happens naturally. That’s where the magic lives.

So, don't beat yourself up if it's not absolutely spot on. Embrace the slight imperfections. That’s what gives your 12-string its unique voice. It's the difference between a perfectly manufactured robot and a wonderfully eccentric artist. And who doesn't love a wonderfully eccentric artist? So go forth, my friends. Tune your 12-string. And make some beautiful, slightly wobbly, music.