Guitar 12-String Standard Tuner — Tune to 12-String Standard in Your Browser
Mic-based chromatic tuner pre-set to 12-String Standard. No download, no sign-up, works in your browser.
Tuning summary
- Notes (low to high)
- E2 · A2 · D3 · G3 · B3 · E4
- Instrument
- Guitar
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- About this tuning
- 12-string courses double each string in octaves on the lower four pairs and unison on the top two. Tune each course in turn.
Start tuning
We'll ask for microphone access once. Audio is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
About 12-String Standard on guitar
12-string standard tuning is six pairs of strings — courses — tuned to standard EADGBE pitches, with the bottom four pairs doubled an octave apart and the top two pairs tuned in unison. The full set of pitches: E2 E3, A2 A3, D3 D4, G3 G4, B3 B3, E4 E4. Each course is plucked together as one 'string', producing the chiming, chorus-like sound that defines the 12-string.
The 12-string is rooted in folk and rock traditions. Lead Belly used a 12-string on 'Goodnight, Irene' and many other recordings; Pete Seeger and the Byrds (Roger McGuinn's electric Rickenbacker 12) made the 12-string central to 1960s folk-rock; and Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' opens with Jimmy Page's acoustic 12-string. The doubled octaves in the bass register give the instrument a thicker, more piano-like body than a 6-string can produce.
Tuning a 12-string is twelve operations, not six. Each course must be tuned individually — a chromatic tuner reads the strongest pitch in a doubled course, which is usually the higher-octave string. Many players tune the higher-octave strings first (since they vibrate louder), then check the lower-octave strings of the bottom four courses by themselves. Some tuners have a '12-string mode' that helps separate the two pitches.
Because the total string tension is roughly double a 6-string's, many 12-string players tune a half step or whole step down to reduce neck stress, then capo back up to the desired key. Leo Kottke famously tunes his 12-string two whole steps down. If you tune to true E standard, plan on more frequent neck adjustments, especially in dry climates or with vintage instruments designed for lighter tension.
Frequently asked questions
- Are all 12-string courses tuned in octaves?
- No — the bottom four pairs are tuned in octaves, but the top two pairs (B and E) are tuned in unison.
- Should I tune a 12-string to standard pitch?
- Many players tune a half-step or whole-step down to reduce tension on the neck. Vintage instruments especially benefit from lower tuning.
- How do I tune the doubled octaves?
- Tune each string of a course separately. A chromatic tuner reads whichever string is louder, so you'll often need to dampen one string to read the other clearly.
- What artists are known for 12-string?
- Lead Belly, Pete Seeger, Roger McGuinn (the Byrds), Jimmy Page, Leo Kottke, and Tom Petty.
- Will a 12-string damage my regular guitar?
- A 12-string is a 12-string — you can't restring a 6-string as a 12-string without major modifications. The neck and bridge are built for very different tension.