Nashville tuning tuner online
Nashville tuning, also called high-strung tuning, is E3 A3 D4 G4 B3 E4, sixth string to first. The four normally lower strings sound an octave above their standard guitar pitches. B3 and E4 stay unchanged.
Open-string notes and frequencies
Nashville high-strung guitar, sixth string to first. Pitch order is re-entrant; A4=440 Hz.
| String / course | Note | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | E3 | 164.81 |
| 5 | A3 | 220.00 |
| 4 | D4 | 293.66 |
| 3 | G4 | 392.00 |
| 2 | B3 | 246.94 |
| 1 | E4 | 329.63 |
How to use it
- Confirm that the instrument has a Nashville or high-strung string set.
- Select Nashville and allow the microphone.
- Tune strings six through three to E3 A3 D4 G4, watching the octaves.
- Check strings two and one at the unchanged B3 and E4.
- Play a familiar chord and compare the individual strings again.
Help and explanations
This requires a suitable high-strung set; do not try to raise a normal heavy bass set an octave. The letters remain E A D G B E, so ordinary chord shapes still work, but the pitches no longer climb steadily from sixth string to first. G4 on string 3 is the highest open note.
The sparkle comes from changing register
A standard guitar tuner that shows only E, A, D, G, B and E can hide the whole point of this setup. The low-position E string here is E3, not E2, and the G is G4, not G3. After that high G, the open B drops to B3. This reversal is intentional. Keep physical string numbers separate from pitch height when following a chart or listening to the reference.
Nashville stringing resembles using the higher members of a twelve-string guitar’s octave courses, but you still have six individual strings rather than six paired courses. It can add a bright second layer to a standard guitar recording. Tune both instruments to the same reference before double-tracking so repeated notes agree. If your high-strung guitar sounds right open but sour on a fretted chord, inspect the setup and fretting pressure: a note-name match is not an intonation adjustment. The standard option in this menu is for an instrument fitted with standard strings.
Tips
- Check G4 at string 3; it is higher than the first-string E4.
- Keep the Nashville string packet so its gauges and placement stay clear.
- When layering guitars, tune both before recording each take.
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes in Nashville tuning?
E3 A3 D4 G4 B3 E4, ordered sixth string to first. The first four listed strings are an octave above standard tuning.
Do I need special Nashville strings?
Yes, use an appropriate high-strung set or the equivalent gauges specified for your instrument. Normal bass strings should not be pulled up an octave.
Do chord shapes change in Nashville tuning?
The note letters at the frets stay the same, so standard guitar chord shapes still apply. The voicing changes because four strings sound higher.
Is Nashville tuning the same as a twelve-string guitar?
It creates a related bright effect, but has six single strings. A twelve-string has six courses of two strings.
Why is the G string higher than the first E?
G4 is above E4, while the B string remains B3. High-strung tuning is deliberately not a continuous low-to-high pitch sequence.
Can I use Nashville tuning on an acoustic guitar?
Yes, with a compatible string set and setup. Check the instrument’s gauges and fretted intonation after restringing.