Standard tuning

Six strings tuned in fourths except between the third and second strings, which are a major third apart. That irregular interval is what makes the fretboard repeat at the twelfth fret but not at the fifth, and it is the reason chord shapes are not transposable between all adjacent string pairs.

1st E
2nd B
3rd G
4th D
5th A
6th E

Notes, highest to lowest: E A D G B E
Notes, lowest to highest: E B G D A E
Strings: 6
Interval pattern: 6th to 5th: 5 semitones; 5th to 4th: 5 semitones; 4th to 3rd: 5 semitones; 3rd to 2nd: 4 semitones; 2nd to 1st: 5 semitones
Family: standard
Typical scale length: 24.75–25.5 in
Open strings contain: A7sus4, E7sus4, Em7, G6, Gadd9, Asus2, Asus4, Dsus2, Dsus4, Em
Written use: The default tuning for the electric and steel-string acoustic guitar. Everything else on this site is described relative to it.
Key of this tuning: E

Strings

Each string of this tuning, with its scientific pitch, its MIDI note number (middle C is 60) and its distance above the lowest string.

String	Note	Octave	MIDI	Semitones above the lowest	Interval
1st (highest)	E	4	64	24	Perfect unison plus two octaves above the lowest string
2nd	B	3	59	19	Perfect twelfth above the lowest string
3rd	G	3	55	15	Augmented ninth above the lowest string
4th	D	3	50	10	Minor seventh above the lowest string
5th	A	2	45	5	Perfect fourth above the lowest string
6th (lowest)	E	2	40	0	the reference string

Common chord shapes

The shapes below were found by searching this tuning's fretboard. The search prefers the lowest playable position, requires every chord tone, spans no more than four frets and allows no muted string between two sounding ones. Shapes in an altered tuning are not the standard ones: they are the shapes this tuning actually produces.

Chord	Shape (lowest string first)	Notes	Degrees	Span	Sounding	Quality
E	0-2-2-1-0-0 (6→1)	E B E G# B E	1 5 1 3 5 1	2	6	Major
A	0-0-2-2-2-0 (6→1)	E A E A C# E	5 1 5 1 3 5	2	6	Major
D	2-0-0-2-x-x (6→1)	F# A D A x x	3 5 1 5 x x	2	4	Major
G	x-2-0-0-0-x (6→1)	x B D G B x	x 3 5 1 3 x	2	4	Major
C	x-x-2-0-1-0 (6→1)	x x E G C E	x x 3 5 1 3	2	4	Major
Em	0-2-2-0-0-0 (6→1)	E B E G B E	1 5 1 b3 5 1	2	6	Minor
Am	0-0-2-2-1-0 (6→1)	E A E A C E	5 1 5 1 b3 5	2	6	Minor
Dm	1-0-0-2-x-x (6→1)	F A D A x x	b3 5 1 5 x x	2	4	Minor
E7	x-x-0-1-0-0 (6→1)	x x D G# B E	x x b7 3 5 1	1	4	Dominant seventh
A7	0-0-2-0-2-0 (6→1)	E A E G C# E	5 1 5 b7 3 5	2	6	Dominant seventh
Esus4	0-0-2-2-0-0 (6→1)	E A E A B E	1 4 1 4 5 1	2	6	Suspended fourth
G7	x-x-0-0-0-1 (6→1)	x x D G B F	x x 5 1 3 b7	1	4	Dominant seventh

Chord

Shape (lowest string first)

Notes

Degrees

Span

Sounding

Quality

0-2-2-1-0-0 (6→1)

E B E G# B E

1 5 1 3 5 1

Major

0-0-2-2-2-0 (6→1)

E A E A C# E

5 1 5 1 3 5

Major

2-0-0-2-x-x (6→1)

F# A D A x x

3 5 1 5 x x

Major

x-2-0-0-0-x (6→1)

x B D G B x

x 3 5 1 3 x

Major

x-x-2-0-1-0 (6→1)

x x E G C E

x x 3 5 1 3

Major

0-2-2-0-0-0 (6→1)

E B E G B E

1 5 1 b3 5 1

Minor

0-0-2-2-1-0 (6→1)

E A E A C E

5 1 5 1 b3 5

Minor

1-0-0-2-x-x (6→1)

F A D A x x

b3 5 1 5 x x

Minor

x-x-0-1-0-0 (6→1)

x x D G# B E

x x b7 3 5 1

Dominant seventh

0-0-2-0-2-0 (6→1)

E A E G C# E

5 1 5 b7 3 5

Dominant seventh

Esus4

0-0-2-2-0-0 (6→1)

E A E A B E

1 4 1 4 5 1

Suspended fourth

x-x-0-0-0-1 (6→1)

x x D G B F

x x 5 1 3 b7

Dominant seventh

Diatonic chords in E

The seven triads built on the major scale of this tuning's home key, each as a playable shape in this tuning.

Numeral	Chord	Notes	Shape (lowest string first)	Sounding	Quality
I	E	E G# B	0-2-2-1-0-0 (6→1)	6	Major
ii	F#m	F# A C#	2-0-4-2-2-2 (6→1)	6	Minor
iii	G#m	G# B D#	x-2-1-1-0-x (6→1)	4	Minor
IV	A	A C# E	0-0-2-2-2-0 (6→1)	6	Major
V	B	B D# F#	2-2-1-4-0-2 (6→1)	6	Major
vi	C#m	C# E G#	x-x-2-1-2-0 (6→1)	4	Minor
vii°	D#dim	D# F# A	2-0-1-2-x-x (6→1)	4	Diminished

Numeral

Chord

Notes

Shape (lowest string first)

Sounding

Quality

E G# B

0-2-2-1-0-0 (6→1)

Major

F#m

F# A C#

2-0-4-2-2-2 (6→1)

Minor

iii

G#m

G# B D#

x-2-1-1-0-x (6→1)

Minor

A C# E

0-0-2-2-2-0 (6→1)

Major

B D# F#

2-2-1-4-0-2 (6→1)

Major

C#m

C# E G#

x-x-2-1-2-0 (6→1)

Minor

vii°

D#dim

D# F# A

2-0-1-2-x-x (6→1)

Diminished

What this tuning is used for

The default tuning for the electric and steel-string acoustic guitar. Everything else on this site is described relative to it.

GenreRock and popThe overwhelming majority of recorded electric guitar is in standard tuning.
GenreClassicalStandard written pitch, with the sixth string lowered to D for drop-D pieces and the whole instrument retuned for lute works.
GenreJazzStandard tuning with a wound third string on some archtops.
GenreCountryStandard tuning, often capoed rather than retuned.

Related tunings

TuningHalf step downthe same shapes, a semitone lower
TuningDrop Dstandard with the sixth string lowered a tone
TuningDADGADa modal tuning derived from standard
TuningSeven-string standardstandard plus a low B
TuningNashville tuning (high strung)the same notes an octave up on the lower strings

Everything in E · All tunings

TuningHalf step down tuning — Eb Ab Db Gb Bb EbEb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb · 6 strings
TuningDrop D tuning — D A D G B ED A D G B E · 6 strings
TuningDADGAD tuning — D A D G A DD A D G A D · 6 strings
TuningSeven-string standard tuning — B E A D G B EB E A D G B E · 7 strings
TuningNashville tuning (high strung) tuning — E A D G B EE A D G B E · 6 strings
TuningOpen E tuning — E B E G# B EE B E G# B E · 6 strings
ChordE11 — Dominant eleventh1 9 3 11 5 b7 · E F# G# A B D
ChordE13 — Dominant thirteenth1 9 3 5 13 b7 · E F# G# B C# D

Everything in this key: E · Tunings · Theory Atlas