How to Tune a 12-String Acoustic Guitar

Video transcription

Hi, my name is Tina Wood. I'm here at the Amp Shop in California, Sherman Oaks. I'm about to show you how to tune a twelve string acoustic guitar. Well to start off I like to use a tuning fork or a tuner up there. It depends on what's easier but you need a point of reference and this is an E and which is this high string here so I'm basically going to tune this string to this tuning fork, this note. And then, the second on a twelve string, the top two strings are the same, same gauge string so they tune the same. The second string is a B. You're going to basically fret the fifth fret on the B string and then you want to then tune that to the top E string. The fourth string which is the, you know, this string right here, this is also a B string. These are tuned the same as you can hear. The third string which is the thicker of the G, is a G string right here. You're going to fret on the fourth fret and then tune it to that note. The sixth string here which is a compensated, it is also G but it's the octave of this string. So you basically want to tune this smaller string that's next to the G string. These are both Gs but the smaller one is the octave of the larger string. So you want to basically make it so they sound in tune with each other but one's octave of the other. The next string which is your D string, you know, it is considered a fourth string on a six string, your D string. This string you're going to fret it also on the fifth fret and tune it to the thicker G string. The string next to it is also a D but it is also a compensated. It's an octave higher. So you just want to make sure they're in tune with each other but one is octave. The smaller string is always an octave higher than the thicker string. The next string which is on a regular six string guitar which is your A string, the thick string you're going to tune that, you're going to fret it on the fifth fret and tune it to the upper thicker string which would be your D. You just want to make sure they're in tune with each other. Then the string next to it which is again your octave A, just is an octave higher. You want to tune that so they're the same and then finally the lower strings on a six string guitar, this is your E string, the thick one. The same thing you're going to fret it on the fifth fret and you're going to tune it to the thicker fifth string which is your A string on a regular six string acoustic so that they tune the same and then of course, the smaller string next to it again is your octave E. Okay, so that's how you tune a twelve string.